In 1868, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution gave Black people equal protection under the law. Following the end of the Civil War, two constitutional provisions were ratified to protect the right of African Americans to vote.The Thirteenth Amendment has ensured far more than an end to AfricanAmerican slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment has ensured far more than an end to AfricanAmerican slavery. Franklin Whittemore vacant. The Equal Protection Clause is part of the first section of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Constitutional Amendments – Amendment 14 – "Citizenship, Equal Protection, Apportionment, and War Debts". The 14th Amendment was necessary to make clear that Black people, as well as anyone born in the country or naturalized, were American citizens. What responsibilities does a person have to ensure equal rights among all people?