The word “disenfranchised” means being deprived of rights, including the right to vote or fully participate in the political process. This term can also refer to those who are excluded from power and benefits within a society, such as poor or landless individuals, women (before suffrage), African Americans and other racial minorities (especially before the Civil Rights Movement), immigrants, and working-class individuals who did not meet property or tax qualifications. Many disenfranchised people were unable to vote or participate in politics because of property ownership requirements. Certain groups, like women and racial minorities, were excluded due to societal biases and legal barriers. In this context, the disenfranchised could also refer to the working or laboring classes.