Affranchise is a term used to describe the end of slavery or the granting of political rights. It is most commonly known for its involvement in civil rights and suffrage for women.

The term was used during the American Civil War when Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which granted freedom to all slaves. This document was the first step in a very long battle for civil rights and ended the legal ownership of one person over another.

The concept of affranchise was also a driving force behind the civil rights movement in the United States.