19.1.2

Voting

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Voting Rights of Black Americans in the Early 1950s

Voting rights were gradually introduced for Black Americans, however, white people prevented black people from voting through several methods.

Illustrative background for North USAIllustrative background for North USA ?? "content

North USA

  • In the North, politicians began to introduce policies that appealed to black people to gain their votes.
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South USA

  • In some parts of the South, black people had gained some voting rights for officials in their segregated communities.
  • For example, by 1954 AD, 143 towns had black policemen.
  • In 1956 AD, 20% of black people were registered to vote, up by 17% compared to before WW2.
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Prevention methods

  • However, white people prevented black people from voting as they did not see them as equal citizens.
  • This was done through several methods:
    • Employers threatened to sack black workers who tried to vote.
    • States allowing political parties to ‘choose’ their members.
    • States introduced difficult literacy tests that because of the difference in the education they were given, blacks would fail but whites would pass.
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Prevention methods cont.

  • However, white people prevented black people from voting through several methods:
    • Gangs beating up black voters outside polling stations.
    • Some black people who went to court to defend their right to vote were murdered.

Jump to other topics

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.4King John

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.6The Black Death

2Worldviews

3The Empire of Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

6The Peasants' Revolt

7Religion in the Middle Ages

8Slavery, 1619-1833 AD

9The English Civil War, 1642-1660

10The Industrial Revolution, 1750-1840

11US Independence, 1775-1783

12The French Revolution, 1789-1815

13The British Empire, 1857–1930

14Suffrage

15World War 1, 1914-1918

16The Inter-War Years, 1919-1939

17World War 2, 1939-1945

18The Cold War, 1947-1962

19Civil Rights in the USA, 1954-1975

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