Voting
History: KS3, topic 21.1.2
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.
North USA
- In the North, politicians began to introduce policies that appealed to black people to gain their votes.
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.
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.
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.
Test yourself on Voting
By 1954, how many towns in the South had black policemen?