There were many Blacks that held state and federal office due to the large population/concentration of Blacks in certain areas right after slavery. Since the Emancipation Proclamation, southern whites looked for ways to keep us in a servitude, harsh and controlling environment by creating laws that kept us from voting and citizenry with the duplicity of the Supreme Court in upholding of some of these laws.
The different attempts to keep Blacks from voting.
Poll Tax – proof of having paid taxes or poll taxes and sometimes used with literacy test.
Education Requirement – literacy test with stipulations not to effect white voters.
Eight Box -indirect literacy test implemented by putting the right size ballot in the correct box.
Grandfather Clause – you could vote if your father or grandfather voted.
DEATH
African Americans could not vote in the south and different parts of America from 1870 until the passage of the Voters Rights Act of 1965.
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