SOC 134 Study Guide - Final Guide: Voting Rights Act Of 1965, Literacy Test, White Primaries
Document Summary
-15th amendment: 1870, guaranteed right to vote regardless of race or pervious servitude. Na, immigrants and women still excluded, not really enforced until civil rights 100 years later, found creative ways to keep blacks from voting, especially in south. -had private organizations which would define own membership standards (democratic party had white primaries ) -literacy tests but only for blacks since whites could be grandfathered in . -ex. of 1965 alabama literacy test very hard questions. -discrimination was widespread, civil rights act had few voting specifications, was case by case took a lot of time/money. -1965 lbj message to congress said something had to be done. Was supposed to be a temporary fix for 5 years, renewed 3 times after, 82 for 25 years, and 2006 for another 25. Most successful civil rights legislation, was renewed because a fear of reversal. -voter registration table*: shows huge increases for blacks. -black southern legislators table*: go up and down matching legislation.
