Which statement best describes poll taxes and literacy tests in the Southern states after the 15th Amendment?

Which statement best describes poll taxes and literacy tests in the Southern states after the 15th Amendment?

• A. They were used by Southern states to suppress African American voting rights despite the 15th Amendment.
• B. They expanded voting rights to women.
• C. They were intended to standardize voter qualification across the nation.
• D. They were created by the federal government to ensure equal access.

Answer: (A)

After the 15th Amendment, Southern states used poll taxes and literacy tests to keep African Americans from voting. Poll taxes charged a fee to vote, which many Black citizens and poor whites could not afford, effectively disenfranchising them. Literacy tests were administered in biased ways and often used to filter out Black voters, with questions or scoring designed to exclude them regardless of actual ability. Together, these measures aimed to maintain white political control while giving the appearance of upholding constitutional rights. They were not about expanding rights to women, standardizing qualifications nationwide, or coming from the federal government; they were state-level tactics to circumvent the 15th Amendment.

After the 15th Amendment, Southern states used poll taxes and literacy tests to keep African Americans from voting. Poll taxes charged a fee to vote, which many Black citizens and poor whites could not afford, effectively disenfranchising them. Literacy tests were administered in biased ways and often used to filter out Black voters, with questions or scoring designed to exclude them regardless of actual ability. Together, these measures aimed to maintain white political control while giving the appearance of upholding constitutional rights. They were not about expanding rights to women, standardizing qualifications nationwide, or coming from the federal government; they were state-level tactics to circumvent the 15th Amendment.