"What a Colored Man Should Do To Vote," Date Unknown

    Courtesy of Library of Congress, "What a Colored Man Should Do To Vote," Date Unknown

    Description

    Published by Philadelphia's E.A. Wright, this booklet helped African Americans living in the South navigate the voting requirements of their particular states. Also provided was a brief commentary on the importance of voting and the right to vote as well as general advice related to the importance of paying poll taxes on time, avoiding criminal activity and staying on friendly terms with white neighbors. The exact date of its publishing is unknown. 

    Full Transcript of "What a Colored Man Should Do To Vote"

    Transcribed Excerpts from "What a Colored Man Should Do To Vote"

    Source-Dependent Questions

    • Given your previous knowledge, why might the publishers of this booklet have felt the need to write a preface that stressed the importance of voting?
    • What voting restrictions did each of these states have in common?
    • How would these voting restrictions have helped southern states create and maintain a society detrimental to African-American interests?
    • Select two voting restrictions that would have most impacted African-American voter participation. Explain how each of these would have decreased the percentage of African-American voters.
    • How do these voting restrictions compare to current voting restrictions in Iowa?

    Citation Information 

    "What a Colored Man Should Do To Vote," Date Unknown. Courtesy of Library of Congress

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