| Rayford W. Logan of Howard University, writes | | | | to disfranchise African Americans had to get |
| about the nadir in The betrayal of the Negro. The | | | | around the 15th amendment, which said that you |
| period goes from 1877-1901 according to Logan, | | | | could not prevent any individual, male and 21 |
| but according to Professor Jenkins it should go | | | | years of age or older, on the basis of race, |
| from 1877-1919. Political reconstruction ended in | | | | creed, or color. |
| 1877. Rutherford B Hayes agrees to remove | | | | By using literacy tests, which were intelligence |
| remaining troops from the south, but more | | | | tests that certain states required to be taken in |
| significantly the date makes the end of political | | | | order to vote, it has nothing to do with race, but |
| reconstruction. World War One ended in 1919 and | | | | with intelligence. Weather or not someone passed |
| the date also marks the beginning of race riots, or | | | | a literacy test depended on who was |
| domestic terrorism that occurs predominantly in | | | | administering the test. If the administrator wanted |
| the south. This essay will examine the events | | | | the person to pass, they would pass. In other |
| between the end of reconstruction and the end | | | | words the system was corrupt. Some African |
| of World War I to prove that the period between | | | | Americans who were aptly educated could not |
| 1877-1919 should be considered the Nadir, or low | | | | pass. The literacy tests that came into play after |
| point, for African Americans.. | | | | the reconstruction helped sway, in the southern |
| The post Civil War reconstruction marks a period | | | | states, for several years after. These literacy |
| of optimism for racial equality. It seemed like | | | | tests hid behind racism to sway power in the |
| things were moving in the right direction for | | | | southern states to the democratic party. |
| African Americans. The 14th amendment passed | | | | Another way to disfranchise African Americans |
| in 1868 gave African Americans citizenship rights | | | | was to set taxes at the polls, which needed to be |
| and laid foundation for African American males 21 | | | | paid in order for someone to vote. Taxes were |
| years or older to participate in the political | | | | set at such a rate that poor people could not pay |
| process. The 15th amendment passed in 1870 | | | | them. Since a disproportionate amount of black |
| directly gave African American males 21 years or | | | | people were poor, this eliminated much of the |
| older the right to vote. | | | | black vote. Some white people were effected by |
| During reconstruction, the Republican party was | | | | these poll taxes, much like they would be |
| the dominant party in the south. Most African | | | | effected by the literacy tests, however, loosing |
| Americans at the time identified with the | | | | those few white votes wouldn't matter because |
| Republican Party. With the majority of the | | | | they were votes from poor, stupid whites. It was |
| southern population being African American and | | | | the black vote, which was the political threat, that |
| now having the right to vote, the power looked | | | | politicians wanted to get rid of. If a politician |
| as if it would stay in the hands of the Republicans | | | | wanted certain people to vote who may not |
| for some time. The democrats, noticing this, | | | | have otherwise done so because of the poll tax, |
| implemented different methods to disfranchise | | | | the politician could pay the tax for them. Again |
| African American voters. Various intimidations | | | | this system was corrupt, and the federal |
| techniques were implemented for example | | | | government knew what the objective was, but |
| moving voting booths, confusing voters, and | | | | failed to act on it. |
| getting in their way. The individuals who wanted | | | | |