Smith v. Allwright
At a glance:
- Series: Great Events from History: North American Series
- Categories: Government and Politics, Social Issues, Reform, and Protest, Law, Legal History, Courts
- Subcategories: African Americans, Blacks, Civil Rights, Minority Rights, Minorities, Court Cases, Rulings, Appeals, Supreme Court, U.S., Elections, Voting
- Curriculum: American History 1901-1950, African American History
- Geographical Location: Washington, D.C.
- Date: April 3, 1944
Article abstract: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that disfranchisement of African Americans in state primary elections is unconstitutional.
Summary of Event
In 1923, the Texas legislature sought to disenfranchise African American voters in the state by passing a resolution that “in no event shall a Negro be eligible to participate in a Democratic primary. . . .” Since the 1890’s, in Texas as in all other Southern states, nomination in the Democratic primary was tantamount to election; therefore, while African Americans would be permitted to vote in...
[The entire page is 1439 words long]