Alabama Literacy Test Questions

[mzmolly]

"Take this quiz to see whether you would have been able to vote before 1965 if you were not white."

http://kpearson.project.tcnj.edu/interactive/imm_files/test.html

The tool provided allows for multiple choice, however some of the original questions were fill in the blank. Many of us political junkies would score well, but most people we know probably would not.

[Delphinus]

1. There were definitely a few I did not know.

Glad you posted.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. That is one hell of a test.

[beac]

3. I was wondering about the "We Rock!" choice on the coin question and then I saw that

"Some questions are not exactly as they appeared in 1965." LOL.

I did well but, as you said, I'm on the junkie side of political engagement. It does make me wonder if Queen of the Teabaggers Palin (or any of her minions) could pass. Be careful what you wish for, Tom Tancredo.


Thanks for posting. It was an interesting exercise.

[mzmolly]

7. LOL.

I missed that choice. ;)

[CurtEastPoint]

8. Yeah, in 65 'we rock' wasn't exactly in the lexicon.

But interesting test, nonetheless.

[Posteritatis]

22. The idea of "we rock!" appearing on currency amuses me more than it should. (nt)

[dixiegrrrrl]

24. I don't think she has enought hands to pass that test.

[FSogol]

4. Cool. Thanks for posting. n/t

[mrcheerful]

5. Ahhhhhh youngster's for your information it didn't matter if the people who took the tests

could answer the questions or not, even if they got 100% correct they were told they got the questions wrong, so they weren't able to vote. It had nothing to do with testing it had everything to do with keeping folks from voting by any means, the test was just for looks.

[mzmolly]

6. I'm sure that's true. The marbles in a jar

stories are also insane. I'd love to start a send marbles to Tancredo campaign. ;)

[Maru Kitteh]

12. I love that idea! Sending marbles to Tom Tancredo! n/t

[mzmolly]

13. :)

:evilgrin:

[itsrobert]

9. Easy test

I had trouble with 13, but I looked up and the question was incorrectly programmed.

[mzmolly]

10. Not for most Americans.

I'd bet money Palin would fail it. :hi:

[Posteritatis]

21. The pass grade for literacy tests was historically 100%. (nt)

[Maru Kitteh]

11. I think this test should be automatically administered to anyone signing a petition calling for

literacy tests. Failure means they will lose their voting right for the present election and until such time as they are able to pass the test.

Only fair to start with those who believe so strongly in it to begin with.

[treestar]

14. I got most of them but wonder

if, without Law school, I would. Some of them were tough.

Did white people have to take it? Plenty of them that could not have passed, either!

[mzmolly]

15. No, only non-whites were subjected to the test.

eom

[Posteritatis]

23. Also whites who were known to be politically inconvenient at times. (nt)

[mrcheerful]

16. If you had been listening to the guy you would have caught the code word he was putting out there

he said "people who couldn't even speak english were voting", dead give away to white voters, you don't have to worry about the test, its for the brown folks not you. Btw, back in 1964 they took a guy who was a graduate of Constitutional law down to one of the states that had test's even though he knew the answer's to the test the 8th grade dropout that gave him the test failed him and refused to let him register.

[LPLT]

18. same here

It wasn't hard but I learned quite a few of these in law school.

[Retrograde]

19. 64/67, and IANAL

I have read the Constitution, and am somewhat a political junkie.

My handy Alabamian, Mr. Retrograde, says he didn't have to take a literacy test when he registered but that was in 1972 so they may have been outlawed by then. Whites did have to pay poll taxes at one time, though: I found some receipts in my late father-in-law's papers.

[RaleighNCDUer]

17. Since when is the Supreme Court a lawmaking body?

The legislature passes the laws. The SC adjudicates those laws, occasionally finding them to be unconstitutional. The SC does not MAKE the law.

[mzmolly]

20. I agree. I got that one "wrong"

too.

[itsrobert]

25. The website says "13" was programmed wronged

and they are working on fixing it.

[mzmolly]

26. Ahhhhhh

thanks. :)