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Many are aware of what the term “grandfather clause” means. It is a clause creating an exemption based on previously existing circumstances. Ratified in 1870, the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibited voter discrimination based on race. Even with this amendment, Black voters living in the South were prevented from voting in large numbers for nearly a century after its passage. Added to the amendment were new voter requirements, such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and residency/property ownership restrictions. Southern states would exempt white citizens from these new requirements if their ancestors (grandfathers) had the right to vote before the Civil War. Clearly, little to no Black voters would be able to meet these requirements.

Continue reading “The Racist History Behind The Term “Grandfather Clause”” →