Cut out 30,000 “Negroes”
January 2, 1904
Summary
Maryland disenfranchises 30,000 “Negroes” through literacy tests.
Transcription
New Disfranchisement bill ready for Maryland
Baltimore, Dec 23.- Attorney General Brian has drawn up a bill for submission to the legislature which will disenfranchise some 30,000 “negro” voters in this state. This action is in line with the issue raised by Senator Gorman and the Democratic managers in the recent state campaign. At the legislature will be overwhelmingly Democratic, the bill, which is for a constitutional amendment, will be passed.
It provides that before any person shall be entitled to vote he shall be entitled to vote he shall be able to read and to write at dictation any section of the constitution of Maryland, or shall have paid for the two preceding years state and county or city taxes, unless he was entitled to vote in one of the states of the union on january 1, 1867, or at some date prior thereto, or unless he is legitimate, lineal descendant of some person who was entitled to vote at the time. No property or educational qualification shall be required of persons entitled to vote prior to 1867.
The bill is based on the “grandfather” “clause” in North Carolina Election law.
Baltimore, Dec 23.- Attorney General Brian has drawn up a bill for submission to the legislature which will disenfranchise some 30,000 “negro” voters in this state. This action is in line with the issue raised by Senator Gorman and the Democratic managers in the recent state campaign. At the legislature will be overwhelmingly Democratic, the bill, which is for a constitutional amendment, will be passed.
It provides that before any person shall be entitled to vote he shall be entitled to vote he shall be able to read and to write at dictation any section of the constitution of Maryland, or shall have paid for the two preceding years state and county or city taxes, unless he was entitled to vote in one of the states of the union on january 1, 1867, or at some date prior thereto, or unless he is legitimate, lineal descendant of some person who was entitled to vote at the time. No property or educational qualification shall be required of persons entitled to vote prior to 1867.
The bill is based on the “grandfather” “clause” in North Carolina Election law.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Megan Brooks
Citation
“Cut out 30,000 “Negroes”,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed December 7, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/152.