The Twenty-Fourth Amendment: Ending Poll Taxes in Voting

The 24th Amendment, ratified on January 23, 1964, was crucial in the civil rights movement as it abolished poll taxes, which had been used to disenfranchise poor citizens, especially African Americans. Poll taxes, introduced post-Civil War, were a financial barrier to voting, circumventing the 15th Amendment that granted African American men voting rights. In 1962, the House approved an amendment to end this discrimination. Despite resistance from some states, the amendment was ratified in 1964, with South Dakota being the decisive 38th state. The video reviews these events and poses questions for further reflection.

How did poll taxes affect voting rights for African Americans after the Civil War?

In what ways did the 15th Amendment interact with the implementation of poll taxes?

What were the reasons some states opposed the 24th Amendment during its ratification process?

Discuss the implications of the 24th Amendment on voting rights in the United States.

What was the significance of the 24th Amendment in the context of the civil rights movement?