Whenever blacks came to register to vote, some southern states, such as Mississippi and South Carolina, required registrants who could not read to interpret a section of the state’s constitution after it was read aloud to them.
Another test, the good-character test, required a registrant to bring a responsible witness along to vouch for his worth and standing.
In other tests, questions such as “How many bubbles are in a bar of soap?” were asked. Registrants who failed were not allowed to vote.
No such tests were given to white registrants.
