5 Dec
Posted December 5, 2006 by scoop2go in African Americans, Chapter 22, Class discussion, Reconstruction. 51 Comments
In the comments section, provide a response to the literacy test or the Black Code. You can explain how it made you feel, explain some aspect you found particularly meaningful, and so on. Make sure you use a pseudonym (look it up!) You have until Thursday to post a comment for credit.
Also, make sure that you complete the questions over the Mississippi Black Code (posted below) by B/C meeting day.
Exactly NINE MONTHS from the first day of school-- just like a pregnancy! Except this one will absolutely end on time, no matter what.
“There is only one thing more painful than learning from experience and that is not learning from experience." -Archibald MacLeish
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“We will bury you!” -- Nikita Khrushchev
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Posted by cherry on December 5, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Clearly, the test did its job in that the blacks were unable to vote and frankly, after I was partway through the test I didn’t want to finish, but if i was a black, i would not have been able to just quit–i had my job and the possibility of voting on the line. I thought that the black codes didn’t so much give freedoms to blacks but limit their freedoms
Posted by George on December 5, 2006 at 7:23 pm
The literacy test was quite unfair; no one could pass it anywhere. Even if they had degree, they might not know whether to pick A, B, or C.
This poem is how I feel about the literacy test. Southern whites made it almost impossiple for blacks to be able to pass the test. Plus, the “literacy” test was actually a Constitution test, and many American whites probably couldn’t even anwswer many of the questions on the test. Taking the test made me feel frustrated because I couldn’t concentrate and showed how unfair blacks were treated.
Posted by studentkid on December 5, 2006 at 7:38 pm
this kind of made me disgusted with people. but then, so do a lot of things throughout history. and present day stuff for that matter.
Posted by eSKAlator on December 5, 2006 at 7:49 pm
Scoop i dont know how you came one from passing that thing, that is hard information to learn and know. Imagine, we have taken amercian history since…forever and the black people probably have never taken it. the tet was hard
Posted by DeckTheHallsWithBowsOfHolly on December 5, 2006 at 7:55 pm
First of all, before I express how I felt about the literacy test, I want to know… who was in charge? Did the president know this was happening? Was it a public fact that this harrasment was going on? Okay, the literacy test made me feel like an idiot. Can the person that wrote the test pass in less than 25 minutes? ..I don’t think so. Its really intimidating to think while you are taking a test that you will inevitabley fail.. you could lose your job and even your life. I was asking myself during the test, is this attempt even worth it?
Posted by mmmMazing Trumpeter! on December 5, 2006 at 7:58 pm
I thought it was very crazy… actually, ver, very crazy. I don’t know what I would have done it I lived during that time, whether I was white of black. If I was white, I would have to choose how to act toward the blacks, which may be hard due to things like peer pressure, etc. But if I was black, I would have to deal with those people, including the Ku Klux Klan and even these stupid literacy tests. I couldn’t pass it. How could an uneducated black person pass it, especially with the stresses of the music, the time that could be even shorter than 23 minutes, the hard questions, and even the man talking and taking names. It’s just horrible the way people thought, just horrible. That’s all I have to say!
Posted by anyone on December 5, 2006 at 8:22 pm
Whenever you first told us of the literacy test, I thought it was actually on the English language like commas and periods I guess but when you gave us the test I could not believe it. I have been educated for 11 years about american history, have been taught how to read and comprehend things and there is no way I would be able to finish the test even if we were given full 25 min. of silence. It is impossible b/c they didnt even know how to read! How would they be able to do such a test, obviously the tests did their job and not many blacks were able to vote at all.
Posted by Let Freedom Ring on December 5, 2006 at 8:59 pm
The Black Codes are very stupid and backwards. All they do is try to promote the lives of the masters and mistresses from before the civil war so that the entire backward white South population could live the way they were acustomed to. It was a form of slavery. Hardly any black parent that was actually left to care for their child could take care of them so of course the “masters” took in the minors. When they don’t teach them to read and write past 18 thats a restriction just like slavery too. The Black Codes make me upset. It showed me how to determined some people are to stay in their ways, truely believing that their ways are right.
Posted by mattjew on December 5, 2006 at 9:56 pm
I don’t quite think the test is that bogus. I do believe the situation it was given in is completely unfair and violates Amendment 15 (and 14.) Every person in America should be able to correctly answer at least 70% of those questions through public education. What I think is bogus is the fact that not every person in America, who calls him/herself an “American Citizen,” can pass this test or the Naturalization/Citizenship test. All the while, many people from foreign countries (say a Muslim from the Middle East, or a Spanish-speaking person from Mexico) study our culture and history for a long time and pass a hard test so that they can call themselves American citizens. Then, once naturalized, they are wrongfully sterotyped to be inferior to natural-born citizens who have some sort of complex against foreign persons living in America, even though most Naturalized citizens are technicall more “American” than a majority of citizens based off these dificult tests.
Anyways, the test is full of questions that every citizen should know, and I was upset with myself that I had to guess on several answers.
Posted by Uke on December 5, 2006 at 10:46 pm
the literacy test made me feel dumb, period. while taking it, there were a lot of questions that I did not know at all and felt really embarrased because I thought they were questions that I should’ve known; the obvious ones. It was really depressing to realize that although all the kids that have been learning american history for years to take a simple test that barely any of us passed. I realized how hard it was for blacks to vote and be able to get a say in things, especially with intimidating people like Mrs. Scoopmire yelling at you the entire time about being black and reducing your time limit for no reason at all whatsoever.
Posted by Will Bill Phil on December 5, 2006 at 11:12 pm
After reading the Mississippi Black Codes, i am disgusted. It seems like the Black codes were just another name for the already banned slavery. Many of the sections are just wrong, in particular, the part that says that white people may not marry black people. The Black Laws just keep the segregation in place, and also allow cheap labor. In a way, no, in many ways, the Black Laws are even more beneficial to southern white men than slavery itself. This whole thing called the Civil War meant absolutly nothing to the men that created the Black Laws and the literary tests.
Posted by freakinawesome on December 5, 2006 at 11:32 pm
I find it absolutely ridiculous that our country used to function on such degrading levels. It was really hard to concentrate with music playing and threats being shouted out. Sometimes I just didn’t understand the question and skipped it. I know that I would not be voting if I had to pass that thing. Also, the literacy tests pretty much cancel out the new amendments that had been passed. Its like the US went right back the way it was before the war. Blacks were still looked down upon and forced in to slavery-like situations. I just think that the literacy test was crazy and I can’t believe that people really had to pass those to vote. Craziness.
Posted by 1 st hour sneezer on December 5, 2006 at 11:39 pm
Dude, those Literacy Tests were insane. I was like man this might be easy when you handing it out, but once i read the like the first few questions i was totally lost and then when u started yelling at us like the people in charge did back then, i had to read the question over again, like four times, before it acutally processed through my head. Those tests were not fair at all and totally unjustified. I have to say after beginning in school for like 12 years and then complaining about the ACT’s or some other test to take in order to get into to a college or recieve special privileges, is like nothing compared to how the black people felt in that time considering they knew close to nothing about all the governmental stuff and or how to read. Ugh that was a lot but really…if u think about it; its crazyness.
Posted by not my real name on December 5, 2006 at 11:50 pm
The literacy test was very confusing. As an American, I’m kind of embarrassed that i got so many wrong. While I was taking it, I realized that it was a lot like the citizenship test that immigrants have to take to become a citizen of the United States.
Posted by double x on December 6, 2006 at 12:19 am
Honestly? I didn’t find a majority of the questions on the literacy test to be extremely difficult if studied for, but I wouldn’t go as far as saying that the questions were common knowledge, either. If I were required to take a literacy tests such as that, I’m not really sure that being able to vote would be worth. I’m mainly disgusted with the entire scheme. Our government has done some horrible things, and although this is not as terrible as slavery, it shows how much growth our society may (or may not have) experienced in the last century.
Posted by M&M's on December 6, 2006 at 11:21 am
I think that the black codes were a little crazy because the really had nothing to do with literacy they were strictly a gov’t/ constitution questions. I also think that the time that was given was crazy because you couldn’t come anywhere near finishing them with in 20 minutes. I am sort of embarrased that even though i have been learning about this stuff for so long and i didnt know alot of the questions.
Posted by failingONthe6thedegree on December 6, 2006 at 2:30 pm
the test was unfair, and with you talking like that, een for a breif moment, it was hard to concetrate, i read the same question over three times, but i was listening to you talk at the same time. The time limit was harsh, and unfair considering they gave you ot enough time to begin with and then shortened it on purpose.
I can only imagine how the blacks felt when they had to take this , because i know i felt like i didnt know much.
Posted by ... on December 6, 2006 at 3:34 pm
That literacy test was HARD! Especially when we only got about 10 minutes. I think I got 22 right and I didn’t get to the last page. That was really unfair to the blacks who wanted a chance to vote!!!
Posted by Dummy on December 6, 2006 at 3:54 pm
The literacy test was extremely hard. I can’t believe that blacks who probably never read the constitution had to take a test about it. Even if they did know the information they would get fired from their job anyway. The fact that I couldn’t pass that test even if I was given an hour says a lot about the measures southern white men would take to keep blacks from voting.
Posted by slayer on December 6, 2006 at 3:54 pm
This test was hard for me and Im taking a class that is teaching us about those subjects in the test. I cant imagine any black person passing it because they were deprived of education in the south so it would be very hard for them to pass it. We are being educated on this and yet most of us probably had a hard time with the questions.
Posted by Rah! Rah! 1st Hour! on December 6, 2006 at 5:14 pm
While taking the literacy test in class, I felt rushed and, for lack of a better word, dumb. The test itself was difficult, but with the discriminatory comments in the background, it was even more difficult. Even without the comments going through my head, I wouldn’t have even come close to passing the test because of the unfair time frame that was enforced. Overall, the test, though it succeeded in its purpose, was very unfair and unjust to African Americans.
Posted by basketballgirly8 on December 6, 2006 at 6:18 pm
This test is extremly unfair. I think its espeically ironic that the people administering this test probably could not pass it,much less most educated people in today’s society. It technically isnt even a literacy test at all, but instead a goverment/civics fill out. I felt dumb after taking this test, i know i didn’t get enough right to have passed,and i probably would not have finished in the 10 minutes. It is extremly unfair.
Posted by KatgotURtongue? on December 6, 2006 at 6:18 pm
I was quite surprised about the way the test went. Although it was more of a Constitutional test, I initially thought I would be able to pull it off. That is until we ended up getting only 10 minutes to take the test, when we were supposed to have 25. Not to mention the threats of the KKK showing up at my door and the Southern fried music playing in the background. Although I admit, the song “Sweet Home Alabama” did distract me because I found the song surprisingly catchy. I just can’t believe it. If someone like me, an honors student, couldn’t pass this so-called literacy test, there was probably not a lot of hope for an African American in Alabama in the ’60s taking this test.
Posted by curlyq on December 6, 2006 at 7:34 pm
The literary test was crazy! I thought it wouldn’t be so hard but I don’t think I would actually be able to finish it especially in the limited amount of time given. Many of the questions seemed repetitive and even though I’ve learned a lot about american history I probably couldn’t answer the questions without looking them up. I haven’t memorized the constitution.
Posted by schwing on December 6, 2006 at 7:56 pm
the literacy test made me feel pretty incompetant, there were a lot of questions i couldn’t answer, and i didn’t even make it half way through. i can’t imagine what it would feel like with the added pressure of losing your job, and possibly going home only to be harassed or killed. i don’t think i would risk all of that to vote..
Posted by bballer12 on December 6, 2006 at 8:02 pm
The literacy tests made me realize just how bad things were for African Americans then.There is no way that would make me want to go and vote.To come home and have something like the KKK at your door would be terrifying.The same with the Black Codes they really took away from the African American’s lives.
Posted by E=mc2 on December 6, 2006 at 8:05 pm
the tests made me feel stupid. going into the test i thought i knew what ashould be required to vote. but obviously the tests did a good job because it was to discourge the blacks from voting. i am a well educated person i couldnt even pass it. think of it if you were an uneducated person, how would you feel in the land of the free?
Posted by iamneverlate on December 6, 2006 at 8:19 pm
I thought the literacy test was very eye opening. I had no idea that was what meant when they were talking about the literacy test. I had a very hard time with the test especially when being yelled at.
Posted by Atlanta on December 6, 2006 at 8:46 pm
That literacy test was very difficult. It was more of a constitution test to begin with. It was hard for me who has more education than I’m sure they did. That test was made for them to fail, and they succeed. I don’t see how they could have completed a lot of that test. They didn’t even have the full amount of time that it said they would have. Even with that amount of time I can’t see how they would finish it. That and the music playing and the other distractions made it hard to focus on the test. I found myself re-reading the same question over and over.
Posted by uhhpjj on December 6, 2006 at 9:38 pm
I knew that the litarcy test was going to be difficult because you had said that even lawyers or the people handing them out wouldn’t have been able to pass them. Right after I started I knew that I was going to fail. I didn’t even get to the last two pages when the time ran out. I am sure the people who took the literacy test felt as dumb if not dumber than me taking the test, since most did not even receive much schooling at all. I don’t believe anybody could have passed the test even if the time was unlimmited, it’s just way to difficult.
Posted by Bright on December 6, 2006 at 10:11 pm
The literacy test was crazy hard! I had no idea what most of the questions were asking or what the answers were. I can’t imagine how it must have felt to be an African American in 1965 and putting my job, family, and reputation on the line, so I could vote. I don’t know if I would have.
Posted by blahblahlblah... on December 6, 2006 at 11:29 pm
i thought the test was really hard and we have been in school for nine yeares now so there is no way that a former slave would have ever been able to do this test, it would be early impossible, in the whole 25 minutes we had i barely got halfway through
Posted by overmyhead on December 7, 2006 at 4:31 am
While taking the test, I got really overwhelmed because you thikn that you know a lot, but then you have to take this test and you realize that even though the questions seem simple you have no idea what the answer is. I coluld not imagine what it would have been like for the former slaves to have to sit there and take that test, while being yelled at, risking their job, and trying to pass the test within 25 minutes; it would be horrible. It was also pretty surprising that the test was still being used in the 1960′s, even though eveyone was considered “equal” at that time.
Posted by AvrilenMai on December 7, 2006 at 6:53 am
If I was an African American living back then I definately wouldn’t have passed. Three minutes had gone by in the begining and I still hadn’t started because I was so distracted by the taunting. I too wonder if the president knew about these test since they violated the 15th amendment and why didn’t they make everyone take it instead of just Af.Americans. I was also expecting something else when I was told it was going to be a literacy test. I thought it would test how literate a person is. If a person could miss no more than seven questions I definately wouldn’t be able to vote because think I Skipped about 12 questions. This test made me feel as if voting was not my right afterall.
Posted by Schmuel on December 7, 2006 at 9:10 am
It made me really mad, because I had no idea what half of the questions were about, and some of them had nothing to do with government. Also, it kinda made me feel stupid, because I did not know what some of the answers to seemingly simple questions were…
Posted by tryingtopassap on December 7, 2006 at 9:18 am
so as I was reading the black codes, I was very disgusted and actually angry that , that is how blacks were treated. When whites would say that they are giving blacks rights and liberty’s but the restrictons within the laws were barbarric and outrageous for blacks to follow; no wonder so many blacks were put in jail or back into slavery in those days.
Posted by sleepdeprived on December 7, 2006 at 9:19 am
The black codes made me kind of angry because they weren’t even allowing the blacks to actually have rigths. I thought the codes were wrong and unfair and basically the amendments were pointless because the codes went against what they had stated.
Posted by red on December 7, 2006 at 9:59 am
I was definately upset over the literacy test. Probably the main reason was that I would have failed
To tell the truth though, if I was black at that time period, I don’t know if I would have made it to the test. The Klan and losing an income would have made me think twice about taking that risk. I’d love to say my family would be my concern, but truthfully, it would be my own hide I was looking out for. I would be amazed if whites allowed to vote during that time period could have passed the test. I doubt many could pass today, including lawyers and polititians who make the law and Constitution their lifework.
Posted by A student...?!?! on December 7, 2006 at 2:56 pm
I’m in class right now!
Posted by student2 on December 7, 2006 at 2:58 pm
i’m in class too!!!!
Posted by student3 on December 7, 2006 at 2:59 pm
me too!
Posted by student5 on December 7, 2006 at 3:00 pm
and me!
Posted by RevolutionPeace on December 7, 2006 at 3:00 pm
At first, I didn’t really know how to react to the literacy test because it caught me off guard–it wasn’t a LITERACY test at all, which was kind of depressing. Even now, being completely literate, having had a formal education, I still didn’t know even half of those questions. As an african american back then, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t even put myself through that. Thes distractions alone delayed me even starting the test for a good 5 minutes. I couldn’t believe the difficulty of this test, it’s not even comprehensible for a person to be able to complete the it and have less than 7 wrong answers. It’s ridonkulous. (yes i do know that’s not a word)
Posted by student4 on December 7, 2006 at 3:01 pm
me too
Posted by student5 on December 7, 2006 at 3:02 pm
you went out of order #6!!!!
Posted by K-Bo on December 7, 2006 at 3:05 pm
That test was crazy!! I feel sorry for the what the black people had to go through just to vote. I’m glad that society isn’t like that today.
P.S. Clerks2 rocks!!!
Posted by Christine on December 7, 2006 at 4:51 pm
In the Black Codes the code stating it was a felony for a interracial couple to get married seemed compeletly ridiculous to me. When someone mentions a felony the first thing that pops to my mind is murder or arson, how could two people of a separate race marrying ever warrant a conviction of a felony?
Posted by bigman on December 7, 2006 at 6:32 pm
The literacy tests were extrememly unfair. It was basically pointless because no one would be able to pass and if they did they would get in trouble by the KKK or get fired because they had their name taken. I wouldn’t bother to show up if I was a black person back then because I don’t think it would be worth it.
Posted by Chilly Frito on December 7, 2006 at 10:09 pm
The literacy test was nearly impossible for me to do, so it had to be completely impossible for a freedmen to complete it. The test kinda makes a person feel like they aren’t good enough to vote. The sentences were also confusing at times because most people who had to take this couldn’t read too well so this was made with the intention of stopping African Americans from voting. If i had to take this I wouldn’t risk my life just to fail a test and look even worse, I wouldn’t worry about voting.
Posted by theonewhoasksthequestions on December 8, 2006 at 1:46 pm
MS. SCOOP I PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS I JUST HAVE A SHORT ATTENTION SPAN!!!!! MUCH LOVE
Posted by oops on December 9, 2006 at 7:57 pm
ha..umm…leaving my comment on how outrageous the literacy test was [again] because i forgot my secret name from the first time. geee, if only you knew who this was youd know it sounds exactly like me too do that.
anyhow– that is ridiclious 25, 20 minutes to take the big literacy test and then purposely shorten the time so even less blacks pass. the test was so hard.