Quantitative analysis
Black voter registration in the South, 1947–1966
- Units 3 and 5
- 4 points
- About 20 minutes
You read data in a table, graph or map, find a pattern or trend, draw a conclusion, and connect the data to a political principle, institution, process or behavior. On the exam: Question 2 of 4 in the free-response section (1 hour 40 minutes for all four, 50% of your score).
The question and its sources
Use the table to answer parts A, B, C, and D. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were both passed between the last two years shown.
Percentage of Voting-Age African Americans Registered to Vote in Southern States, 1947–1966
| State | 1947 (%) | 1952 (%) | 1956 (%) | 1966 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1.2 | 5 | 11 | 51.2 |
| Arkansas | 17.3 | 27 | 36 | 59.7 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 33 | 32 | 60.9 |
| Georgia | 18.8 | 23 | 27 | 47.2 |
| Louisiana | 2.6 | 25 | 31 | 47.1 |
| Mississippi | 0.9 | 4 | 5 | 32.9 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 18 | 24 | 51 |
| South Carolina | 13 | 20 | 27 | 51.4 |
| Tennessee | 25.8 | 25 | 27 | 71.7 |
| Texas | 18.5 | 31 | 37 | 61.6 |
| Virginia | 13.2 | 16 | 19 | 46.9 |
Source: Congressional Research Service, “The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Background and Overview” (R43626, updated July 20, 2015), Table 3; data from Hanes Walton Jr., Black Politics: A Theoretical and Structural Analysis (1972), p. 44
Suggested time: 20 minutes
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Part (a)
1 pointUsing the data in the table, identify the state with the lowest percentage of voting-age African Americans registered to vote in 1966.
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Part (b)
1 pointDescribe a trend in Black voter registration from 1947 to 1966 shown in the table.
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Part (c)
1 pointDraw a conclusion about the effect of federal civil rights laws passed in the mid-1960s on Black voter registration, based on the data in the table.
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Part (d)
1 pointExplain how the Voting Rights Act of 1965 used the power of the national government to change voting practices in the states.
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