This 1944 booklet is the Virginia Voters League’s fifth annual report. The League began in 1941 and worked with the NAACP in advocating for increased African American participation at the polls. It was led by
Luther P. Jackson, an historian and civil rights advocate who formed the Petersburg League of Negro Voters in 1935, which developed into the Virginia Voters League. The booklet details African American voting strength and includes instructions for voter registration.
At this time in Virginia, the payment of a poll tax for three consequtive years was a requirement for voting. The booklet notes that in 1943, the number of blacks who met the poll tax requirement was 32,504. That number increased to 41,579 in 1944. Nevertheless, those numbers represent only 9 to 11 per cent of Virginia blacks of voting age, or expressed another way, about 89 per cent of blacks were disqualified from voting in 1944.
Excerpts:
Title page: "With grant-in-aid of publication by the Virginia State Teachers Association, Virginia branches of the N.A.A.C.P., Virginia lodges of Elks, the Eureka Lodge of Norfolk, Virginia chapters of Greek letter fraternities and sororities, and the Virginia Negro Organization Society."
p. 4
ForewardThis fifth annual report of the Virginia Voters League defines the voting status of Negroes in Virginia as of May 7, 1944, the last day for paying the poll tax in order to have voted in the ensuing August primary and the November election. In order to satisfy the demand for a statement of voting requirements in Virginia and other states this handbook devotes a section to this topic also.
To all persons who seek to advance the political status of Negroes and to observe racial trends on suffrage in Virginia this publication may serve as a guide.
The compiler of this report is again deeply indebted to the 124 county and city court clerks in Virginia for furnishing the data on poll tax paying either by letter or by sending the poll tax list itself. Every county and city is included in this report because every clerk cooperated.
SLOGANPay the poll tax in order to abolish the poll tax.