Excerpts from Debates on Traditional Barriers

    5. T rar)rhrr",l- Baarricrs

JatSe )c-c-Lsu^ of I?E

Fi" :#LHE.,'Hfu H"'$iil{,,i?f ;,}1 i rn

l#ffsm*:Nfltrm*gru, ,- ft"n you have to drive 50 miles Ul.l-t"'.ir*";;";; bwn to

fi [f'l:ltu l:;[ J][, ]]l :'i*ti *:,* ***;*i',,;ii, g

'tr:L"Hlffiit ii,1,ilo,L: Tu:";ftm"";; ;" record a;ries of articles that.appeared recentrt i;-;[;A;dH constitu-rioo. The artictes, whici: r." 
"niiii".i, 

^t;;i!i"r'Eiru, 
stllDenied." document that discrimi"ulll, against bracks in the erec_6--al process is also. widespread in iu.al cZ".gr" 

v'ge- trt

Mr. Eou'.^nos. withouf obiection-ihe.r- *.iil be received for the6le (See pp. 279-301.)

irr.r. Co[rc-{\ a.-l 4 u I

IUr. CornB;. wh;; i ;;"; Gti-onv before this committee in
1975, I know that the members would-aot recall, uut-lii"i" *"."
thousand.s.of pages of testimony, !,rt we looked ai tt u t iiio.y, ifr"
patterned history of racial disciimination reflected in court reiords
and beharior prac-tices of the state. I urged extension to l9E2 then.
I cannot ans*er that question in terms of years. After having done
post-1975 research,. we have such light years to go in terms of
dealing *ith practices. electoral strutturls: indeedl onlr i week*.-
ggo. .intimidation in voting occurred in the state or r;iu-a in the
McAllen City elections.

A^* !le^"1 ( R.es, rfr,Es.NiArP) nl ,{-l-z_

Mississippi stilr has qror-e diflicurty than man1, other stat€s inregisrering its citrze_ns.,tn rr4ii*..ippi it i, 
"*i"rtr'"L',]i I'grn o,get a hunter's Iicense than it i. tr"."sot"r to vote. To reg:ister tovote, a citizen still has. p so to the couity courthouse;i ;;E count\.seat or to the citv ha-il in the cities and to,r,ns. There i. no ao"oi]ti-door registratig-{r-"ng qrori,orlrr""si"t" is rurar. persons v.ho aretoo old or too ilt or bedridden t"o.go-t"-tfr";;;;i):;;'o, ii,e cttyhall, simplv cannot register. Th;?; ;;" no pror-isions to regisrerthem and we do not.hive depri! ,"fr-"tru..'u-. **_i'Srlte= f,ur.that 

. 
could go door t" a*f !1e p;;"* persons ourside of thecount.\'seai or the tonn or the cit1.iralli wir-tr. ifr"i H;'"'

fw. Ba,"[e a-i s<,
-- Jus: a-';nsl;'uciive aboui rhe le€rsiat:ve mentairtr ir: I\drssrssipp: x q'hat r: fairs trAl: ei'fo:'ts i(:, nakp thr regiit:'atror proc-ess -or" ao.essibi" 

"rti,i-ilpi,-nrr*
par' Al e;,o:is ii ma[€ thr reglFt-atror proc-ess mort a:cer"jbje u,thc peoF,it navrbeer i:i:rec lr. ihe c()fi:n:itree Re_grsl:-atior,'in Mssrssipp. ,. ir*it*;-t" onJiir,,un *Lhe counir be',ueer, the hours of E.ll(r a.m.-5 o.rr,. M.nt", throrroh F.iio- p*r^-rLhe counir beiu.eer, the hours oiE.l.r(r a.m -5 p:r, Mo1.,iu-rl iiri.irllT.-iii].--f;A#
,rgrsir-arror. cioor ro dmr.registratiorr and erin- mor.ing ti,o .eg,ii.alio"-6"o1 ti, tllvoting precrrrcls ha'e r1,1. |*n, relecte<i b-r the Mrsirr.jppi 'Ggiiature -At-i".g.
elections are p:'esen'ei religiousll aird the list goes on

ure. At-large

Joalurn Ault- [ f"ALDLF) a-{ 13&

L Yotta3 Dlrcrluktttoa lt ?cur
Tcxer her e yrll docrscnttd Llrtory of rotiug dtrcriuLurtioa.

fblr dlrcrlnlD.tlsr Blt .rtcnrtrnly docr.uatrd tn Eh. 1975 brrrtogr
to rccl .rr!nr!a, of thr yotiqt Bighrr 

^"a 
J/

cben3rr ln po).llug plrccr for lbr tlom.i_a3too lodcpaodcot Ecbool

Dlrtrlct yhicb htd r dreottic lqrct oE votcr prrticlp.tlsr,
rrrultlog 1r tlrl lorr of Epo C}.icrno cu,di&tcr iy r.r.rt..,

1,1 I
volcs rplccc;^- rroting utchlna feilurc tn uioority votlogt2/ - t3tprcclnctr; -.pc)l trxcr; 

- 
er.::uel votc: !?tlstrrtioc

7t/
r.q'.::rcE€.:s, 

- &aj.rt Of lrrltrrncc tc nor -Eagl1th-

b 9, Ab-il*A c-Da<t

o[ *lrtc.r^-{a C*.sl1]1&
a"r\ c-LcS

to Eb. Southvttt:

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!42
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a Fr !^
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a o{ a^!" - Co9J-
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o <Ylo f {o aSEoa 9C96t E a -o ac !c
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ooal e.ixleA ' o&C!9et>a\
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E6 f f36,i o6 A4- {\ 9u FOa - O 2&Orl Dld
Al C ic au 3 (J O -e Ou)F d6.(J q

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O ! N lg CO.ilF o r, Ll O kla - .rl !r

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CO Trd,Idr,.J Barrrqrs, cor. 
rl

l.Lv, Btxni\ta- [ Uu urc-) a] tz*
-ii CrocUett C,ountr we h'ave hJo-.b*ntee ballots marked rn
Gfierent colors. $te have bad countv clerks color one set of absen'
tx baUot white for the Americani. and s'e have had the other
rbsenr.ee ballors colored red for thoee Mexicans. I think it's a
Datler of pubtic record, offered through sworn testrmonf il hear'
irgF he)d 6-v the South*'est Voter Feg:^stration Education Project,
dcon:unciion with otber Hupanil-o:'ganrzations, a matter of

t?fl
public record that these events did take place in Crockett Corrntr
iyhere color coding was utilized to {eny the vote to Mexican Ahe#
cans-not in 1935, but in the late 1970's. Fortunately, that^case 6
challenged in court and we now have two Mexican americau
county commissioners in Crockett Count_y.

*\2.55 ..t
Cli?rdrng -to \{'hitt House effiglnls. as wel; a-c news reports s,ibpe{ anc c:'sr:'ibuted through the Neq' yorh rimes ne*s sen'ice,
p-admrmstratlon 

. 
rs recommending that pr*ciearance be limited

f,&ose change_s that ha'e e_licr_ted lhe mosi objections -from the
DFrtmen i ot J usttce-regtpO_dlonm.ent- for exdmple,-the EhangerG srngle-mernber_ to at-large 4lstrict e-Iections, ind the _enne"x-
Jior,-Esue But u-ha1.w.e-ha,e-i:r manj' parts of soulh rexas and in
!a Texas L. tle-ib.rse of rbe abseirrL brli"; f*-"r;pr., b"r
Ere,srgrlrfrcantl-v, we_have the abuse of polling plac_es phdre'pott-
! place-s.are mo'ed from election to ereition ti con1usc the Mex;-
P. Americar .vorer. where ve h-ave poiling piaces consolidated.
Err peopJe golng ro- the usuai polling place-and it will be cloeec.
E-f*,need the preclearance for maneuvers of thl. t}?e which are
F6erhanded in an effort to abridge the right to votior mioo.itl".
Erb. admrnr-ciration alsc, recommends cf,anging the formula for
ETtrg., and it suggests that there be a bailou'. frorrsion and that

FF, #:5',:U :","#T ;;;i,i.",ffi #:.0 
*, iecen r vea* m i sh :

l-526

One of the concerns rre have you have touched on alreadl' Thqt
is the hours peop)e must have in order to register to-vote.-Usualll
thel' are from I in the morning to 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

You have alreadl' taken notice of the fact that u'orking folks
cannot vot.e and regist.er at that particular time.

I won't du,ell on-that particular issue because I t'ant to take m1'
5 minutes and get through.

'- One thing I would point out to the committee is there is a lot of
resistance io voter r-egistration. Alabama passed a law to allow .
voter registra!'s to appoint deputy registrars to assist in the proceFs
of vot,er regr-stering Onll' 12 counties w'ould appoint deputy regis-
trars elen when the Goi'ernor of Aiabama q-rote some voter regis-
trars ani encou: aged them to appoint deputl registrars.

The.r igrrored tne Govei'nor. That telis )'o', Prett)' much horr most
folks rn Aiabama srill feel abour registratjon Tha.l is a fact

Anolher potnl I r*'ouii poini out is tha'. u'e'still hare numerous
polling places in q'hite esta'bitshrnents. u'hjtr stores n'hi''t
lhurctes. and s<-r fonh \4hile I don't think that there ought "*- be
an1'. seiriorr.,. if ever. do -"*ou find a vote:' piace in a biacl: establtsh'
menL.

I *'ant to move or a-c rapid)]' a-. I Possibi-r can to speah -to
another chiliing effecl or: the ca-sting of one's baliot. and that is the
involsemenr of blacks 1s poliing officials b - t-

I u-iu concede in som" couniies black. do sen'e t:^ryltilS:jfl. )B\ed. pdt amc,ats
ciais. but in m.ost counties the-s do not If thel do. it is onl\ // u''

tokenism I rron't spend a iot of time on that.
I n'ill make that point and go on. If 1'ou want to raise that

qu_estlor,. J-ou can.

},t(!AQ r e- B O ZC*t]zn c^, i5 & 5. .\\
i- Likeuise. we 

- 
have ferr blacks n'ho are appointed to serve on

,rricus citr jr.nd eount.\ boards Even chance i get to sa-v-it. I tell
JtoPte rnal rtrcl.:ens LounI\ has no ecuai- u'hen ii comes to den_r-ing
rccks ease o, access to regisrratron and loting. Registration'bar
rte!'s accessjbjlltr rr, tbe registratior sitr. an aitirude of ihe boarcj
J_regrsirars remair, ou:. bigees: pr-.oler rn plchens Countr Aiah 1!t?: we reglesleci tnai our boarc of registrar, ,ppo-i-il"pui:.
ryls'iral-s Ther' fiatj-v refused

Altnough the boa.c rold us cri se\erar occasions thal tner u-i,uid! u'iiirng t() nc|lc 
'ot.e:-s 

reEislratron: ri; ih€ precrncts. *e hat.e
beer.. unabre t{, ge: 'ihem rl irn;,1snrg.- rnrs The:r brsl,-excus. ;o,mt h.ar-rng arr ac:tve Yoler! (rulrea:i Frogram r-. thar the iecisl;
Erre ha-. se: cenarr. reE:r.siia[]on da.r.s fc,r in"rr, r,o foiio" 

-anC'il,i,
tle...uii) nci ge: parc for the deys rrrii:i har.g a,reai.. bee:- c;es,ina::i r,'. :au fc'r rhe:r r resrste: peop.:r

Pz

)oa Reer[ (At* }r,uD Crliere.*c,-, ttctcL TtU]^.r1 Ca-rr-) ^{ lfr&

6{r*1"*.wA



.. :I?tlB,i - r'i.r.: -

6) {,%.0,\^*.aI. bot^tr*
'\ra \o't,.r..o^ r (ff'+, a-+- trbr

Rareir. have we conducred a vot€rs' registration drive in Pickens

C"ffil;f;ili.h hr; ioi -", *-ith some reslstance from 1ocal officials

One of the most t"or-r"g things black vot€rs face in Pickens

C.o;;i)'-in1i:r,'i"g t" regriter-is steadl' Pressure of the law enforce

aent officers.

\dc'r r6frrlr<.t }e %tr*rm ) Ll l5({
_ Mr. Hvor. I r[ant to sa1.' that I have listened u'ith great interest

- and .rr,.""r-n,;;'i'"ifltifi -"*. t"gitt*tion hours from 9 to 4 iE

ortrag"o,rli'itt a;tt)]ut"rt atlG"La'to x""p people u'ho are work'

ing and oliiu'i,''t*ilifi;;lii ir' tiaveling from registerinR'

If that persists and exjsts' it-i= *"iE than wrbne It i-'-it would

BPem Lo rie to-o'etl l don't rl'ant t'<' sa)' too muct' bur it Ls more

tnii""i;ff 
of deputl. regisrrars, onll l2 coun.ries have therrr, dem-

onstrates a clear laih or "ntr,rilii* 
io1 g"rtlrg people registered,

"oi'f;ri[r..ron of vorrng places. if *,hat M.r Reed sa1's is true-and

I don,r doubt thal il is-is a rirUti-'i."-la"rion of biach peopie and

is also wrong
Sfi;igg[-&b]ac-L'workinsa-'Pollinsgfficiaisisu'rong

lii-elflilrtslIroA#EElir. t].i.o ri :!EE

:

P.3

\144

Crv?-Ua- S@t+ Ytn", o-* \1ql

i -i bu.r of the.rural communities in the South-and I heard of a
j.r* -oqt 

q". )ong agc that some friend.' reported. thar a teach-
16, ,nvoJ..d ln ? communitl- wher-e she had been u'orking to get
i; r"g,f'"ered .Anci a-s a result of her actirities, she hai beln
,Vs*- her.position We u'ere told that this needed to be looked
E Uccause thr-. particular person had been so intimidated that
-.a -s not in a position tr, reach out to anyone. We did have
fu* to check on it and found thar this is srill true. thar
5r-driio*-peop-lq a:'e harassed. thel are fired frorn their posi-
L rs a result ol 3ust Fyirg to work in the communit.r. to ger
p,t reglst€red tc, r'ote- Some pecple are so intimidat.ed tirar tliet
L : et'en t1 . Alc so thar somehou u'e have got Lo crea,e b

-rrr 
in q'hich peop)e are nc Ionger afraici. thar iher. know ther.

r r€^sr€r free)1 and that the.r' vri]l not be penalizecl ior x'har is. jrk'i the mosi ba-.ic right. the right to vol.e.

#il' il t;;';;"; f!',',|!, 
-e"i;ro." 

derins drawing el eetion, d*{
bounda:-ies sc, thal the number of eiection dl.stncts whlch.,coltrl

,;il:r:l'5nx1",.1"T'??:i:::,,o*'t'"1:f *"?::t:-*:fi{
ilH;.i;";-oi-o..'"lu;;;t ;;;i"st into 8 nurrrb€r of rndi'idud'
::ffii; "; Iir"" ii.#. "r-os" 

oi -lno'iti"J *tt,,a'"g it*tioru tl
;t;;. -;t 

o, *uiii-"--Et drst.i"t", ar-Iarge voting for du"rid:
".#il"#l l*I;.;;';; -;i 

"tr,a ."d uc,r,s-tt e ouibe' o1 seas'

il'r-'u' g, .:" ri ;Fri;; 
-; 

Li+:-;, ;;" rto- th. .,', umbi :' oi, 
" : 

=.1l^"j,'.* 
I

qo{alAt,.e- 1tT ^or+ftrln- (.v* e 'Lur}hor, " -\'4) o +

Disiriminarion is alive anc well ir, t!: Deep south a-s is shoEE

a recent pubhcation ;i.;;;.gtiiii"a i'g"ttieis to Effec1:t-^P"i!
;"u;;"ir'bi;;;J pot,.,"t't ln that rePf,n is list€d most of

["1,":n barriers tt' Iu]l minoritl participalion''A i;;-;;amples ar-e llconv-enien"-and'or. irre'guiar. times

r.;.siiatiorr; incon.-enrent locatior-,* for reglstration, rnadeq

;"fi;b;;";f-rirrr"il.r poil natchers. inadeoua'* numt'er of ass:-"r

ilr-'ilf i-..irrs : ra c r: Ji 
-U;.ir.rg-.1 

materiaii 
. 
fo: n on'English *pea

;i;t;;r, mlsuse oi aeseniee bariots: rnadequatr cooPeratrcn

Lrailrt"t t1 ei"ctro" offrcrais about requir-eEJent€ fot .9',1.*;, ;;r;;"t" l-ri*il*; ieii.i"'Lioa-( on iutd ,Pan]-o-l T^dtp,l
enr candida.,es. minoritr candidates polJ $'atclters noi Derng

fo"."J-to 
"lialienge 

rneligible voter=, poi.nt out and co:'rect e-o,T,

iir"-"f".,i"i-of,*iurionrlo, to be piesent ar the countrng of

iJf"t -"1i*i"*r"g 
an offrce or cirangling ir from e)ecri'e to

pointite. q'hen it ipp*.t that it m,ar.bt *fo bll 
^ra.,3?li)rf

e"', ai-"ar"d u, tha: o$ce extendrng the -rermr oi nonmrnorlrtlr
F;;:;-..i; L d",ui Einorri\ eie:tion tr' offrce' ari inesu::ab't :'edrl

trict i n c a.n i rea ppon ) onmen'. f o1) orrng ;e ri-cu-r reD'JiLi



tD +rl-A-Llus!^al baxriqrs ,,r,, I

Ge,tw\A-rr^r- Tl,-r-ts,r.n- (U+"t €Ao<., \,f,) a-+ tq+l

CLOEING 
'TATEI{EMT

'iT,i"lit{""x*"i.{:i{H'l'^}ii''F,[ii"g"]'r:?.##
F.-r#a?"i;;d ffi;;iii,. tno"'" barnerr ti' full minorit) PanlcrPs

HS.T,PSoli"''ig'g; -i3::^f ' 
reEs" :'a t i on :

r locations for regutratton'
;ffi;; 

"1 
minoritl. rylr :-lft=;

ffir,,ugm;lfif ff : j::*tff iB*i ng citizens;

,,, IHjj$F"i,*"frrr: candidaies b1 e]ection officrars abou! requiremenl.

iiffilislikq,*x**" l"f:#*;srm* n **"&T; lr*:

ffi ;l' ;l"T:'L?!3:,1i'';ff'I;"i# T1Y;'";n,: []ii'Ii'c u' $1r' an

-fr-oa,on of one e)ecraral contesi rntr a numixr of indiririual contesl( t( tht

tEffi,lt;+"'. 
:'H'1,;n"-*rdrsi.c'ls

{fr{$qft ""[#i]: n':ri,:T i ":::: :::,::ffi : -. " 
:;

,)ffi fii) e :-ec L.t ri cr : nF an c rea ppo n i crr m e:: r f oi i c*ing ce ns'!r-( reF,orr

g#[]Tfiii*i#Hrft#,iffi *m+*:,.;Eitq
Lr: lormr o,*oro,'"t"LC-polirca' tr'tirr^iiarror^' are harc a: s'orL to rrlr^:ir'izt

- tillr of thl} acr *"; -;;;e'";;i- t(' turr'.-bac} th' cioch as E{f,or' a-' lhe ac' ti

-d 

o: t€rE"r.Inarec- di lf'nuit nete: forgel *t'''t t'"po"n*' in the So;r:-' a

- 

q:r r.he:. tn. poir..,ca rrE:t: m::iarec anc-:r,aintllnec b1 co-ngresslona'

b_ enc prcr.ecrror. ;;;ij;;rt'.*iri'c,ii, u:".;a:rencinenE anc the ERA s s'-rorc

It rrhu iersla-.tor_ *"i.--"''."i".i anc abr;qee; afrer conE:resslona.. Inltre::

ll ra'dstor- ""n* 
*'-* male governmt':.'t ii" iour'' ' 

Crue' ani r'e:-rilii

ffI_+rnocia-.ii icieal: and value NeveuAga':'

P.c[ n%J a\b]

"*$ll'"t""l"Tii*#H-r"r,tffi 
"fi 

""i.Jlf 
trJ'[;F?'"'"Jil:"1lTrfr

ifir.k";il]i;a;t i5tt p"il workerr.in eo-necul.r cauntl', Alabama, were appoi*
;i:c";F.h cfliathtF " 

biact populagion of nearlv 4i.fl=:t,*c 
+rroh r2 e,.e .,!

V.*