Memorandum from Lani Guinier to Deval Patrick, Penda Hair, Judith Reed, and Joel Berger
Correspondence
February 7, 1986

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Case Files, Thornburg v. Gingles Working Files - Guinier. Excerpts from Debates on Traditional Barriers, 1982. 335ab684-dc92-ee11-be37-6045bdeb8873. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/47ac7a6a-a52c-4c18-9ae6-5dda8ee15660/excerpts-from-debates-on-traditional-barriers. Accessed August 19, 2025.
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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: a s.L t !42 9A 9 AorC l! ! O 1.1 ce !!34! E ata ! r-U !- !) otixt nqEa &f I o OIoraL)vad a Fr !^ i qo gn a o{ a^!" - Co9J- " u .ulv o <Ylo f {o aSEoa 9C96t E a -o ac !c ^ { .o oododA oaaq)99o E\o ot C-E lkFolHro!l ooal e.ixleA ' o&C!9et>a\ O.fl .AA{r t 9 ' f n I al 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 0 .OC a >Jo . Eoi Of .l -ac D a o! ro 6rx.r u q CI aJ O ! N lg CO.ilF o r, Ll O kla - .rl !r < Frrol -l\ \c)OtlEi \ot- c)l -}.'e. I nllb, Al Al e- a -l! iI.'5 -5€ !,a co) a:< D sh sl t ETc: >rL FE oc. aa >rt DF t E5.o>o o<Ir a f.<l.E al, o.o o 5: e9lC3-a atr XA fE !.o uI c t)r u a \o 'lF ? !l !t ^l'l 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.*