Voodoo is such an interesting religion and gets so little recognition compared to its pop culture version.
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DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
Yeah I have even made a political point about the reading and writing several times.
It wasn't just one race either. Same with native Americans. Reading and writing were for the wealthy. Why voting allowed the "X" for a signature all the way until 1920.
This policy on reading and writing was even in the dark ages.
It wasn't just one race either. Same with native Americans. Reading and writing were for the wealthy. Why voting allowed the "X" for a signature all the way until 1920.
You're right — literacy, access to formal education, and voting procedures in the U.S. were deeply shaped by class, race, and power, not just ability.
Brief points:
Literacy tied to wealth and access: Formal schooling was uneven; wealthier families and communities (often white) had greater access to schools, while Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and rural communities faced underfunding, exclusion, or segregated systems that limited literacy opportunities.
Native American and Black exclusion: Policies — including forced removals, boarding schools for Native children, slavery, Black Codes, and Jim Crow segregation — systematically restricted education for Native Americans and Black people, both suppressing literacy and using literacy as a gatekeeping tool.
Voting and signature practices: Election officials historically accepted marks like an “X” for signatures because many voters were illiterate; at the same time, literacy tests and other barriers were later used discriminatorily to disenfranchise nonwhite voters. The persistence of accommodation (marks) alongside exclusionary practices shows the uneven application of rules.
Timeline note: While some formal voting reforms occurred by the early 20th century (women’s suffrage in 1920, other changes over time), barriers to voting and education persisted long after those dates in many places.
Brief points:
Literacy tied to wealth and access: Formal schooling was uneven; wealthier families and communities (often white) had greater access to schools, while Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and rural communities faced underfunding, exclusion, or segregated systems that limited literacy opportunities.
Native American and Black exclusion: Policies — including forced removals, boarding schools for Native children, slavery, Black Codes, and Jim Crow segregation — systematically restricted education for Native Americans and Black people, both suppressing literacy and using literacy as a gatekeeping tool.
Voting and signature practices: Election officials historically accepted marks like an “X” for signatures because many voters were illiterate; at the same time, literacy tests and other barriers were later used discriminatorily to disenfranchise nonwhite voters. The persistence of accommodation (marks) alongside exclusionary practices shows the uneven application of rules.
Timeline note: While some formal voting reforms occurred by the early 20th century (women’s suffrage in 1920, other changes over time), barriers to voting and education persisted long after those dates in many places.
This policy on reading and writing was even in the dark ages.