File #2618: "EN3414_Spring2024__TheNegroVoterInTheSouth_001.pdf"
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Negro Registration:
Present and Prospective
DuRING THE PAST DECADE, egro registration has climbed steadily, if
gradually. Today, there are at least 1,238,000 egroes on voting rolls in
the Southern states.
This figure, based on the estimated number of regi trants at the time
of the 1956 general election, represents a gain of 229,400 over the 1,008,614 registered in 1952, which in turn was a 413,600 increase over the
595,000 registered in 1947.
Despite this growth, the current figure represents only about 25 per
cent of the 4,980,000 Negroes of voting age in the region, as compared
to a 60 per cent registration among eligible white Southerners. 1
It should be observed at the outset that accurate registration figure are
difficult to obtain. Voting lists often are out of date, bearing names of dead
and non-resident citizens, and race frequently is recorded in a haphazard
fashion. The figures used in this survey are based on information from
voting officials, registration records, county-by-county reports, and interviews with informed observers.
The Negro registration figures used probably are more accurate than
the white. Officials tend to keep a closer check on egro registrants and
they are more subject to periodic purges. Moreover, names of white regis~
trants may have been on the books 50 years, whereas egroes have been
enfranchised only for 10 or 12; thus, it is far more likely that the white
rolls are inflated and contain the names of those moved or deceased.
In Georgia, for example, 63 of the state's 159 counties reported to the
Secretary of State in 19 5 6 white registration totals which exceed the white
population of voting age. 2 Calhoun County represented the extreme,
reporting 187 per cent of its eligible white population on the voting rolls.
Based then on the best estimates available, Texas leads the region in
the number of Negroes registered-214,000-followed by Georgia with
163,389 and Louisiana with 161,410. The latter shows the greatest gain41,410- ince 1952; also, Negroes make up 18 per cent of the total
registration in Louisiana, the highest among Southern state .
Only in Mississippi did egro registration level off, or perhaps decline,
Population figures are ba ed on the 1950 Cen us.
In addition, 33 Georgia counties reported white regi tration representing 90 to 99 per
cent of white population of voting age and 27 counties a white regi tration of from
80 to 89 per cent of the eligible. Only three countie reported egro registration in
excess of 100 per cent of the egro eligibles, two from 90 to 99 per cent, and
five 80 to 89 per cent.
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Present and Prospective
DuRING THE PAST DECADE, egro registration has climbed steadily, if
gradually. Today, there are at least 1,238,000 egroes on voting rolls in
the Southern states.
This figure, based on the estimated number of regi trants at the time
of the 1956 general election, represents a gain of 229,400 over the 1,008,614 registered in 1952, which in turn was a 413,600 increase over the
595,000 registered in 1947.
Despite this growth, the current figure represents only about 25 per
cent of the 4,980,000 Negroes of voting age in the region, as compared
to a 60 per cent registration among eligible white Southerners. 1
It should be observed at the outset that accurate registration figure are
difficult to obtain. Voting lists often are out of date, bearing names of dead
and non-resident citizens, and race frequently is recorded in a haphazard
fashion. The figures used in this survey are based on information from
voting officials, registration records, county-by-county reports, and interviews with informed observers.
The Negro registration figures used probably are more accurate than
the white. Officials tend to keep a closer check on egro registrants and
they are more subject to periodic purges. Moreover, names of white regis~
trants may have been on the books 50 years, whereas egroes have been
enfranchised only for 10 or 12; thus, it is far more likely that the white
rolls are inflated and contain the names of those moved or deceased.
In Georgia, for example, 63 of the state's 159 counties reported to the
Secretary of State in 19 5 6 white registration totals which exceed the white
population of voting age. 2 Calhoun County represented the extreme,
reporting 187 per cent of its eligible white population on the voting rolls.
Based then on the best estimates available, Texas leads the region in
the number of Negroes registered-214,000-followed by Georgia with
163,389 and Louisiana with 161,410. The latter shows the greatest gain41,410- ince 1952; also, Negroes make up 18 per cent of the total
registration in Louisiana, the highest among Southern state .
Only in Mississippi did egro registration level off, or perhaps decline,
Population figures are ba ed on the 1950 Cen us.
In addition, 33 Georgia counties reported white regi tration representing 90 to 99 per
cent of white population of voting age and 27 counties a white regi tration of from
80 to 89 per cent of the eligible. Only three countie reported egro registration in
excess of 100 per cent of the egro eligibles, two from 90 to 99 per cent, and
five 80 to 89 per cent.
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