Page:Race distinctions in American Law (IA racedistinctions00stepiala).pdf/280

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

late years. It requires certain qualifications to make them competent under the Constitution of the State of Mississippi, to-wit: Every male inhabitant of the State, except idiots, insane persons, and Indians not taxed, who is a citizen of the United States, twenty-one years old and upwards, who resided in the State two years, and one year in the election district, or in the incorporated city or town in which he offers to vote, and who is duly registered, and has never been convicted of bribery, burglary, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretenses, perjury, forgery, embezzlement or bigamy, and who has paid, on or before the first day of February of the year in which he shall offer to vote, all taxes which have been legally required of him, and is able to read any section of the Constitution of the State, or is able to understand the same, when read to him, is a qualified voter, and can be a member of either our grand jury or a petit jury if drawn as such. Our Negro jurors are either ministers or school teachers, with some farmers. The majority of them fail to pay their taxes, which disqualifies them from jury service. Negro jurors are not regarded by our courts as good jurymen, but we are compelled to use them when drawn and they are qualified to serve."

County No. 2, 8,000 white people, 11,700 Negroes: ". . . Negroes sitting on jury and paying poll-tax is a thing of the past in my county. Only about 25 or 30 [are] registered. Disfranchised on educational qualification."

County No. 3, 3,000 white people, 23,000 Negroes: "In my judicial district there are five counties, in three of which Negroes serve upon the juries in about the propor-