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Harvard students sit the 1964 Louisiana Literacy Test
Daily Mail ^ | 12 Nov 2014 | David Mccormack

Posted on 11/12/2014 9:08:18 AM PST by maddog55

A group of Harvard students were recently asked by their tutor to sit the 1964 Louisiana Literacy Test - a notorious document with confusing questions that was used to stop black citizens from voting.

Just 50 years ago, states in the South asked voters who couldn't provide proof of a fifth grade education to pass the test in order to be eligible to cast a ballot.

The test was intended to disenfranchise African-Americans, who in order to pass had to correctly answer all 30 questions in 10 minutes.

Despite their Ivy League pedigree, none of the students managed to pass the test and their reactions as they struggled to make sense of the obtuse questions was filmed.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
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To: rdl6989
I just had it out with an IT 20 something. I reminded him that when I was in Kindergarten we used crayons not tablets. So if he wants me to map something on this computer he had better send me the directions to do that.

I got this look. He tried to tell me. I said no! Write them down and e-mail them to me so the next time you mess with my computer I can fix it without you helping! They have no clue how to write directions. Why should I be surprised that they can't follow them?

41 posted on 11/12/2014 9:44:19 AM PST by defconw (Both parties have clearly lost their minds!)
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To: maddog55

That is not difficult. It just requires reading carefully and following directions.


42 posted on 11/12/2014 9:44:35 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
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To: maddog55

Those tests were bogus, no doubt.

But I like the unspoken premise of the article: we’re supposed to be astonished that a Harvard student can fail anything.


43 posted on 11/12/2014 9:45:10 AM PST by Ted Grant
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To: GodAndCountryFirst

Slavery was brought to North America in the 16th century.


44 posted on 11/12/2014 9:45:59 AM PST by Borges
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To: maddog55
Lesson 1: The test was designed to trip up anyone they wanted to trip up and keep from voting.

Lesson 2: Harvard kids are really dumb if no one could pass this test.

45 posted on 11/12/2014 9:56:24 AM PST by cincinnati65
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To: maddog55

Now THAT was truly “voter suppression” and was orchestrated by DEMOCRATS, of course.

Assuming they are all US Citizens, I wonder what percentage of the Harvard students could figure out how to fill out the forms necessary to get a photo ID, or find someone to help them fill them out? I’m guessing 100%. Same goes for high school or elementary school dropouts.


46 posted on 11/12/2014 10:03:33 AM PST by Above My Pay Grade
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To: maddog55

I guess all the students were black?

I also guess that nobody could vote in 1964?


47 posted on 11/12/2014 10:04:22 AM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: CodeToad

LOL..;-)


48 posted on 11/12/2014 10:05:59 AM PST by Ouderkirk (To the left, everything must evidence that this or that strand of leftist theory is true)
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To: maddog55

1964 Lousiana Governmant:

Governor = Democrat
Lt. Governoer = Democrat
US Senators = Both democrats
US House delegates = 8 Democrats (no republicans)
Loisiana State Senate = 100% democrat (no republicans)

Don’t let anyone tell you that the dixiecrats are more like republicans. In 1964, the GOP ran conservative Barry Goldwater as their candidate and all the dixiecrats sided with liberal LBJ.


49 posted on 11/12/2014 10:07:54 AM PST by kidd
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To: defconw

A lot of the questions have more than one answer depending on how you interpret it.


50 posted on 11/12/2014 10:08:17 AM PST by IMR 4350
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To: maddog55

It was a bad test. There was an invalid statement and one wrong answer would flunk the test taker. The question is what is gained by bringing up something from 50 years ago which was discredited at that time and which became illegal the next year?


51 posted on 11/12/2014 10:10:13 AM PST by BlackAdderess
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To: bgill
one ninny asked how to draw a line around something

Actually a line is a line and a circle is a circle. A circle being closed and a line being open at both ends. The idea was to have them draw a line around it without circling it because that's not what it said to do.

52 posted on 11/12/2014 10:10:43 AM PST by Ouderkirk (To the left, everything must evidence that this or that strand of leftist theory is true)
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To: kabar

Ummmmm.....both my girls had to take a literacy test to get a Driver’s License here in OK.


53 posted on 11/12/2014 10:14:34 AM PST by Osage Orange (I have strong feelings about gun control. If there's a gun around, I want to be controlling it.)
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To: willywill

Liberals have been quite open lately about wishing whites would die. If we don’t all kill ourselves, I’m thinking they may just take steps to hurry things along.


54 posted on 11/12/2014 10:17:35 AM PST by Nea Wood
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To: kabar

Bingo.

However, it really just highlights the weakness of their argument. I mean, let’s do the same test on voter ID laws. Send 30 college students to the DMV and see how many of them fail to come out with an ID. I’m guessing the number would be close to zero, unless they intentionally didn’t fill out their forms correctly.


55 posted on 11/12/2014 10:18:45 AM PST by Boogieman
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To: IMR 4350

I saw that. I used my “let’s not over think it” mode. Generally on standardized tests that is the best way to go.


56 posted on 11/12/2014 10:19:33 AM PST by defconw (Both parties have clearly lost their minds!)
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To: cincinnati65

Ever notice how poor whites never get sympathy from the left? I am guessing that a lot of poor and undereducated whites failed these tests too.

Even today poor whites are hated by the left as if they were 19th century slave owners.


57 posted on 11/12/2014 10:19:42 AM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: willywill

By killing yourself, you would be denying poor, disenfranchised and oppressed minorities the opportunities to give you “justice”, so you’re still an evil cracker!


58 posted on 11/12/2014 10:20:03 AM PST by Boogieman
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To: Nea Wood

There does seem to be some sort of wacko elitist death cult hiding out in fashionable circles. Some fads are silly, some fads are dangerous.


59 posted on 11/12/2014 10:22:07 AM PST by BlackAdderess
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To: maddog55

It was oddly written, kinda tested literacy, and had nothing to do with voting, but it wasn’t terribly difficult. Guess I can get a Harvard diploma shipped to me now, right?


60 posted on 11/12/2014 10:28:57 AM PST by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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