by Nard Lee

Artwork Description

Mark

0.0 x 0.0

48 x 48". Mixed Media. 2020. The Voting Rights Act ended the use of literacy tests in the South in 1965 and the rest of the country in 1970. In Mississippi, applicants were required to transcribe and interpret a section of the state constitution and write an essay on the responsibilities of citizenship. Registration officials selected the questions and interpreted the answers, effectively choosing which applicants to pass and which to fail. During this time, illiteracy rates amongst Blacks were extremely high and they were forced to “acknowledge” the document as they were unable to sign their name. They could only “mark” the document.

Artwork Details

Medium: Painting Acrylic

Genre: Abstract