Poll Tax

When we moved to Virginia in 1952 I had the option, as a serviceman, of becoming a Virginia citizen. I contemplated doing so even though the only party that had a chance at the polls was the Democrat party. I believed that I was a Republican and hesitated about declaring as a Republican since it would be all so futile. Later on I was advised to register and vote because, as a first time voter, I would not be required to pay the Poll Tax. It was explained to me that if I did not vote in the coming election I would be required to pay the Poll Tax in the next election. It was not much but the longer voting was put off all the taxes were cumulative. For many Virginians paying their Poll Tax was out of the question, it was so high. The Poll Tax had been instituted shortly after the Civil War to keep blacks from voting. In those days, very few blacks were able to come up with the money, effectively barring them from voting. Coming from Detroit, I was amazed at this custom so different than Michigan. In order to become a voter, I was informed, it would be necessary to pass an administered eligibility test. Further, I was informed I would be able to pass the test easily, while very few blacks ever passed. Since I would be getting out of the Navy in a year and a half I gave no further thought to becoming a Virginia voter. The law became obsolete during the Johnson administration with Voting Rights Act of 1965. One other strange law in Virginia was that no black could ride in the front seat of a car when it had a white driver. Pat and I had run afoul of this law when we offered to give a black man a ride in our car. We motioned for him to get in beside Pat in the front seat, but he would not do it. He made an effort to get in the back but that required Pat to get out of the car and move the seat forward. We both insisted he get in the front seat. Eventually he did get in but he was obviously very nervous about it. Later, in talking to friends, I was told about this law and our inadvertent violation.