Why were literacy tests and poll taxes used?

Literacy tests and poll taxes were implemented primarily in the Southern United States as tools to disenfranchise Black voters and, in some cases, poor white voters following the Reconstruction era. These measures aimed to circumvent the legal rights granted by the 15th Amendment, which ensured African American men the right to vote. By imposing these barriers, states sought to maintain white supremacy and control over the political landscape. Ultimately, these discriminatory practices contributed to systemic racism and inequality in the electoral process.