Final answer:
From the end of the 1870s onwards, southern states disenfranchised African American voters through various methods including violence, property qualification laws, gerrymandering, fraud, and poll taxes. These measures were implemented to restrict black suffrage and maintain white supremacy in the South.
Step-by-step explanation:
From the end of the 1870s onwards, southern states disenfranchised African American voters through a variety of methods. Some of these methods included the use of violence, property qualification laws, gerrymandering, fraud, and the implementation of poll taxes. These measures were intended to restrict black suffrage and maintain white supremacy in the South.
By adopting poll taxes and literacy tests, southern states effectively suppressed the black vote. While poll taxes disproportionately affected African Americans, poor whites were also impacted. In addition, through the use of property qualification laws, gerrymandering, and fraud, southern whites further reduced the level of black voting.
These measures were rooted in the desire to maintain white dominance and power in the South. By disenfranchising African American voters, wealthy white Southerners were able to ensure that their votes carried more weight and exert control over the political landscape. The federal government's retreat from enforcing black voting rights and the rise of white supremacy in the post-Reconstruction era also facilitated the disenfranchisement of African American voters.