The System
The Legal Battle
People & Impact
100

This was the only race of people allowed to vote in Georgia's primary elections under this system.

White citizens

100

In this year, the U.S. District Court ruled that the white primary was unconstitutional.

1946

100

This Black American from Columbus, GA, was the lead plaintiff who successfully sued for the right to vote.

Primus King

200

Because Georgia was a one-party state, winning this specific party's primary was the same as winning the whole election.

Democratic Party

200

This amendment, cited in the court's ruling, guarantees citizenship and "equal protection" under the law.

14th Amendment

200

This Georgia Governor ended the system by refusing to fight the federal court's ruling.

Ellis Arnall

300

These types of elections are where specific candidates are chosen to represent a political party.

Primaries

300

The court ruled the system unconstitutional based on these three specific Amendments.

14th, 15th, and 17th

300

This man was the other Black American from Columbus who filed the lawsuit alongside Primus King.

Thomas Brewer

400

The White Primary was a policy specifically designed to do this to Black Americans' voting power.

Disenfranchise

400

The 17th Amendment was used in the ruling because it says these officials must be "elected by the people."

 U.S. Senators

400

Because he allowed the White Primary to end, Governor Arnall lost the support of this group.

White Supremacists

500

This is the reason why the primary was more important than the general election in Georgia at the time.

being a One-Party State

500

This was the specific court that first decided the exclusion of Black voters was unconstitutional.

the U.S. District Court (Middle District of Georgia)?

500

After his legal victory, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals awarded Primus King this amount in damages.

$100

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