24th Amendment

Passed by Congress August 27, 1962. Ratified January 23, 1964.

Section 1.
The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Breakdown...

The 24th Amendment:

• Prohibits Congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a poll tax.
•  Made poll tax unconstitutional in regards to federal elections. 

Additional info relating to the 24th Amendment:

• In 1966, after the case of  Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections, poll taxes for state elections were considered unconstitutional because they violated the 14th Amendment under the  Equal Protection Clause.
• The poll taxes inhibited many poor and African American's from voting in state elections.

This group of people protest against the injustice of poll taxes that inhibited many poor and African Americans from voting. The poll tax is another instance of segregation among social classes. This issue of poll taxing was ignored by many, which goes to show we are the one's that have to make a change. The first step towards fixing a problem is pointing it out.

Not everyone was happy with the decision to end the Southern states poll taxes.These three civil rights workers, Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney, were killed by local segregationist law enforcement officials near Philadelphia, Mississippi. Although this would seem strange to happen now, it was not seen as uncommon in the 1960's. We must remember that even if a rule/law such as poll taxes is implemented and agreed on by a majority of society, it is not always a good rule/law. We must always think of the other side in every situation.