Describe the techniques used in the South prior to the 1965 Voting Rights Act to prevent African Americans from voting. Since 1965, controversy has existed over whether legislatures can consider race in drawing electoral district lines

What has the Supreme Court said on this subject?

An ideal response will:
1. Describe the techniques used, including poll taxes; literacy tests, in which African Americans were asked much more difficult questions than whites; whites-only primaries; racial gerrymandering, which was drawing election districts to ensure African Americans would be in a minority in all districts; and intimidation and violence.
2. Explain that the Supreme Court has ruled that race can be considered by legislatures when drawing electoral districts to increase the voting strength of minorities, but it cannot be the sole or predominant reason for drawing district lines; states must provide for districts that are roughly proportional to the minority voters' respective shares in the voting-age population.