two earlier election vignettes

[jwg]

I remember my first election - voting for JFK for president. It was in Stormville, NY. I've never missed voting since then. When I registered, I had brought my MIT diploma to prove literacy, but they didn't look at it and I was disappointed.

In June this year we had just crossed border at Namanga from Tanzania into Kenya and our guides stopped at a bathroom stop/gift shop. Several of the young natives there were eager to talk about how proud they were that a Kenyan was running for the presidency of the US. One said with a broad grin on his face, and my name is Barack too! I'd like to see his face this morning.

Comments

[susandennis]

Two perfectly wonderful vignettes. thanks!

[drj0402.livejournal.com]

What struck me about your memory is that you felt you had to prove literacy to register to vote.

[jwg.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that in some states (southern probably) literacy tests were required to keep out the hoi polloi (e.g. blacks).