A 1964 poll tax receipt anchors a Birmingham woman's voting ritual

Marian Haslem passed the Alabama literacy test on January 31, 1964, after four attempts. The date is printed on a poll tax receipt that she has kept for over sixty years. The document serves as a physical record of her successful registration.

Haslem grew up attending mass meetings during the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham. Pastors at these gatherings preached that voting was the primary path to equality. Her parents, who were not registered voters, encouraged their children to participate in the democratic process. Haslem recalled her father's specific instruction: "I want y’all to vote and I want to see you vote before I die."

Alabama imposed barriers on Black applicants that included a poll tax and a literacy test. The state designed these tests to be difficult or to ask arbitrary questions. Because African Americans were disproportionately poorer, many could not afford the tax. Haslem made multiple attempts to register, often expecting rejection. "I never went with the expectation I would pass because I was always rejected," she said. She succeeded on her fourth try.

Haslem framed the poll tax receipt to memorialize the event. She now uses the framed document to teach the value of voting to three generations of her family. She connected her personal victory to the election of Barack Obama. "I’ve seen that vote work when I saw my president," Haslem said. "When I saw Obama, I saw that vote. And I know then, there’s always hope."

This November, Haslem and her family will vote while wearing black t-shirts. The shirts display an image of Haslem's 1964 poll tax receipt. Although the discriminatory tactics used against her have been banned, Haslem views her experience as a mandate for current voters. "I do want you to vote because there was a time when we couldn't even vote," she said.