Articles on the 1946 Boswell Amendment to the Alabama Constitution

Subject

Civil Rights

Description

A series of newspaper articles discussing the proposed Boswell Amendment to the Alabama Constitution of 1946.

Section 181 of the Alabama constitution allowed a citizen to register to vote if either they or their spouse owned at least $300 worth of real or personal property. Proposed Amendment No. 4 "reposes in County Registrars the right to require applicants for registration to interpret the Constitution of the United States. It removes the provision of our State Constitution providing that anyone owning as much as $300.00 may vote."

Interestingly, while the Amendment passed in Alabama by a small margin Lauderdale County, voted against the Amendment 3 to 1. The charge to vote down the amendment was led by Florence Times editor Louis Eckl.
(1) Alabama Politics. A Friday, January 25, 1946 Florence Herald article stating that Alabama's primaries will be held on May 7 and June 4, and that in 1946 "for the first time since 1870 they will be open to Negroes both as voters and candidates." The paper noted that the term "white" was stricken from the state committee's primary call due to a 1944 US Supreme Court ruling that made segregated primaries unconstitutional while at the same time, ironically, the committee endorsed the Boswell Amendment, which states that potential voters much be literate as well as able to understand and explain any article of the US Constitution in order to qualify to vote.
(2) A Friday, July 26, 1946 Resolution by the Montgomery, AL Junior Chamber of Commerce opposing passage of the Boswell Amendment, "which amendment prescribes who shall be qualified to register as voters in the State of Alabama." The Amendment essentially gave registrars the power to arbitrarily register or reject potential electors since an applicant had to satisfy the electors that he/she could understand/explain any section of the US Constitution, "even though the highest court in the land [the US Supreme Court] often divides on Constitutional questions by a vote of five to four . . ."

(3) Eighth District to Vote Sept. 24. A Florence Herald article noting that at a recent meeting of the AL State Democratic Executive Committee in Mobile, 53 out of 72 members voted for a Democratic Primary and 45 of 53 ballots endorsed using party funds to campaign for adoption of the Boswell Amendment.

(4-7) To the Voters of Alabama. A Friday, September 26, 1946 Florence Herald letter to the voters of Alabama by Gessner T. McCorvey, Chairman of the State Democratic Executive Committee of Alabama defending the Democratic Party's motto of "White Supremacy," stressing the need to support Proposed Amendment to Section 181 of the Alabama Constitution, the "Boswell Amendment" in furtherance of that goal.



(8) A Saturday October 5, 1946 Florence Times report of a speech given to the Montgomery, AL Civitan Club by J. Miller Bonner, former AL state senator and legal advisor to former AL governor Frank Dixon in which Bonner predicted a takeover by black voters in Alabama within four years if passage of the Boswell Amendment to the AL Constitution failed to pass.
(9) Supporters of the Boswell Amendment. A Friday, October 18, 1946 Florence Herald article commenting on several prominent Alabama politicians who supported the Boswell Amendment, including Governor Chauncey Sparks and former Governor Frank Dixon as well as those in opposition to it including Governor elect James . Folsom and Senator Lister Hill.
(10) Wilkinson Rives to Appear in Debate. A Friday, October 25, 1946 Florence Herald announcement noting that noted Alabama attorneys Richard T. Rives of Montgomery and Horace C. Wilkinson of Birmingham were scheduled to participate in a debate at the courthouse in Florence on Thursday night, October 31, sponsored by the Florence Junior Chamber of Commerce on the subject "Should the Boswell Amendment be Adopted?" Wilkinson would take the positive while Rives defended the negative.



(11-12) Boswell Plan is Denounced by Publisher. A Wednesday, October 30, Florence Times report on a Tuesday night, October 29, debate in Huntsville, in Madison County, AL by Gessner T. McCorvey of Mobile, Chairman of the State Democratic Executive Committee, a proponent of the Boswell Amendment, and Col. Harry M. Ayers, publisher of the Anniston Star, an opponent of Amendment 4.
(13) A Wednesday, October 30, Florence Times report quoting Julian Bailey of Florence, secretary-treasurer of the Alabama State Painters Conference, who stated that at their Sunday, October 27, convention, after a thorough discussion of Amendment 4, the Painters expressed unanimous opposition to the amendment.


(14) A Thursday, October 30, 1946 Florence Times report on the debate scheduled to held that night at the Lauderdale County Courthouse in Florence between Col. Richard T. "Dick" Rives and the Hon. Horace C. Wilkinson on the proposed Boswell Amendment to the AL Constitution.
(15) Sidelights on the Passing Parade by Harold May. A report on the recent debate at the courthouse in Florence on the merits of the Boswell Amendment bet. Richard C. Rives of Montgomery and Horace C. Wilkinson of Birmingham.
(16-17) A Friday, November 1, Florence Times report on the Thursday night, October 31, 1946 Florence debate between opponent of Amendment Four, Col. Richard T. "Dick" Rives and its proponent, the Hon. Horace C. Wilkinson,
(18) A Friday, November 1, 1946 Florence Times report stating that Amendment Four to the Alabama Constitution was opposed by 80 Alabama ministers, priests and rabbis.
(19-20) The Nine Amendments. A Friday, November 1, 1946 Florence Herald synopsis of the nine proposed amendments to the Alabama Constitution, including the controversial Amendment No. 4, the "Boswell Amendment."

(21) A Saturday, November 2, 1946 Florence Times editorial by editor Louis A. Eckl urging voters in the Muscle Shoals District to vote "no" on Amendment Four.

In the editorial, Eckl characterized the arguments of Amendment Four proponent the Hon. Horace C. Wilkinson from his Thursday night, October 31 debate with Col. Richard T. "Dick" Rives as "maggots of hate," reminiscent of speeches given by Adolph Hitler at the Nuremberg Sports Palace in the days before World War II. If passed, the amendment would substitute a government of men for one of law.

(22) In the Week's News. A Friday, November 8 Florence Herald report that the Boswell Amendment "was ratified by a small margin on the face of incomplete returns," but that "Lauderdale County voted against the Boswell Amendment by about 3 to 1 . . ."
(23) Rev. Bob Cook Talks to Exchange Club. A Friday, November 8, 1946 report on the Monday, November 4, meeting of Florence's Exchange Club, which meets at Basil's Cafe, at which club president and Florence Herald managing editor Harold S. May polled members on the Boswell Amendment, with the tally showing that Exchangeites 2 to 1 were against the passage of the amendment.

(24) Amendment No. 4 Given Majority. A Friday, November 15, 1946 Florence Herald article reporting on the passage of all nine amendments to the Alabama Constitution, including controversial Amendment No. 4, which had "the avowed aim of holding down Negro registration." The article notes that among opponents of the bill were Governor-Elect Jim Folsom and Senator Lister Hill, while prominent supporters included Governor Sparks and former Governor Frank Dixon.

Source

(1-7; 9-10; 15; 19-24) Florence Herald
(8, 11-14; 16-18) Florence Times

Publisher

Newspapers.com
Bell & Howell Micro Photo Division

Contributor

Lee Freeman

Rights

Images are available for educational and research purposes. This image may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express written consent of the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the interested party to identify the copyright holder and receive permission.

Format

Jpeg

Language

English

Type

Still Image

Files

Alabama Politics Boswell Amendment FH Fri Jan 25 1946 p 2.jpg
Resolution FH Fri Jul 26 1946 p 9.jpg
Eigth District to Vote FH Fri Aug 30 1946 p 1.jpg
To the Voters of Alabama 1 FH Fri Sep 20 1946.jpg
To the Voters of Alabama 2 FH Fri Sep 20 1946 p 9.jpg
To the Voters of Alabama 3 FH Fri Sep 20 1946 p 9.jpg
To the Voters of Alabama 4 FH Fri Sep 20 1946 p 9.jpg
Black Belt Asks Boswell Amendment OK FT Sat Oct 5 1946 p 8.jpg
Supporters of the Boswell Amendment FH Fri Oct 18 1946 p 10.jpg
Wilkinson Rives Appear in Debate FH Fri Oct 25 1946 p 1.jpg
Boswell Plan is Denounced by Publisher.jpg
Boswell Plan is Denounced by Publisher.jpg
Amendment 4 is Opposed by State Painters.jpg
Courthouse Rafters Ring Tonight at 730.jpg
Sidelights of the Passing Parade on the Boswell Amendment FH Fri Nov 1 1946 p 1.jpg
Wilkinson Calls for Amendment Four OK FT Fri Nov 1 1946 p 1.jpg
Wilkinson Calls for Amendment Four OK FT Fri Nov 1 1946 p 1.jpg
Amendment 4 is Opposed by Churches.jpg
The Nine Amendments p 1 FH Fri Nov 1 1946 p 2.jpg
The Nine Amendments p 2 FH Fri Nov 1 1946 p 2.jpg
Vote No on Amendment Four.jpg
In the Week's News on the Vote for the Boswell Amendment FH Fri Nov 8 1946 p 1.jpg
Rev. Bob Cook Talks to Exchange Club FH Fri Nov 8 1946 p 6.jpg
Amendment No. 4 Given Majority FH Fri Nov 15 1946 p 1.jpg

Collection

Civil Rights

Citation

“Articles on the 1946 Boswell Amendment to the Alabama Constitution,” Shoals Black History, accessed January 16, 2025, https://shoalsblackhistory.omeka.net/items/show/1149.