What is a literacy test?

A literacy test is a test administered to determine a person's ability to read and write. Historically, these tests were often used to prevent specific groups of people, particularly African Americans in the Southern United States, from voting. The tests were designed to be difficult and subjective, often including complex passages, confusing instructions, or arbitrary requirements, making it easy to fail people regardless of their actual literacy skills. While ostensibly about literacy, their real purpose was often disenfranchisement based on race or other factors. While literacy tests are now illegal in the United States, they remain a notorious example of voter suppression.