Which demographic was primarily affected by the implementation of poll taxes?

The implementation of poll taxes primarily affected African Americans due to systemic efforts to disenfranchise this group following the Reconstruction era. Poll taxes were fees that individuals were required to pay in order to vote, which disproportionately impacted low-income populations, particularly African Americans, who often faced economic hardships and were less likely to possess the financial means to pay such taxes.

Additionally, the use of poll taxes was part of a broader strategy, including literacy tests and other discriminatory practices, aimed at suppressing African American voter turnout. These measures were designed to circumvent the legal rights gained through the Fifteenth Amendment, which granted African American men the right to vote after the Civil War. As a result, poll taxes became a significant barrier for African Americans, contributing to their political marginalization for many decades.