What did the 1946 King v. Chapman decision decide about the white primary?

• A. It upheld the white primary as constitutional.
• B. It declared the white primary unconstitutional and could not exclude Black voters.
• C. It postponed ruling on the white primary.
• D. It allowed Black voters to participate only in a separate primary.

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that racially exclusive voting practices in the primary are unconstitutional and violate voters’ rights. In this period, primaries often decided elections, so excluding Black voters from the primary effectively barred them from a key part of the electoral process. The 1946 King v. Chapman ruling states that the white primary cannot stand because it blocks Black citizens from participating in the primary, which undermines equal protection and the right to vote. This aligns with the broader line of cases recognizing that primaries are part of the democratic process and must be open to all eligible voters, regardless of race. Therefore, the decision rejects maintaining a racially exclusive primary and rejects postponing or substituting a separate Black primary.