"Death at the polls, and free from 'federal interference'," 1879

Found on the cover of Harper’s Weekly’s October 18, 1879 edition, Thomas Nast’s image portrayed a skeleton labeled “solid Southern shot gun” at a polling station holding a shotgun with one foot standing atop a glass bowl labeled “Suffrage” and “Liberty.” Surrounding him were dead bodies, including one labeled “Nigger Insurrection.” Behind the skeleton were messages that mocked the idea of free elections in the South.

Courtesy of Library of Congress, Nast, Thomas, "Death at the polls, and free from "federal interference" / Th. Nast," 1879

Description

Found on the cover of Harper’s Weekly on October 18, 1879, was Thomas Nast's image portraying a skeleton labeled "solid Southern shot gun" at a polling station holding a shotgun with one foot standing atop a glass bowl labeled "Suffrage" and "Liberty." Surrounding him were dead bodies, including one labeled "Nigger Insurrection." Behind the skeleton were messages that mocked the idea of free elections in the South.

Transcript of "Death at the polls, and free from 'federal interference'"

Source-Dependent Questions

What message was the artist trying to convey through this image? Provide the evidence that led you to this conclusion.
Select the three most significant details in the image and explain why you chose them. Focus on both the context surrounding the source and the author's perspective.
What type of emotional response was the image designed to bring about? Provide the evidence that led you to this conclusion.

Citation Information

Nast, Thomas, "Death at the polls, and free from "federal interference" / Th. Nast," Harper's Weekly, 1879. Courtesy of Library of Congress