Road Poll Tax

ID: 534 ~ Source: The San Juan Islander. Poll Tax, June 2nd 1898, p. 3. ~ Creator: The San Juan Islander (Friday Habor, Washington) ~ Date: June 2nd, 1898
This file appears in: Chinese Cannery Workers in Friday Harbor
Road Poll Tax

Around the turn of the century, the poor would often work to pay their taxes. Despite what the name suggests, this tax wasn’t for voting but was for roads, thus its full name the "road poll tax."

This file appears in: Chinese Cannery Workers in Friday Harbor

By Petra Gerhardt
The late 19th century was a hostile era for Chinese immigrants in the United States. During this era, Chinese immigrants faced prejudice and hatred both from anti-immigrant politicians who thought that Chinese people went against American values and…