Life, 1912-12-12 · page 32 of 48
Life — December 12, 1912 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page's main cartoon satirizes racial discrimination in voter registration. At Denver, a Black woman attempts to register to vote but is asked her party affiliation. She refuses, demanding her name be struck from the rolls—revealing her husband hasn't yet obtained his divorce. The joke operates on multiple levels: the woman's personal marital complication masks the deeper absurdity that she's being questioned about party affiliation as a gatekeeping mechanism. In the early 1900s, such questions were used to discourage Black voters. The satire exposes how registration requirements functioned as tools of disenfranchisement while the anecdote's humorous framing (her concern about her husband's divorce status) makes the discrimination seem almost casual—which was precisely the point Life was making about systemic racism embedded in ostensibly neutral procedures. The page also contains period poetry, humor pieces, and advertisements (typical for Life magazine).
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CAT 6 <oR® AV NuLlyS A Personal Question At Denver a few weeks ago a colored woman presented herself at a registra- tion booth with the intention of enroll- ing and casting her first vote in the cn- sving election. She gave her name, her address and her age; and then the clerk of registra- tien asked this question: “What party do you affiliate with?” The woman's eyes popped out “Docs I have to answer dat tion?” she demanded. “That is the law,” he told her. “Den you jes scratch my name offen dem books,” she said. “Ef I got to tell his name I don’t want to vote. Why, he ain't got his divorce yit!” And out she stalked. —Saturday ques- Evening Post. ie’s different from most men.” “That so?” “Yes, he admits that he likes to go to New York.”—Detroit Free Press. rE WILD The Charmed Life Cried the Sword: “T ran it through With my bloody blade ; But behold, it docs not show ‘That a thrust was made.” Cried the Fire, “I burned it black With devouring flame, And the zealots piled the pyre, But ‘tis now the same.” Cried the Bomb, “I blew it up With an anarch burst, But it lived when [ wa Scatheless as at fir: done, Then it was that Weapons knew They in vain were wrought ; Saught on earth can kill a Thought But another Thought. McLandburgh Wilson in New York Sun, Facts in the Case Tom, Tom, the piper’s pig and away he run. At least this report was given put. have later information. He really stole a thousand pigs and he did not run, as rumored. He stead engaged eminent legal talent, who say they will have no trouble whatever in exonerating this eminent citizen. Louisville Courier-Journal. son, stole a We in- IRISIE ROSE” nd every Thursday, simultaneously in the United States, Great Britain, Canséa and British Additional postage to foreign countries in the Postal Union, $1.0+ Hack numbers, alter three montbs from Liew is publis Possessions. $5.00 a year in advance. a year; to Canada, $2 cents. Single current copies, 10 centh, date of publication, 25 cents. Issues prior to 1910 out of print. Na contribution will be returned unless accompanied by stamped and addeeued emvalipe. (Ave does mot hold inelf cosponsible for the las or man-return of wnseltete Lire is for sale by all newsdealers in Great Metain and may be 4. The foreign trade tupplied from bare's Lond The text and dlastrations in LAVE are copsrighted, For Reprint Rights in Great Britain apply te Lave, 114 Seuthampion Re. Prompt notification should be wnt by pubseribers ef ans change of addres. SANTA CLAUS says: ‘For the past hundred and odd Christmases I have been distributing to the world THE GENUINE MURRAY @ LANMAN’S Florida Water and Iam convinced that it is beyond question the most popular toilet perfume in use.” An acceptable gift all the year round, it is doubly so at Christmas. REFUSE ALL SUBSTITUTES! Insist upon having the original, genuine Murray & Lanman’a, Sample size mailed on receipt of siz cents in stamps, LANMAN & KEMP, 135 Water Street, NEW YORK The ‘‘Different’’ Cigarette Brands may come And brands may go But I go on forever. —MILO New York THE SURBRUG COMPANY _ comicbooks.com