impact of jim crow laws
Jim Crow was the name of the racial caste system that operated primarily in southern and border-states, between 1877 and the mid-1960s. Jim Crow was not just a series of rigid anti-black laws, but a way of life. Under Jim Crow, African Americans were relegated to the status of second-class citizens. The laws represented the legitimization of anti-black racism and prejudice in the United States.[1] Although the 13th, 14th and 15th amendment gave African Americans the right to vote and obtain freedom, it is clear that they were still discriminated against due to the Jim Crow Laws.
In 1868, the 14th amendment had finally given black men full citizenship and promised them equal protection under the law. Blacks voted, won elected office, and served on juries. However, 10 years later, federal troops withdrew from the South, returning it to local white rule. Many whites at the time believed that blacks were inferior and sought to support the belief through religious and scientific rationalizations. [2]The U.S. Supreme Court was inclined to agree with the white-supremacist judgment and, in 1883, began striking down the foundation of the Reconstruction, declaring the Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional. Jim Crow laws were first passed in the North long before the Civil War. They were based on the theory of white supremacy. In the depression-racked 1890s, racism appealed to whites who feared losing their jobs to blacks and politicians abused blacks to win the votes of poor white “crackers”. [3]
The Jim Crow system was ran under the assumption, beliefs or rationalizations that: whites were superior to blacks in all important ways, including but not limited to intelligence, morality, and civilized behavior. Jim Crow was being used to describe laws and customs aimed at segregating African Americans and others. The laws were intended to restrict social contact between whites and other groups, which ultimately took away the freedom and opportunity of people of color. [4]
Jim Crow laws touched every part of life. In South Carolina, black and white textile workers could not work in the same room, enter through the same door, or even look out of the same window. Many industries wouldn’t hire blacks and unions passed rules to exclude them. In Richmond, one could not live on a street unless most of the residents were people one could marry. By 1914, Texas had six towns in which blacks could not live. Mobile passed a Jim Crow curfew: Blacks could not leave their homes after 10 p.m. Signs marked “Whites Only” or “Colored” hung over doors, ticket windows, and drinking fountains. Georgia had black and white parks. Oklahoma had black and white phone booths. Prisons, hospitals, and orphanages were segregated as well as schools and colleges.[5]
Jim Crow Laws were strongly enforced and the laws made it difficult for African- Americans to live. They restricted the rights of blacks and went against the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to ultimately segregate them from all aspects of life.
[1] “What was Jim Crow,” Ferris State University, accessed May 7, 2014 http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm.
[2] “A brief history of Jim Crow,” Constitutional Rights Foundation, accessed May 7, 2014
http://www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/a-brief-history-of-jim-crow.
[3] “Jim Crow Laws,” National Park Service, accessed May 7, 2014 http://www.nps.gov/malu/forteachers/jim_crow_laws.html.
[4] “The Rise and fall of Jim Crow,” PBS, accessed May 7, 2014 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/struggle_court.html.
[5] “Jim Crow laws denied blacks dignity,” The Jackson Sun, accessed May 7, 2014 http://orig.jacksonsun.com/civilrights/sec1_crow.shtml
In 1868, the 14th amendment had finally given black men full citizenship and promised them equal protection under the law. Blacks voted, won elected office, and served on juries. However, 10 years later, federal troops withdrew from the South, returning it to local white rule. Many whites at the time believed that blacks were inferior and sought to support the belief through religious and scientific rationalizations. [2]The U.S. Supreme Court was inclined to agree with the white-supremacist judgment and, in 1883, began striking down the foundation of the Reconstruction, declaring the Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional. Jim Crow laws were first passed in the North long before the Civil War. They were based on the theory of white supremacy. In the depression-racked 1890s, racism appealed to whites who feared losing their jobs to blacks and politicians abused blacks to win the votes of poor white “crackers”. [3]
The Jim Crow system was ran under the assumption, beliefs or rationalizations that: whites were superior to blacks in all important ways, including but not limited to intelligence, morality, and civilized behavior. Jim Crow was being used to describe laws and customs aimed at segregating African Americans and others. The laws were intended to restrict social contact between whites and other groups, which ultimately took away the freedom and opportunity of people of color. [4]
Jim Crow laws touched every part of life. In South Carolina, black and white textile workers could not work in the same room, enter through the same door, or even look out of the same window. Many industries wouldn’t hire blacks and unions passed rules to exclude them. In Richmond, one could not live on a street unless most of the residents were people one could marry. By 1914, Texas had six towns in which blacks could not live. Mobile passed a Jim Crow curfew: Blacks could not leave their homes after 10 p.m. Signs marked “Whites Only” or “Colored” hung over doors, ticket windows, and drinking fountains. Georgia had black and white parks. Oklahoma had black and white phone booths. Prisons, hospitals, and orphanages were segregated as well as schools and colleges.[5]
Jim Crow Laws were strongly enforced and the laws made it difficult for African- Americans to live. They restricted the rights of blacks and went against the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to ultimately segregate them from all aspects of life.
[1] “What was Jim Crow,” Ferris State University, accessed May 7, 2014 http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm.
[2] “A brief history of Jim Crow,” Constitutional Rights Foundation, accessed May 7, 2014
http://www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/a-brief-history-of-jim-crow.
[3] “Jim Crow Laws,” National Park Service, accessed May 7, 2014 http://www.nps.gov/malu/forteachers/jim_crow_laws.html.
[4] “The Rise and fall of Jim Crow,” PBS, accessed May 7, 2014 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/struggle_court.html.
[5] “Jim Crow laws denied blacks dignity,” The Jackson Sun, accessed May 7, 2014 http://orig.jacksonsun.com/civilrights/sec1_crow.shtml
Bibliography
Lane, John. “Jim Crow laws denied blacks dignity.” The Jackson Sun. 7 May. 2014.
2014. http://orig.jacksonsun.com/civilrights/sec1_crow.shtml.
Packard, Jerrald. “A brief history of Jim Crow.” Constitutional Rights Foundation. 7
May. 2014. 2014. http://www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/a-brief-history-of-jim-
crow.
Pilgrim, David. “What was Jim Crow.” Ferris State University. 7 May. 2014. 2012.
http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm.
Stone, Dan. “Jim Crow laws.” National Park Service. 7 May. 2014. 2014.
http://www.nps.gov/malu/forteachers/jim_crow_laws.htm.
Tafaari, Tsahai. “The rise and fall of Jim Crow.” PBS. 7 May. 2014. 2014.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/struggle_court.html.
2014. http://orig.jacksonsun.com/civilrights/sec1_crow.shtml.
Packard, Jerrald. “A brief history of Jim Crow.” Constitutional Rights Foundation. 7
May. 2014. 2014. http://www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/a-brief-history-of-jim-
crow.
Pilgrim, David. “What was Jim Crow.” Ferris State University. 7 May. 2014. 2012.
http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm.
Stone, Dan. “Jim Crow laws.” National Park Service. 7 May. 2014. 2014.
http://www.nps.gov/malu/forteachers/jim_crow_laws.htm.
Tafaari, Tsahai. “The rise and fall of Jim Crow.” PBS. 7 May. 2014. 2014.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/struggle_court.html.