Jim Crow Laws: Segregation And Discrimination In The United States
Barring black Americans from a status equal to that of white Americans, Jim Crow was established as a system of segregation and discrimination in the United States of America. The United States Supreme Court had a crucial role in the establishment, maintenance, and, eventually, the end of Jim Crow. The Supreme Court's sanctioning of segregation (by upholding the "separate but equal" language in state laws) in the Plessey v. Ferguson case in 1896 and the refusal of the federal government to enact anti-lynching laws meant that black Americans were left to their own devices for surviving Jim Crow (Davis). In many instances African Americans tried to avoid the engaging of Caucasians in order to avoid possible conflict. However, in doing so African Americans were at the mercy of creating their own education systems and community support groups. This paper will address why Jim Crow laws were justified, how the segregation and discrimination of Jim Crow laws reinforced inequality and racial prejudice, and the impact of segregation on the African American community both past and present.
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Although many scholars would say that it was unclear as to why Jim Crow laws were implemented during the post-Reconstruction era, history tells us that it was a response to the breakdown of traditional barriers between white and black Americans and fact that many white Americans felt threatened by the progress of African Americans economically during the same period (Davis).
White Americans believed that African Americans represented an inferior and ultimately dangerous race that needed to be contained and segregated from mixing with the white race. It is said that the founder of Jim Crow laws intent was discrimination and validated the laws using both religion and science to justify his prejudices of African
Americans.
Jim Crow laws reinforced inequality and racial prejudice in far too many ways to list for such an assignment as this. Among the most obvious was that African Americans attended segregated school systems. Although laws had been passed to ensure that equal institutions provided the same for both white and black students. We know that white schools were better prepared with learning supplies and properly educated teachers. Jim Crow laws even required that blacks ride in a separate section of street cars and buses than whites. If the white section was over crowded then blacks were required to then give up their own seats to allow room for whites. This created a worldwide storm, especially after one African American, named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white person.
The impact of Jim Crow laws within African American communities inspired a history of riots, lynching’s, and above all else determination on behalf of many African Americans to overcome such injustices. Although Jim Crow laws had imposed great hardship and prejudices upon African Americans, some decided to fight back. They began to picket for equal rights and protest the injustices that was befallen them. Many African American leaders such as Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, Emmitt Till, and others worked to create ways to counter the abuses and prejudices of Jim Crow laws. Their efforts were not met without incident. Many white people began fighting against these African American leaders and responded by lynching activists and in many cases innocent African Americans. The whites had even formed organizations known simply by the 3 consonants “KKK (Davis).” African Americans were terrified by this group of white extremist, but they continued to fight. African Americans will, determination, perseverance, and utter disgust with laws such as Jim Crow would eventually pay off as Jim Crow laws were abolished. The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments gave black Americans freedom, citizenship, and the right to vote (Davis). To further protect blacks from substandard treatment, the Civil Rights Act of 1875 made it illegal to segregate schools, places of public accommodation, modes of transportation and juries. The status of black Americans seemed to be improving and the courts seemed to be ready to participate in the process.
Although many advances have been made in the area of civil and equal rights for African Americans and other minorities, even today much is still required. Modern America has presented new forms of racial, ethnic, and gender injustices that require equal rights under the law. The greater question is whether or not America can ever “truly” say that our great country is the true model for democracy where “All Men are Created Equal” where “Everyone” is afforded equal rights under the law. Only time will tell.
Reference
Davis, Ronald. "From Terror to Triumph." . N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Mar 2012. http://vizedhtmlcontent.next.ecollege.com/CurrentCourse/From_Terror_to_Triumph.pdf>.
Although many scholars would say that it was unclear as to why Jim Crow laws were implemented during the post-Reconstruction era, history tells us that it was a response to the breakdown of traditional barriers between white and black Americans and fact that many white Americans felt threatened by the progress of African Americans economically during the same period (Davis).
White Americans believed that African Americans represented an inferior and ultimately dangerous race that needed to be contained and segregated from mixing with the white race. It is said that the founder of Jim Crow laws intent was discrimination and validated the laws using both religion and science to justify his prejudices of African
Americans.
Jim Crow laws reinforced inequality and racial prejudice in far too many ways to list for such an assignment as this. Among the most obvious was that African Americans attended segregated school systems. Although laws had been passed to ensure that equal institutions provided the same for both white and black students. We know that white schools were better prepared with learning supplies and properly educated teachers. Jim Crow laws even required that blacks ride in a separate section of street cars and buses than whites. If the white section was over crowded then blacks were required to then give up their own seats to allow room for whites. This created a worldwide storm, especially after one African American, named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white person.
The impact of Jim Crow laws within African American communities inspired a history of riots, lynching’s, and above all else determination on behalf of many African Americans to overcome such injustices. Although Jim Crow laws had imposed great hardship and prejudices upon African Americans, some decided to fight back. They began to picket for equal rights and protest the injustices that was befallen them. Many African American leaders such as Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, Emmitt Till, and others worked to create ways to counter the abuses and prejudices of Jim Crow laws. Their efforts were not met without incident. Many white people began fighting against these African American leaders and responded by lynching activists and in many cases innocent African Americans. The whites had even formed organizations known simply by the 3 consonants “KKK (Davis).” African Americans were terrified by this group of white extremist, but they continued to fight. African Americans will, determination, perseverance, and utter disgust with laws such as Jim Crow would eventually pay off as Jim Crow laws were abolished. The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments gave black Americans freedom, citizenship, and the right to vote (Davis). To further protect blacks from substandard treatment, the Civil Rights Act of 1875 made it illegal to segregate schools, places of public accommodation, modes of transportation and juries. The status of black Americans seemed to be improving and the courts seemed to be ready to participate in the process.
Although many advances have been made in the area of civil and equal rights for African Americans and other minorities, even today much is still required. Modern America has presented new forms of racial, ethnic, and gender injustices that require equal rights under the law. The greater question is whether or not America can ever “truly” say that our great country is the true model for democracy where “All Men are Created Equal” where “Everyone” is afforded equal rights under the law. Only time will tell.
Reference
Davis, Ronald. "From Terror to Triumph." . N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Mar 2012. http://vizedhtmlcontent.next.ecollege.com/CurrentCourse/From_Terror_to_Triumph.pdf>.