The Triumph of Jim Crow 1883 - c1900

Barbarous decision

Multiple cases brought to the supreme court, all of which argued the denial of black rights. of 9 justices, 8:1 rule that the civil rights act favours black Americans, the 14th Amendment isn’t anti-segregationist, and that all cases were individual and not significant. This essentially ended the civil rights act and begins ‘Separate but equal’

Segregation of railways

Florida was the first state to segregate the railways. Black people often had separate waiting rooms and if found in violation, would be fined $500

Black sugarcane workers strike in Louisiana

A labor strike where 10 000 workers protested poor working conditions and unfair wages in sugarcane plantations. 30 - 50 black Americans were killed

Poll tax

In Mississippi 67% of voters were black Americans, however the introduction of a $2 poll tax meant it dropped to 5.7% as poverty was rampant amongst black Americans

Literacy tests

Biased assessments which had multiple correct answers and could be twisted to suit the invigilator.

De facto segregation

Social darwinism was supposed scientific evidence of the inferiority of black people. New Orleans had segregated prostitution. A zoo was opened in Atlanta with segregated aisles

Grandfather Clause

Stated no man eligible to vote in January 1967 would have to complete literacy or property tests and neither would his sons or grand sons. the 15th Ammendment was not passed until 1870 so black Americans were excluded which reduced their numbers from 130 000 to c1342

Plessy V Ferguson

Plessy was 7/8 white and wanted to test the separate car act but was arrested. Only John Harlan (the great dissenter) believed it discriminatory. The supreme court ruled Plessy in the wrong, fully establishing separate but equal.

Williams V Mississippi

a black defendant challenges his indictment as he had an exclusively white jury. Supreme court ruled it as not discriminatory making black Americans powerless in the legal system.

Cumming V Richmond County Board of Education

Georgia was funding white high schools but stopped the funding for one of four black schools. They argued that they should focus in primary schools and the supreme court ruled it as non-discriminatory in the circumstances.

Ida B Wells

Born into slavery, she risked her life investigated racially motivated crimes. in 1883 she was wrongfully dragged from a train carriage that she had paid for and won $200. She began writing anti lynching articles following the lynching of her friend Thomas Moss where she went into detail about the horrors of lynchings. She also helped to establish the NAACP but was eventually sidelined.

Booker T. Washington

An Accommodationist. Accepted Jim Crow laws arguing black Americans should tolerate discriminatory laws in order to prepare for long term action

1880-1890

1678 known lynchings

1883

Barbarous decision of the Supreme court, Ida B Wells dragged from train carriage

1887

Florida segregates the railways, Black sugarcane workers strike in Louisiana

1889

Ida B Wells wrote anti-lynching articles

1890

Mississippi passes poll tax in new state constitution, Prevalent de facto segregation

1891

Streetcars begin to be segregated (Georgia)

1892

Lynching of Thomas Moss

1890

Booker T. Washington Speech, Atlanta Compromise

1896

Plessy v. Ferguson, establishing "separate but equal" doctrine.

1898

Louisiana Grandfather Clause, Williams V Mississippi

1899

Cumming V Richmond County Board of Education

1909

NAACP established