Jim+Crow+America+_+post+Reconstruction+_+1877+to+1910s

The Imperial Laundry Company enforced segregation with a sign stating they "WASH FOR WHITE PEOPLE ONLY" (1950).
Historical context of Jim Crow laws: 1876-1965, written and enforced predominantly by the Democratic Party.
Jim Crow America spans from 1877 to the 1960s, focusing mainly on the period around 1877-1900.
Notable cultural reference: The minstrel song "Jim Crow" became synonymous with racial segregation policies.
Ernest Hogan, a composer, wrote about the racial misunderstandings prevalent in this era.

Jim Crow period characterized as the “Age of Segregation”; it marked the establishment of a racial caste system.
Origin and timeline: Started in 1877 during Rutherford B. Hayes presidency, as a response to Reconstruction and the waning influence of the 14th and 15th Amendments.
Temporary black codes (1865-66) re-emerged as Jim Crow laws, which were named after a popular minstrel show.
Predominantly Southern laws, as the North had fewer African American populations and less segregation.

Stetson Kennedy's guide outlines behavioral rules for African Americans when interacting with Whites:
- Never accuse, imply falsehoods, or suggest inferiority about Whites.
- Avoid displaying superior knowledge or intelligence.
- Prohibit cursing or laughing derisively at Whites.
- Do not comment on a White person's appearance, particularly females.
The creation of Jim Crow as a racial caste system was influenced by Thomas Rice’s 1828 performance of “Jim Crow.”

Jim Crow laws and societal norms required African Americans to show continued deference to Whites in all aspects of life.
Breaching these segregated customs could result in severe consequences, including lynching.

White proponents of Jim Crow viewed racial hierarchy as a natural state of inherent inequality rather than a societal construct.
Justifications for persistent inequality: Beliefs in biological inferiority of African Americans and natives.
Descriptive warnings by advocates against the “mongrelization” of the white race.

Jim Crow's enforcement was heavily supported by violence and intimidation.
Violating social norms could result in job loss, threats, and even fatal repercussions.
The racially biased justice system often overlooked or condoned lynchings, which were seen as necessary for maintaining order.
Ida B. Wells was a prominent figure fighting against lynchings and advocating for civil rights.

Barriers to African American voting included:
- Poll Taxes: Fees that many African Americans could not afford.
- Literacy Tests: Discriminatory measures ensuring many could not pass the tests.
Section 1 of the 15th Amendment explicitly prohibits voting discrimination based on race but was routinely violated.
The Grandfather Clause allowed Whites to bypass tests if their ancestors had voted before the Civil War, further disenfranchising blacks.

The case arose when Homer Plessy, a man of mixed race, tested Louisiana’s segregation law by sitting in a whites-only railroad car.
The legal strategy aimed to challenge racial classifications and argue against the violation of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection.

The fundamental issue was whether segregated train compartments violated the 14th Amendment guarantees.
The 14th Amendment states that no state should abridge citizens' rights to equal protection under the law.

Authored by Justice Brown, the majority upheld the conviction of Plessy, maintaining that segregation did not violate equal protection.
Argument: The 14th Amendment was not intended to obliterate racial distinctions; hence, social equality was not mandated.
This ruling legitimized segregation, providing legal cover for existing Jim Crow laws.

The case led to the establishment of the "separate but equal" doctrine as a legal justification for racial segregation.
While the Louisiana law claimed equality between facilities, the Court did not address the actual equality of amenities in their ruling.
The Court ruled that a state could enforce segregation without infringing on constitutional equality as understood in legal terms.

Justice Harlan argued that laws distinguishing citizens infringed upon personal liberties guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.
He emphasized the legal contradictions imposed by the majority opinion, which opposed the spirit of rights established after the Civil War.
Harlan foresaw the detrimental societal impacts of segregation, similar to those seen in the Dred Scott decision.

Following Plessy, states utilized its precedent to sidestep constitutional responsibilities to African Americans.
The decision initiated a prolonged period of unchallenged Jim Crow laws until the civil rights movement gained momentum in the mid-20th century.
Landmark cases like Loving v. Virginia (1967) began to dismantle racist laws.

Despite some reformers in the Progressive Era distancing from black communities, organizations like the NAACP emerged in 1909 to combat Jim Crow.
The NAACP’s pivotal victory in 1954 with Brown v. Board of Education marked significant progress in civil rights activism.
W.E.B. Du Bois was instrumental in founding the NAACP, emphasizing the fight against racial injustice.