The Roots of the Civil Rights Movement

RECONSTRUCTION AMENDMENTS 13th, 14th, 15th AMENDMENTS RECONSTRUCTION AMENDMENTS 13TH AMENDMENT OUTLAWED SLAVERY 14TH AMENDMENT MADE AFRICAN AMERICANS CITIZENS GUARANTEED EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW 15TH AMENDMENT GUARANTEED AFRICAN AMERICANS THE RIGHT TO VOTE 13, 14, 15 – FREE, CITIZENS,VOTE

But they did not because of a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court… The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments were suppose to protect the rights of African Americans under the U.S. Constitution… But they did not because of a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court…

Racism Causes Discrimination Reconstruction allowed southern blacks to gain political power. Reconstruction ended in 1877 and southern states began to restrict African American rights.

Jim Crow Laws meant to enforce segregation (separation of black and white people in public places)

Jim Crow Laws Racial segregation laws enacted between 1876 and 1965 in the U. S. at the state and local level. Black voters were almost completely eliminated from voting.

PLESSY v. FERGUSON (1896) U.S. Supreme Court case that made segregation legal in the United States Established the principle of “separate but equal” Homer Plessy

Plessy v. Ferguson Homer Plessy, an African American male in 1892 sued a railroad company arguing that segregated seating violated his 14th Amendment Rights – “equal protection of the laws” The Supreme Court ruled against Plessy saying that – “separate but equal” facilities did not violate the 14th Amendment

PLESSY v. FERGUSON (1896) “Separate but equal” meant that minorities were not allowed in the same places as whites Southern states passed laws that legalized segregation known as “Jim Crow” laws

1896 Plessy v. Ferguson The "separate but equal" provision of private services mandated by state government is constitutional under the Equal Protection Clause.

Separate but Equal?

Separate but Equal Separate facilities were not equal. White controlled companies and government allowed the facilities for African Americans to decay.

The South

Restriction on Voting Rights Literacy (reading) test – unfair exams – some were written in Latin Poll Taxes – African Americans in the South did not have enough money to pay the tax. Grandfather clause

Violence in the South KKK – used violence to enforce segregation More than 2,500 African Americans were lynched between 1885 and 1900 (1 every 46 days) Ida B. Wells – journalist – three of her friends were lynched so she started an anti-lynching campaign in her newspaper

Violence in the North Many African Americans moved North to escape discrimination and segregation Blacks could not get housing in white neighborhoods

Racism in the West Chinese workers received less money than whites for the same work. Mexicans and African Americans were forced into peonage – system of labor in which people were forced to work until they paid off their debts.

Segregation became the way of life for blacks in the South until… For the next 70 years, Jim Crow laws dominated society in the South for African Americans Segregation became the way of life for blacks in the South until…

Discrimination: Not just a Racial Thing