Segregation and Discrimination in America

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

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

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

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

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

Separate but Equal?

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 to 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.