Segregation Ch 3 – Sec. 5

Rise of Segregation After Reconstruction, most African Americans were sharecroppers Conditions were hardly better than slavery Many left for other jobs (Homesteads or cities)

Benjamin “Pap” Singleton Organized a mass migration from the south to kansas Newspapers called it a “Mass Exodus” Migrants became known as “Exedusters”

15th Amendment Prohibited States from denying citizens to vote because of race or color Didn’t mention anything about being literate or own property Southern states imposed laws from loop holes in the 15th Amendment

Voting Implemented a poll tax of $2, Tested them if they could read & understand the Constitution Grandfather Clause = Can vote if your ancestor appeared on prior voting rolls Avg. Wage $200-$400 yr (22c hr)

Legal Segregation Laws were created to enforce segregation = Jim Crow Laws 1883, Supreme Ct. overturned “Civil Rights Act” of 1875 (Prohibited keeping people out of public places) Could not ride on same bus, eat in same places, Hotels, theaters, railroads were free to do as they please

Homer Plessey Challenged Louisiana law – forcing African Americans to ride in separate rail cars Plessey v. Ferguson S.C. case Supreme court upheld law – based ruling on “Separate but Equal” As long as it is equal – it can be separate

African Americans Response 1890-1899 mobs carried out 187 lynching's per year 80% of lynching's occurred in the south Strange Fruit Video: Ida B Wells – activist against lynching, led crusade Congress rejects anti lynching bill Lynching's fell drastically due to social outcry

Influential People Booker T. Washington – Pushed for Economic goals & not political goals Atlanta Compromise -Wanted A.A. to concentrate on achieving economic goals rather than political ones W.E.B. DuBois – wanted A.A. to demand civil rights especially right to vote Felt right to vote only way to gain ground in civil rights

Civil Rights In the years that followed, many African Americans fought for the right to vote and to end discrimination. This struggle would proved to be the beginning of a long battle that would cost many lives.