Jim Crow Laws

“All railroads carrying passengers in the state (other than street railroads) shall provide equal but separate accommodations for the white and colored races, by providing two or more passenger cars for each passenger train, or by dividing the cars by a partition, so as to secure separate accommodations.” ----Tennessee, 1891

“Marriages are void when one party is a white person and the other is possessed of one- eighth or more negro, Japanese, or Chinese blood.” ----Nebraska, 1911

“Separate free schools shall be established for the education of children of African descent; and it shall be unlawful for any colored child to attend any white school, or any white child to attend a colored school.” ----Missouri, 1929

“It shall be unlawful for a negro and white person to play together or in company with each other in any game of cards or dice, dominoes or checkers.” ----Birmingham, Alabama, 1930

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Background Reconstruction Attempt to rebuild the South – Bring Confederate states back into the Union – Provide rights to newly freed slaves Temporary gain in rights ended with Democratic control of government in 1877 Jim Crow laws promoted racial segregation at the state and local level

Segregation of – Public schools – Restrooms – Restaurants – Drinking fountains – US military overt discrimination even at the federal level due to election of first Southern President- Wilson

“Separate but equal” Plessy vs. Ferguson, 1896 Policy found to be constitutional.

Prior to Jim Crow Laws, discrimination was overt. No pretense at fairness. Blacks simply had no rights. With Jim Crow Laws, pretense was that blacks were treated equally but with separate facilities. Laws appeared to apply to everyone.

Lynchings and violence further suppressed the black population Intimidation- give address to vote. Reasonable fear of address being passed on to KKK. Blacks attempting to vote were routinely fired from jobs.

voting Property tests- must own property to vote Poll tax- must pay a tax to vote Literacy tests- must pass test to vote Grandfather clause- above waived if voter’s ancestors had voted before Reconstruction. Each was designed to disenfranchise blacks and poor whites.

Look at 10 documents from the Jim Crow era and identify which rights are restricted in each. – Marriage and Family – Education – Public Accommodation – Transportation – Voting

Complete Jim Crow worksheet page 1. – Vocabulary – Help or Hurt? – Out of Order! Complete Barriers to Voting worksheet page 2.

Complete Cartoon Time, worksheet page 2. Complete Extension Activity, page 1.

Double V Campaign “The V for victory sign is being displayed prominently in all so-called democratic countries, which are fighting for victory... Let we colored Americans adopt the double V for a double victory. The first V for victory over our enemies from without, the second V for victory over our enemies fro within.” ----James G. Thompson, 1942

J.Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI, considered the black newspaper’s reports about the war and Jim Crow Laws treason against the US Government. He tried to sue the black press to shut them down and stop them from maintaining the truth about discrimination among the troops and at home.

1954- Supreme Court declared school segregation illegal Civil Rights Act overturned remaining Jim Crow Laws Voting Rights Act