Jim+Crow+America



To set the stage for the civil rights movement, you must first understand the environment of segregation in the United States in the first half of the 20th century. What was life like in Jim Crow America? Cut and paste this information into a new page in your Unit 8 Online ISN. **** You (and your partner, if you have one) are African Americans who have lived through the era of Jim Crow in America. Using the links provided in this activity, respond to the “oral history questions” in first person. **

**Right after the Civil War, the 14th Amendment was ratified. What did the 14th Amendment provide for African Americans? What does “due process” and “equal protection of the laws” mean?** [|14th LINK]

The Fourteenth Amendment guaranteed black rights. It granted citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. and did not allow states to deny the rights of any citizen by depriving them of life, liberty, or property without due process of the law. They also cannot deny anyone in their jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

**Unfortunately, your equal rights were challenged by the Supreme Court in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson. What do you remember about the facts, decision, and impact of this case?** [|Plessy LINK]

I know that a man named Homer Plessy, who could pass for white, sat in the white box car on a Louisiana Train. His case went all the way to the Supreme Court. Here the Louisiana Rule was found constitutional. Apparently as long as things are "separate but equal" it is legal.

**The laws developed in the South became known as Jim Crow laws. Who was this Jim Crow fellow? Did he write the laws?**[| Jim Crow LINK]

The name Jim Crow is used to refer to the different segregation rules and laws. By 1838 This was used as a racial and derrogatory term. I know that he did not write the laws, however he does represent them.


 * What are some specific examples of the Jim Crow laws from southern states? How did the laws affect you?** [|Jim Crow Laws LINK 1] / [|Jim Crow Laws LINK 2] / [|Jim Crow Laws LINK 3]

Some laws did not allow blacks into stores, restaurants, and other places. It affected me because I was only allowed in segregated places.


 * What did Jim Crow America look like in the 1900s? What are some images that can help explain the realities of the time?** __Jim Crow Images LINK 1__ / [|Jim Crow Images LINK 2]

Everything was segregated. Even children going to see movies were separated.


 * What happened in the Scottsboro Case? How did it make you feel as an African American in the South?** [|Scottsboro LINk]

On a train a fight broke out between a group of white and black hobos. This was reported to a stationmaster and nine black boys were taken to jail. Soon after two women dressed as boys were discovered hiding on the train. Even though there was no connection, the boys were charged with raping the women. The women were afraid of getting in trouble for their actions on the train, so they continued with the charge. The boys, except for the youngest, were all sentenced to death. 

**What do some of your friends and family say about life in Jim Crow America? (listen to one or two)**[|Audio History LINK 1]

Some people recall rules about cars and curfews. Another account was of a relative who died because a doctor disregarded a emergency call due to race.