Jim+Crow+Laws

** You and your partner 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. ** 
 * 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. **

**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] For us, the 14th Amendment provided citizenship and protected our civil liberties, long as we were freed. We also couldn't be deprived of our rights, life, and land without due process, or legal proceedings. We were all given equal protection of the laws, or equal fairness and reach to 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] Ah yes, the case of Plessy v. Ferguson stands very clear in my mind. Homer Plessy was a man that could easily pass for white, therefore he sat in the white car on a train. However, he was told that he was black, and sent to sit in the colored car. A black civil rights organization challenged this act. So, Plessy sat in a white car, said he was black, was sent to jail, and therefore the trial went up until the Supreme Court. The organization argued that the law was unconstitutional, but the Supreme Court disagree and Plessy was guilty. However, it was soon decided that the decisions were truely unfair and unconstitutional, so the Seperate Car Act was taked away.

**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] Jim Crow, though he wasn't a real person, was often a name used to represent segregation-related laws and customs. The name first appeared in Thomas Dartmouth Rice's song, "Jim Crow". He had heard a black man singing it on the street and used some of the words for his song. In fact, Rice appeared on stage as Jim Crow, a very stereotypical, offensive, and dramatic character.


 * 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]

Jim Crow laws hurt and threatened many of us living in the South. Federal troops withdrew from Southern states. Also, separated schools were made to separate black children from white children. Plus, restrictive signs sprang up in almost every place, banning colored people from many places. Some property owners even signed agreements to keep all us colored people out of their buildings!


 * 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]

Images of pictures showing lynchings, restrictions, and segregation help depict how life looked for us colored folk in the 1900's. For example, life was obviously unfair for us. We were pushed to the back of the bus only. People hung us for our skin color! What a horrible thing to do!


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

The Scottsboro case was about nine black boys who were falsly charged for raping two white women. The boys were on the train when a fight between a few white boys broke loose, throwing the white boys off the train. Officials were informed and the train was stopped. While the nine black boys were being taken off the train, two white women dressed in boys clothes were discovered. There was no link to the two groups, but it was unfairly and falsly assumed that the women had been raped by the nine black boys. Hearing about this made me furious! Battles were taken out on the streets and in courts, and rightfully so!

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

Many of my friends and family say that life in Jim Crow America was harsh and cruel, and hard to live in. Places were restricted to us. Curfews were set for the colored people only. Cars were segregated as well. White doctors did not care to attend to black patients. Life was unfair.