Jim Crow Laws Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Jim Crow Laws?
Jim Crow Laws were a set of laws passed in the United States after the Civil War, with the intent of segregating African Americans from white society. These laws, which ranged from keeping blacks out of all-white schools to prohibiting them from voting in elections, were enforced until the mid-1960s.The term Jim Crow originated in 1828 when a white minstrel show performer, Thomas Rice, blackened his face and sang a song called Jump Jim Crow. This became a popular phrase used to refer to segregation. In 1896, the Supreme Court upheld segregation with its infamous Plessy v Ferguson decision which stated that as long as there was separate but equal facilities for blacks and whites, segregation was legal. This ruling allowed for an increase in Jim Crow laws throughout the United States over the next few decades. Examples of Jim Crow Laws included: banning interracial marriage; denying African Americans access to public transportation and public buildings; prohibiting them from serving on juries; segregating schools; requiring them to use separate water fountains and bathrooms; and preventing them from voting through poll taxes or literacy tests. The legacy of these laws is still felt today by many African Americans who continue to be subject to institutional racism and discrimination that began during this period. Although much progress has been made since then towards achieving racial equality in America, it is important not to forget how much further we still have left to go before true justice can be achieved for all members of our society regardless of race or ethnicity.