5.3 The Rise of Jim Crow and Racial Segregation

After the Civil War, Jim Crow laws emerged in the South, enforcing racial segregation and discrimination. These laws separated blacks and whites in public spaces, legalizing inequality and white supremacy. The Plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896 upheld segregation's constitutionality.

Southern states used various tactics to suppress African American voters, including grandfather clauses, poll taxes, and literacy tests. Racial terrorism, especially lynching, became widespread. This violence instilled fear and enforced racial hierarchy, creating an atmosphere of oppression for African Americans.

Legal Segregation

Establishment of Jim Crow Laws

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• Jim Crow laws enacted by Southern states to enforce racial segregation and discrimination
• These laws mandated the separation of African Americans and whites in public spaces (schools, transportation, restaurants, and other facilities)
• Jim Crow laws institutionalized and legalized racial inequality, creating a society based on white supremacy
• The term "Jim Crow" originated from a minstrel show character, becoming a derogatory term for African Americans and the segregation laws that oppressed them

Plessy v. Ferguson and the Separate but Equal Doctrine

• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) was a landmark Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation
• Homer Plessy, a mixed-race man, challenged Louisiana's Separate Car Act, which required separate railway cars for blacks and whites
• The Court ruled that segregation was legal as long as facilities were "separate but equal," establishing the separate but equal doctrine
• This doctrine provided legal justification for segregation, arguing that separate facilities for blacks and whites were constitutional as long as they were of equal quality
• In reality, facilities for African Americans were often inferior, underfunded, and poorly maintained compared to those for whites

Voter Suppression

Disenfranchisement Tactics

• Southern states employed various tactics to disenfranchise African American voters and maintain white political power
• These tactics included grandfather clauses, poll taxes, literacy tests, and intimidation or violence
• Disenfranchisement efforts effectively stripped African Americans of their right to vote, undermining the political gains made during Reconstruction

Grandfather Clauses and Poll Taxes

• Grandfather clauses exempted individuals from literacy tests and poll taxes if their ancestors had the right to vote before the Civil War
• Since most African Americans were enslaved before the Civil War, they were unable to claim this exemption, while many poor and illiterate whites could
• Poll taxes required voters to pay a fee to cast their ballot, which disproportionately affected poor African Americans and discouraged them from voting
• These measures created financial barriers that prevented many African Americans from exercising their right to vote

Literacy Tests and Intimidation

• Literacy tests required potential voters to demonstrate reading and writing skills, often with arbitrary and difficult questions
• These tests were administered in a discriminatory manner, with African Americans facing more challenging questions or subjective grading
• Literacy tests exploited the limited educational opportunities available to African Americans due to segregated and underfunded schools
• Intimidation and violence, including threats and lynchings, were also used to discourage African Americans from attempting to vote or engage in political activities

Racial Terrorism

Lynching and Racial Violence

• Lynching, the extrajudicial killing of individuals by mobs, became a widespread form of racial terrorism against African Americans
• Lynchings were often public spectacles, with victims tortured, mutilated, and hanged in front of large crowds
• These acts of violence were used to instill fear, enforce racial hierarchy, and suppress African American communities
• Lynchings frequently occurred with impunity, as perpetrators were rarely held accountable by the legal system
• Racial violence extended beyond lynching, including beatings, arson, and destruction of African American property and businesses
• This pervasive threat of violence created an atmosphere of terror and oppression, limiting African Americans' freedom and opportunities