Jim Crow Laws

Definition

These were state and local laws enacted primarily by Southern states between 1877 and mid-1960s enforcing racial segregation in public facilities under a "separate but equal" status for African Americans.

Related terms

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): A landmark Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954): The Supreme Court case that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional.

Civil Rights Act (1964): Legislation outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.