Segregation Laws In The United States

Segregation played a major role throughout the lives of the African Americans. They were viewed as unequal, and were set apart from the norms of society. In the South, the African Americans were forced to use water fountains for blacks only. They were refused service at many local restaurants, and forced to give up their seat on the bus to a white individual. African Americans wanted and needed to take action to gain equality. Throughout the years, they tried all they could to obtain equality and enjoy the same freedoms as the white population.

The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enacted that mandated racial segregation in all public facilities in southern states of the former confederacy. The blacks were said to be “separate but equal” and this separation led to conditions for the blacks that tended to be inferior to those provided for whites. Law-enforced segregation mainly applied to the southern United States whereas northern segregation had patterns of segregation in housing that was enforced by the covenants, bank lending practices, and job discrimination. For decades, this included discriminatory union practices for decades. The Jim Crow laws segregated public schools, public places, public transportation, restrooms, restaurants, and drinking fountains. Therefore, it did nothing to bring about social or economic equality.

These were a series of laws enacted mostly in the Southern United States in the later half of the 19th century that restricted most of the new privileges granted to African American after the Civil War. The discriminatory Jim Crow laws were enacted to support the notion of racial segregation. They required black and white people to use separate water fountains, public schools, public bathhouses, restaurants, public libraries, and rail cars in public transit. Originally called the Black Codes they later became known as Jim Crow laws, after a familiar minstrel character of the day. The laws became the legal

Each state had similar Jim Crow laws and they could impose punishments upon its citizens for consorting with members of a different race, such as, forbidding intermarriages, and ordering business owners to keep their black and clientele

Many blacks try to flee the South to the north where segregation was not required but still was present. Even after slavery was deemed illegal and unconstitutional segregation throughout the United States did not disappear. One of the most prevalent forms of segregation was in public services including schools hospitals public transportation and other public venues. In the South for many states, there were two schools one for African American children and one for white children. This system of having supper facilities for each race was seen throughout hospitals prisons trains and buses.

The southerners were too busy fighting for the right to neglect equality to the african americans by creating the Black Codes and riots as well. The Black Codes were laws that were passed by the southern states in 1865 and 1866 after the Civil War. Their reason for the black codes was because the southerners did not want to treat the blacks as their equal. They soon started to rebel and causing riots after the passing of the 14th amendment which states, “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” This amendment shows that the southerners were going against the Constitution and all because of neglect towards the blacks. The reason for the passing of their codes was to restrict the African-Americans from freedom and to keep making them work harsh labor for very low wages and income. They had always wanted to keep them as their property to benefit them for agricultural needs. This was a big factors that kept the reconstruction after the Civil War to be

As a result, southerners once again began gaining power and instituting laws that limited black rights. One such example of this was public racial segregation. Racial segregation laws were instituted as supposedly “separate but equal”; however, this was false. These laws were established by Whites to assure themselves of the political, social, and economic power they held over African Americans. Through segregation laws white Americans were able to deny Blacks rights to voting, assembly, speech and other privileges they had obtained through the abolishing of slavery.

Laws were passed that degraded blacks and forbid interracial marriage and sexual relations. Other laws prohibited blacks from bearing arms, traveling without written permission and finally, preventing blacks from owning property. In 1669,

Actual laws are quoted from Alabama (1923), Louisiana (1956), and Mississippi (1945) to show the extent of discrimination and prejudice. An example of laws in Louisiana was that there should be separate facilities based on race. “All such sanitary facilities, eating places and drinking facilities shall be designated ‘FOR WHITES ONLY’ and ‘FOR COLORED ONLY’ respectively. Any person…violating the provisions… shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than $100 or more than $1,000 and imprisoned for not less than 60 days or more than 1 year.” (Paragraph 5). The Jim Crow Laws made segregation legal and formalized in society; those who disobeyed were unfairly punished with fines or even

In the late 1800s to the early 1900s segregation was one of the biggest issues in the court of law. After slavery was finally abolished African Americans were able to have more freedom, but they were still treated different than any other race. The Jim Crow laws are an example of the law that affected everyday life in the African American community in the beginning of the 1890s. This law segregated schools, parks, libraries, drinking fountains, restrooms, buses, trains, and restaurants. The struggle to achieve equality was made even more difficult by the legislation of racism in the Plessy v Ferguson case.

What are some laws that were in place that aggrieved blacks? One major law in place that aggrieved blacks were Jim Crow Laws. Knowing about

Many African American’s stayed in the south or in a sense, got stuck. Lack of money, help and education would keep many in the same place as they were throughout the 1800’s. Many didn’t have the means to escape Jim Crow and the south. They simply didn’t have the means or assets to go anywhere. To some, considered the “first migration,” roughly a million African American’s are going to leave the south for economic opportunities in the north at the start of World War I.

They were made to use separate facilities such as restrooms, restaurants, and waiting rooms. Blacks were prevented from renting land outside of the towns. They were forbidden to go anywhere they wanted. They were prevented from marrying any one outside of their race.

The Jim Crow laws perpetuated segregation. This set of rules to show the dominance of the white race were absolutely appalling. They were mainly operated in the southern portion of the United States, but not exclusively. The Jim Crow laws “were in place from the late 1870’s until the civil rights movement began in the 1950’s” (“Jim Crow Laws”). Blacks and whites could not use the same drinking fountains, restrooms, or attend the same restaurants, churches, and schools. It was considered rape or an unwanted advance for a black man to offer his hand to a white woman. Another law was that african-american couples could not show affection towards each other in a public area because it “offended whites” (Pilgrim) along with countless more. There

During the first site of segregation to its last days, many White establishments like schools were far superior to Black schools and establishments (“Racism Timeline”). Segregations is a disadvantage to both races because it creates feelings of degradation among blacks and raises prejudice in whites (“Racism Timeline”). Whites and Blacks had separate hotels, railroad cars, restaurants, water fountains, and schools. There was no particular reason for this. Before Civil rights acts were passed, blacks did not have the right to vote, own property, to contract or sue, and no testifying against whites, these are basic rights that someone who acquires citizenship to The United States of America earns. Blacks were treated like they were not even citizens of the country. These acts were called Black Codes or Jim Crow laws, and were mainly in the South (“The Advent of the Jim Crow”). These laws sprouted so quickly in the South because of the Civil War. After the Civil War, there was the reconstruction where racism intensifies.