Separate Schools

Since the creation of our country, African Americans have dealt with prejudice. They have faced many challenges and obstacles, such as segregation. After all of the slaves were emancipated, most public facilities participated in the separation of colored and white people. One of the facilities that was segregated, included the bus system. African Americans had to sit in the back of the bus and, when necessary, had to give up their seat to any white bus rider. Document 1 and 4 show the segregation in schools, which invigorated children and parents, because this made many African Americans students feel inferior. The conclusion of “separate but equal” did not seem to be working in the education system. Restaurants were also segregated. White males and females were given much better service, and restaurants were often separated. Another way African Americans faced inequality, was through the denial of constitutional rights. In many instances, African Americans guaranteed rights were taken away from them. For example the 14th Amendment was violated, which guarantees equal protection of the law and it forbids any state from making laws that

Under the Mississippi Black Code of 1867, all freed blacks were given the right to be employed, to have their own property and to be taught how to read and write. As you’re seeing, the law had constant government support to ensure equal rights to everybody regardless of the color of their skin. The rights the code granted were denied to them before the Civil War. Despite the grant of certain rights, the Mississippi Black Code also imposed restrictions against the newly freed blacks which constituted denial of basic rights. The code was a reflection of the powerful views in the Southern states. Northerners said these codes as a "Revival of slavery in “. In spite of the abolition of slavery and the amendments to the constitution, the Southern states wanted the racism to continue even during the period of

There were many arguments both for and against school segregation. One was the claim that educational decisions were to be left to the state and local courts, and not to be decided by the Supreme Court. Another was that students should be taught where they are most comfortable learning. It was thought that white children were more comfortable learning with white children and the same goes for African-American children. Also, students must be given and equal learning environment, not the same school. Lastly, the defenders of segregation claimed that African-American students were living with the effects of slavery, and were not able to compete with the white children. (Benoit, 10) (Smithsonian)

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.

Whites thought they didn't merit these rights since they were mediocre compared to themselves and just not as much as human. These restrictions were so unforgiving; it is, as slavery had never finished. The blacks were free; however huge numbers of the Negroes regular rights were abrogated. Area 3 of the Louisiana Black Code states that no Negro might be allowed to lease or keep a house inside said ward. Area 9 pronounces that no Negro should offer, trade, or trade any articles of stock or movement inside said ward. What's more, one of the most noticeably bad of these codes is in Section 4 of the Louisiana Black Code. Each Negro is required to be in the general administration of some white individual, or previous proprietor, who might be considered in charge of the conductor of said Negro. This was fundamentally returning paid-slavery. Numerous blacks stayed on these homesteads and ranches in light of the fact that they didn't realize what else they could do after liberation. In any case, now they were being constrained into staying on the grounds that few knew something besides farming. So in these ways Louisiana Black Codes don't fulfill the social

According to Thomas Jefferson in a document titled Notes on the State of Virginia, 1787 "it appears to me, that in memory they are equal to the whites; in reason much inferior, as I think one could scarcely be found capable of tracing and comprehending the investigations of Euclid" (Document B). It is not only important that the Constitution of the U.S upholds the amendments that give us our inalienable rights, but it is just as important that the government doesn't try to separate people based in skin color. In the 1800's the U.S. government didn't pay attention to how Separate but Equal laws were a violating two constitution amendments. Plessy challenged the government at that time by boarding the white train car even though he was 1/8th black. Plessy took this arrest to the court to get it overturned and said that Louisiana had violated the 14th

In the late 1800’s, a series of racial policies went into effect known as the Jim Crow Laws. These laws enforced separate but equal treatment among African Americans and Whites. Established by the use of separate facilities such as, schools, hotels, restaurants, restrooms and transportation, many of us know and understand Jim Crow Laws by one word, “Segregation”. Jim Crow Laws were upheld by the government during the Plessy vs. Ferguson case and were cemented through acts of terror by the people who opposed. Although slavery had been abolished, African Americans were still stripped of their civil rights, which is intended to protect citizens from discrimination by the government and people.

believe that it is a good idea to provide a separate school experience for students in grades 6-8. Currently, I work in a 6-12 school and I believe that the younger students do need their separation from high schoolers. One of the benefits of breaking up these students is that students who are in middle school are not influenced by older students, being that this is such a transitional period for them. Another benefit is that the scheduling for both age groups should be different and by having these groups separated, different schedules to meet the age levels can be present. I believe that middle schoolers are in the stages of puberty, growing up, learning new things about the world, and overall just finding themselves and would benefit from

Enacted by lawmakers bitter about the loss against the North, Jim Crow Laws blatantly favored whites and repressed those of color as many refused to welcome blacks into civic-life, still believing them to be inferior. These laws were essentially a legalized legislative barrier to the freedom promised by our constitution, and the newly won war against the southern states to end slavery. This institutionalized form of inequality spread like a wildfire in the subsequent decades, separating the races in every way imaginable; in all walks of life. Although these laws varied from state to state, we see a common trend of laws keeping blacks and whites separated, particularly in social settings and social institutions. Some of these laws include but are not limited to marriage, hospitalization, restrooms, public transportation, and prisons; all of which isolating blacks from whites. We even find laws regarding liquor licensing such as a law in Georgia which required all persons licensed to sell alcohol, to serve exclusively whites or exclusively colored people; prohibiting sales to the two races simultaneously (NPS, 2015). Laws such as this were not few and far between. Segregation of blacks became a defining custom in nearly every aspect of life in the mid-nineteenth century well into the mid-twentieth century.

After the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 and the ensuing American Civil War all states where forced to ratify the thirteenth amendment which abolished slavery “within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” In 1870 the fifteenth amendment was passed making it unconstitutional to prohibit voters “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” While the thirteenth and fifteenth amendments made it constitution for African Americans to vote it did not prohibit states from implementing obstructions at voting booths such as poll taxes, literacy test, lineage tracking, and other qualifications. While Plessy v. Ferguson established the separate but equal doctrine which is described as “racially segregated but ostensibly ensuring equal opportunities to all races.” The established doctrine of Separate but Equal was never enforced, and the cries of the neglected fell upon deaf ears until 1954, 58 years after a virtual caste system was established in the Nation of “freedom and equal opportunity” segregating everything from schools to bathrooms because of the color of your skin.

The 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution helped ratify state imposed segregation of black and white. However, at the time of the 14th Amendments inception public schools were governed mostly by private committees that made rules to regulate schools as they saw fit. Due to this, little to no change was seen in the public school system regarding segregation. Since that time the notion of “free common schools” has prevailed and the belief that public schools should exist for all children regardless of sex, age, race, religion, etc.

Since Reconstruction, many aspects of American life were segregated. “ laws known as Jim Crow laws permitted and often required segregated bathrooms, drinking fountains, parks, restaurants, and other public spaces. The Supreme Court upheld this legal practice in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson.” While, a half century later, “On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education that segregated schools are ‘inherently unequal.’” And “In a related case known as Brown II the Court ordered schools to desegregate ‘with all deliberate speed.’” Southern resisted the decision of Brown II order.

The Plessey ruling truly embodied the overarching racial attitudes of the Southern United States in the Post-Reconstruction era. With the ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments slavery had been abolished and Constitutional precedents were established that would seemingly pave the way for Americans of all races to begin to achieve equality. It is stated in the 14th that all citizens shall not have their basic civil rights infringed upon without due process of the law, and it is also stated that all citizens are guaranteed equal protection under the law. At first view, such measures should have eliminated official racist practices, yet racism prevalent throughout the United States and blacks were still considered to be inferior to whites. Many Americans, especially in the South, sought to continue current racist practices. Yet state segregation laws and other official racist practices needed a strong legal backing, and the Plessey decision provided exactly that. By establishing that segregation would be allowed if conditions were “separate but equal” whites throughout the country were given the precedent they needed to ensure blacks remained inferior. Although the decision claims that “equality”

Legal school segregation in the South came into action in 1896, as a result of the Jim Crow Laws. These laws were derived from white Americans in an effort to ensure that blacks and whites lived separate lives. This physical divide formed an unequal gap in education, opportunity and lifestyle for African Americans. Known as Black Monday, the Brown v. Board of Education case was a milestone in American history that transformed the United States into an equal multiracial nation. The Brown v. Board of Education case ended segregation in public schools in the United States, allowing African American students to attend white only public schools and inspiring more African Americans to fight for complete desegregation in public areas, transportation and universities.

Let's take a step back and look at the “Civil Rights act of 1875” which made it criminal to deny any individual of any race or color equal treatment(The Civil Rights Act of 1875). This act was a huge step for African Americans in becoming equal. Louisiana put in place a law that required separate rail cars for those of color and whites. Controversy then struck when Homer Adolph Plessy sat in the white only section of the rail car, when asked he then refuse to move to the car for blacks and was arrested Despite the fact that he half white and half black which gave him equal opportunity for either railcar. In this case which became known as the Plessy versus Ferguson case they ruled that the state law is within constitutional boundaries and did not violate the equality of the citizen. If Plessy was treated equally why was he not allowed to sit next to a white american if they were constitutionally equal. The hope that emerged from the civil rights act was then taken away. Congress shut down the Civil rights act claiming that the fourteenth amendment did not give congress any jurisdiction to prevent discrimination from private peoples. Keep in mind that the fourteenth amendment gave U.S. citizenship to any natural born or naturalized citizen, including free slaves (14th Amendment). Once congress shut down the