JimCrowLife

LIFE IN JIM CROW AMERICA **To set the stage for the civil rights movement, you must first understand the environment of segregation in the United States in the first half of the 20th century. What was life like in Jim Crow America? Cut and paste this information into a new page in your Unit 8 Online ISN. ** **You and your partner are African Americans who have lived through the era of Jim Crow in America. Using the links provided in this activity, respond to the “oral history questions” in first person. ** 

**Right after the Civil War, the 14th Amendment was ratified. What did the 14th Amendment provide for African Americans? What does “due process” and “equal protection of the laws” mean?** [|14th LINK] The 14th Amendment was designed to grant citizenship to, and protect the civil liberties of recently freed slaves. This amendment prohibited states from denying the privelige of the citizens of the United States. Due procees of law means that each citizens must abide by principles and laws in the administration of justice. All citizens are equal and none of the them are different.

**Unfortunately, your equal rights were challenged by the Supreme Court in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson. What do you remember about the facts, decision, and impact of this case?** [|Plessy LINK] When I had heard that Plessy was jailed when he sat in the "White" cars rather than the "Colored Folk" cars, I was OUTRAGED. How dare they jail him just because he is colored. He doesn't even look colored because he was a Creole of Color. Louisiana had just passed the Seperate Car Act which prevented colored folks from being in white cars. This was huge discrimination toward African Americans. In 1896 the Supreme Court then said it was constitutional which made me extremely MAD! HOW DARE THEY!!!!!!!!!!

**The laws developed in the South became known as Jim Crow laws. Who was this Jim Crow fellow? Did he write the laws?**[| Jim Crow LINK] Jim Crow was the name of the racial system exclusively in border or Southern states. Under Jim Crow, African Americans were considered second-class citizens. He established a group of anti-black laws to protect African Americans. It is used to describe the segragation laws, rules and customs which happened during Reconstruction. Used as a racial epithet for Blacks like coon or darkie. Ministrels would dance like African Americans to make fun of them. Made people think that blacks were lazy.

Although thousand who fled to the North few stayed in the South. In Missouri, African American and Whites were not allowed to go to the same school. Railroads had two different car departments. Property owners signed restrictive coveanants if you were African American or a Jew etc. African American were discriminated by the white race and were considered unequal to the white race even though the 14th amendment said that both races are created equal.
 * What are some specific examples of the Jim Crow laws from southern states? How did the laws affect you?** [|Jim Crow Laws LINK 1] / [|Jim Crow Laws LINK 2] / [|Jim Crow Laws LINK 3]

There is a picture of two people who were lynched to death because of the discrimination against blacks. Another one is removing an African American from the White car on the railroad. Another picture is an African American who is getting a drink of water from the colored fountain because of the racism toward blacks.
 * What did Jim Crow America look like in the 1900s? What are some images that can help explain the realities of the time?** __Jim Crow Images LINK 1 __/ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Jim Crow Images LINK 2]

Nine African American boys were raped by two white women because the African American threw the white men off the train. None of them deserved that harsh of the punishment and I agree with what the Supreme Court did to the nine African Americans. No harsh punishments for them just because they are of a different race.
 * What happened in the Scottsboro Case? How did it make you feel as an African American in the South?** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Scottsboro LINK]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**What do some of your friends and family say about life in Jim Crow America? (listen to one or two)** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Audio History LINK 1] According to Olivia Cherry, she absolutely hated life in Jim Crow America. They were segregated from the whites so she couldn't go to the fountain with the same color, she couldn't use the same schools with the whites and she possibly couldn't do anything with the other race.

May 5, 2009