1. The Jim Crow Era

2. Introduction
By 1900 many of the gains made by African Americans during Reconstruction had been taken away, and relations between blacks and whites had grown strained.

3. Three different approaches to African American equality
Most African Americans favored social integration
Many blacks and some whites called for racial separation
Many whites looked for ways to keep races separate and unequal through voluntary segregation
Called for separation of the races in daily life; developed into new era of discrimination called the Jim Crow era that lasted nearly 100 years
Sought to place blacks on an equal basis with whites
Level social, economic, and political barriers
Create equal opportunity among people of all races
Respectful division of the races into their own communities
Blacks would develop independent social, educational, and economic institutions

4. History of Jim Crow
The origins of the term "Jim Crow" can be traced back to a song and dance known as "Jump Jim Crow" in 1828 by a white comedian known as Thomas Dartmouth Rice.
Rice created this routine earlier in the decade. He was supposedly inspired by watching a crippled black man known as "Jim Cuff" on a Cincinnati levee, dancing to his own accord.1 After some time, he imitated this dance while smearing grease paint on his face, a technique now known as "blackface.

5. Places that were effected by Jim Crow Laws:
Some areas that were separate:
Bus station waiting rooms and ticket windows
Railroad cars or coaches
Restaurants and lunch counters
Schools and public parks
Restrooms and water fountains
Sections of movie theaters
There were even separate cemeteries

7. Redeemer governments
1870s white Democrats who favored segregation began to gain power in South
Southerners referred to new governments as Redeemer governments
Thought the new leaders would “redeem” the South by reversing Reconstruction policies
Firm believers in white supremacy, leaders wanted to limit the power of black citizens
Were elected to state governments; replacing African American politicians elected during Reconstruction

8. Jim Crow laws
Redeemer lawmakers passed laws to establish separate facilities for black people; laws became known as Jim Crow laws
Throughout South blacks forced to ride in separate railway cars, eat in separate restaurants, attend separate schools, and live in separate neighborhoods
In the North, laws less widespread; African Americans still dealt with prejudice; blacks denied admittance to hotels, restaurants, and theaters

9. What events led to the passing of Jim Crow laws in the South
What events led to the passing of Jim Crow laws in the South? (3 events)

10. Legalizing Segregation
The Slaughterhouse Cases
Slaughterhouse owners argued Louisiana law violated 14th amendment rights; no state could impede the rights and privileges of its citizens
Court did not agree; 14th only protected rights of national citizenship—not rights granted by states
Cases later used to justify Jim Crow laws and creation of separate facilities in states

11. Plessy v. Ferguson
“Separate but equal”
In landmark case the Supreme Court sided with the Louisiana court; agreed segregation was lawful as long as blacks and whites had access to equal facilities

12. Louisiana Supreme Court
Louisiana Supreme Court. Justice Henry Billings Brown, writing the majority opinion, wrote the following:
"Legislation is powerless to eradicate racial instincts or to abolish distinctions based on physical differences....If the civil and political rights of both races be equal, one cannot be inferior to the other civilly or politically. If one race be inferior to the other socially, the Constitution of the United States cannot put them on the same plane.”

13. Black Disfranchisement
New black codes included unfair voting laws; adding literacy tests to their voting restrictions
Many blacks had received no education; could not pass tests
States voting fee called a poll tax
Poor and illiterate whites were exempted by grandfather clause; if grandfather eligible to vote, then that person could vote as well

15. Racial Violence on the Rise
Race Riots
Number of race riots increased; in cities large numbers of whites took to the streets to punish blacks accused of crimes
1st major riot in Wilmington, NC in 1898, another in Atlanta, GA in 1906
Lynchings and race riots more common in the South; both occurred in the North as well

16. Racial Violence on the Rise
Lynching
Most common forms of racial violence in late 1800s—lynchings, murders of individuals without a trial
Nearly 900 blacks lynched from 1882 to 1892; many committed no crime
Black journalist Ida Wells- Barnett fought to expose and end the practice

17. The statistics may be very inaccurate...
Who was Lynched?
Between 1882 and 1951, 4, 730 people were lynched in the United States…
3,437 were Black
1,293 were White
The most lynching happened in 1892 (203) were Black.
The statistics may be very inaccurate...
The Chicago Tribune did not start keeping record of lynching until 1882.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) did not start keeping records until 1912.

18. Georgia/ 423 Louisiana/ 283 Alabama/ 262 South Carolina/ 143
Deep South
Mississippi/ 462
Georgia/ 423 Louisiana/ 283 Alabama/ 262 South Carolina/ 143
Border South
Florida/ 212 Tennessee/ 174 Arkansas/ 162 Kentucky/ 118 North Carolina/ 75

19. NOW… On one sheet of paper write down:
2 Jim Crow Laws on your paper and tell what their purpose was…