Jim+Crow+Life




 * 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, if you have one) 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 Fourteenth Amendment was added to guarantee African American rights. Due process gives each indivdual the right to a trial and to have an attorney, convicted and sent to jail. Equal protection of the laws means every citizen has the same protection and rights under our laws and more importantly that no one can be discriminated against based upon gender, religion and race.

**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]

On June 7, 1892 a black civil right organizer named Homer Plassy decided to challenge the Louisiana law. He sat in a “White” car of the East Louisiana Railroad fully knowing that he was still considered "black" under law. Homer was practiclly white because of his light complexion, yet he was required to sit in the “colored” car. Plassy and his lawyer stated that the Separate Car Act violated the 13th and 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court said that “separate” facilities were constitutional as long and they were “equal", which of course didn't happen peacefully.

**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]

People and stories have said that the character Jim Crow was either an old slave who walked with difficulty or he was a black stable boy. Somtimes used, the character played a very stereotypical and over exaggerated black person. An actor named Thomas Rice became very rich from doing this part. No, Jim Crow did not write the laws.


 * 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]

Jim Crow law about education was that the small white and black children were not allowed to be taught at the same school. Another law about marriage states that marriages between a white and black person has extremely strict rules and regulations that must be fired. A Jim Crow law about the transportation in Florida was specifically directed towards the cars in the train. The cars were labeled “For White” and “For Colored”.

I n the 1900s Jim Crow America was like the world was into halves. There was 2 worlds and they seemed to be totally separate. Some images that explain the realities of the time are many pictures of segregated schools, restaurants, and even drinking fountains.
 * 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 __/ [|Jim Crow Images LINK 2]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The case was about nine black boys that were falsely charged with raping two white women. A group of white and blacks were riding the rails to see if they could find work. A fight broke loose and the white hobos were thrown off the train. A report was sent out bringing dozens of armed men who arrested the nine boys. There was no evidence regarding the women being raped by them. Eight of the nine boys were eventually sentenced to death in Alabama.
 * 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] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> T.R Davidson -He stated that he knew who Jim Crow was and he thought Jim was well adapted to it. He knew how to function in the areas where he was raised in North Carolina and was able to perform in a reasonable comfortable fashion. He has always been telling the young people that there will come time were you will be in a certain area were you will meet certain types of people and those type of people might make you feel conscious of the fact that they might not be trustworthy. Don’t let those certain type of people prevent you from learning or experiencing things that you want to witness or to follow your dreams of your own future.