Jim+Crow

The 14th Amendment provided citizenship to all native born peoples, including former slaves. Due process is the manner in which justice is carried out, (usually criminal), and the equal protection of laws decrees that any action that would be a crime against one race is a crime against them all.
 * 1) 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] **

Plessy stood up for our people by sitting in a white car and identifying himself as black. According to the separate car act--- Just listen to that for a moment. Separate **car** act? Really? Further, the defense stated that this act and others like it were in clear violation of the 13th and 14th amendments, but the courts stood by them. These courts ruled that segregation was legal, so long as the separated institutions were equal. The separate but equal idea rapidly invaded my live, growing to dominate me whenever I opened my front door.
 * 2) 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] **

Jim Crow was a work of fiction, an exaggerated character of many of the worse or perceived worse aspects of the black community. His name grew to become a racial slur, and ironically, the name of these laws.
 * 3) 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 Laws LINK 1]  / [|Jim Crow Laws LINK 2] /  [|Jim Crow Laws LINK 3] / **** [|Jim Crow Laws Link 4] ** = Playing games with the white population, such as dice and cards, became illegal in Alabama. Riding in the same trains followed suit, (oops) and even bathrooms became segregated. **Bathrooms.** Games and bathrooms. Although they may not be the worst offenders, these two laws serve no practical function, and only serve to indicate how genuine the hate felt by these whites is.
 * 4) What are some specific examples of the Jim Crow laws from southern states? How did the laws affect you? Which on edo you feel is the worst? **

This was the lynch laws one. It illustrates how men like you and I are in mortal danger due to the color of our skin. Outrageous! ...But very real. Even the good old Doctor Pepper got into the segregation business. The separation and segregation ideas were taken to the extreme.
 * 5) 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] **

The case was outrageous! There was clear evidence as to the facts, but the all-white jury decided to convict the blacks any way! But now, I understand. Even with clear evidence on my side, I would be blown away like a straw man in court. We ought to watch what happens to these poor souls. We could be next.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">6) What happened in the Scottsboro Case? How did it make you feel as an African American in the South? <span style="background-color: initial; color: #001ee6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> [|Scottsboro LINK] **

...These poor people resisted the evil system.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">7) Why should anyone care about your life during Jim Crow America? [|Why should I care? Link] **