Jim+Crowe+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 granted my ancestors great victory, as they would be fully counted as citizens of the United States after the amendment passed. Also, we would be given full American rights and had to be given due process of law before convicted of a crime. This was a huge ordeal for my ancestors because they would be given full American rights and 100% of our population was given representation in Congress.

**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] I remember in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, a black man named Homer Plessy deliberately sat in the front car of a train and identified himself as a black man so that he could challange the Seperate Car Act. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, and they decided that public facilities could be made seperate for different races as long as they were equal.

**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] African Americans and I didn't like this Jim Crow fellow. He was a character created by Thomas Dartmouth Rice. He was a stereotypical African American and was made to look inferior and stupid. He did not write laws, the Jim Crow laws were named after him that oppressed the African Americans.

I remember when I had to send my kids to school I had to send them to a colored school which was worse than the white school. It was also a law for African Americans to use courteous titles for whites but not vise versa. Blacks and whites were not allowed to eat together. If so, the whites would always be served first. These laws affected us in every way possible.
 * 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]


 * 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]

When I was young, Jim Crow symbolized a stereotypical black man that was made to look stupid and inferior. He symbolized racism and hatred towards our race. There are pictures of people being lynched.


 * What happened in the Scottsboro Case? How did it make you feel as an African American in the South?** [|Scottsboro LINK]

If I remember nine young black men were accused of the rape of two young white women because they were wearing mens clothes and were on the same train hiding. They were scared to admit it wasn't true because their lovers were previously thrown off the buss. There was absolutely no evidence tying them together, but because of their color, they were punished all but the youngest were sentenced to death.

**What do some of your friends and family say about life in Jim Crow America? (listen to one or two)** [|Audio History LINK 1] My family and friends say that the Jim Crow laws are unfair, but we must persevere. We believe that one day they will change if we continue to stay strong.