Slide 5: Daily Life Under Jim Crow

“Life under Jim Crow laws was extremely harsh for African Americans.
Nearly every part of daily life was segregated, and Black people were
forced to use separate schools, bathrooms, water fountains, and even
hospital wings. Facilities for Black people were intentionally underfunded,
with Black schools receiving only a fraction of the funding given to white
schools.

But segregation didn’t stop at public spaces. African Americans faced daily
harassment and violence. One of the most brutal forms of this violence
was lynching. During this era, thousands of Black people were murdered
without trial, often publicly, in acts of terror intended to intimidate Black
communities. These lynchings were rarely prosecuted and were often
supported by local officials.

• , often by members of the Ku Klux Klan and other groups

Beyond this constant threat, African Americans also faced economic

oppression. They were limited to low-wage jobs and denied fair access to
quality housing, which created cycles of poverty. Every day, African
Americans were reminded that their lives were seen as less valuable than
those of their white neighbors.”

Slide 6: Key Court Decisions

“Two important Supreme Court decisions framed the beginning and the
end of the Jim Crow era.

The first was Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. In this case, the Supreme Court
ruled that segregation was constitutional as long as facilities were
‘separate but equal.’ This decision legally justified racial segregation
across the country, especially in the South, and helped Jim Crow laws
become the standard for nearly 60 years.

But in 1954, the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education overturned

Plessy v. Ferguson by ruling that segregation in public schools was
unconstitutional.

The case was made up of multiple lawsuits brought by African American

families who challenged school boards for requiring their children to attend
segregated, often inferior, schools. Thurgood Marshall, who later became
the first African American Supreme Court Justice, argued the case
successfully, securing a major legal victory for the civil rights movement.
 This case was a turning point, as it recognized that ‘separate’ facilities
were inherently unequal. Although Brown v. Board of Education specifically
targeted schools, it set the stage for ending segregation in other public
areas as well. This case began the legal dismantling of Jim Crow laws and
was a huge victory for the Civil Rights Movement.”

Slide 7: Civil Rights Movement

“The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s was a powerful force
against Jim Crow laws and racial segregation. This movement brought
together people from all walks of life who were dedicated to achieving
equal rights for Black Americans. Leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
Rosa Parks, and many other activists organized non-violent protests and
events to draw attention to the injustices of Jim Crow laws.

Slide 8: The End of the Jim Crow Era

“The combined efforts of the Civil Rights Movement and the changing
attitudes of Americans led to the passing of two major pieces of legislation
in the 1960s that effectively ended the Jim Crow era.

The first was the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This landmark law banned
discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It
prohibited segregation in public places, ended employment discrimination,
and required equal access to public facilities. For the first time, federal law
directly challenged segregation and provided legal protections for African
Americans.

The second was the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This act tackled
discriminatory voting practices like literacy tests and poll taxes that had
prevented Black citizens from voting. The Voting Rights Act was crucial
because it finally gave African Americans a real voice in the political
process and ensured their right to vote without barriers.

Together, these acts officially dismantled the Jim Crow system, though the
fight for true equality continued.”

Slide 9: Impacts and Legacy

“Even though the Jim Crow laws were finally abolished, their effects can
still be felt today. Decades of legalized discrimination left deep scars on
American society. African Americans, restricted from quality education,
jobs, and housing, faced generational poverty and social disadvantages
that persist in many communities.
Schools and neighborhoods that were segregated for years still reflect
economic and racial divides. For instance, African American communities
often have fewer resources, lower-quality schools, and less economic
opportunity compared to other areas. Systemic inequality, especially in
education, employment, and the criminal justice system, is a legacy of the
Jim Crow era.

The Jim Crow period was one of the darkest times in American history, and
it serves as a reminder of the need for continued work toward racial justice
and equality. Understanding this era is essential for addressing the
challenges that still affect African American communities and ensuring
that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.”

Slide 10

“Let’s quickly review the key points about the Jim Crow Laws and their
impact.

After the Civil War, Southern states enforced Jim Crow laws, which legally
separated Black and white people in all areas of life. These laws deeply
impacted African Americans, leading to daily discrimination, restricted
rights, and frequent violence.

In the 1950s and 60s, the Civil Rights Movement fought against this
system. Through powerful protests and activism, they helped end legal
segregation with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of
1965.

However, the legacy of Jim Crow still affects society today, with lingering
economic and social inequalities.

In conclusion, the Jim Crow era reminds us why it’s essential to keep
pushing for racial equality and justice.”
Daily Life

-very hard

-discrimination in every aspect of daily life

- black people -> forced to use separate schools, bathrooms, water

fountains, public transport, and even hospital wings

- Facilities for Black people were intentionally underfunded, with Black

schools receiving only a fraction of the funding given to white schools.

- „whites only“ „colored“ signs were constant reminders oft he enforced

racial order

- But segregation didn’t stop at public spaces. African Americans faced

daily harassment and violence. One of the most brutal forms of this
violence was lynching. During this era, thousands of Black people were
murdered without trial, often publicly, in acts of terror intended to
intimidate Black communities. These lynchings were rarely prosecuted and
were often supported by local officials.

Atalanta Race Massacre

- Atlanta race riot of 1906, major outbreak of violence

in Atlanta, Georgia, that killed at least 12 and possibly as many as
25 African Americans in late September 1906. White mobs, inflamed
by newspaper reports of Black men attacking white women, burned
more than 1,000 homes and businesses in the city’s African
American neighborhoods. Contemporary reports of the event
suggest that police officers assisted, or at least did not stop, the
actions of the mobs.
 - The violence did not end until after Governor Joseph M. Terrell called
in the Georgia National Guard, and African Americans accused
the Atlanta Police Department and some Guardsmen of participating
in the violence against them.

Little Rock Nine

The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine Black students who enrolled at
formerly all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in
September 1957. Their attendance at the school was a test of Brown v.
Board of Education, a landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling that
declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. On September 4,
1957, the first day of classes at Central High, Governor Orval Faubus called
in the Arkansas National Guard to block the Black students’ entry into the
high school. Later that month, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent in
federal troops to escort the Little Rock Nine into the school. It drew
national attention to the civil rights movement.

This case shows that the idea of segregation was anchored in the minds of
population, even if segregation in public schools was declared
unconstitutional by the Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954 , which I
will explain in more detail in a moment.