The Seizure Of Segregation In The 1890's

In the 1950s America found itself facing the deep-rooted issue of racism, specifically toward African –Americans. Slaves were freed and people were declared equal, equality was not always prevalent. Segregation remained in much of the country. This meant people groups such as blacks had were forcefully separated from whites in schools, transportation, hospitals, and more. Particularly in the South, segregation had a strong hold on society. This began to change as supreme courts re-evaluated segregation laws, especially in schools.

Al Sharpton radio host, and minister once said, “We have defeated Jim Crow, but now we have to deal with his son, James Crow Jr., esquire.” (cite) He then goes on to say that his “son” is smarter, slicker, and more cunning than him. This metaphor describes that even though the Jim Crow Laws have been ratified, there is a new racial discrimination in America that is growing and is harder to defeat than the last. The Jim Crow Laws were the set of laws that set the whites and blacks separate from each other in the 1900s, although they have been defeated, America today may be equal lawfully but not on an individual level.

In the United States during the 1950s the federal government was forced to establish federal regulations to put an end to the segregation of society in the south along with the north. In the northern states segregation was a type of segregation call de facto segregation of which is segregation based on unwritten custom or by tradition. This was rather different than segregation in the south which was known as de jure segregation being the Jim Crow laws enforced segregation by law. These southern state governments however felt that the federal government could not control the segregation of African Americans in the states. Thus the southern states used many unsuccessful strategies to resist the compliance that included “The Southern Manifesto”,the creation of the “White Citizens Councils”,the conflict that erupted in Little Rock, and the James Meredith issue at the all-white University of segregation

The African-Americans wanted to migrate North because the social conditions were difficult to live with in the South. The prejudice toward African-Americans in the South was too great to be ignored. The African-Americans wanted to be seen as equal and they knew that the wait for social equality in the South would take too long. Moving to the North not only gave the possibility of social equality, but there were also more job opportunities and the Northerners did not view African-Americans the way Southerners did. African-Americans were presented with “better educational opportunities and greater personal freedom [in the North]” (Crew 36).

Beginning in the 1890s southern states passed a wide variety of Jim Crow laws that mandated racial segregation and separation in public facilities. Under the Jim Crow laws, blacks in southern states suffered from a system of discrimination which invaded every part of their lives. They were denied voting rights, they constantly encountered discrimination in housing and employment. When using public facilities like pools, they would have to use the colored only pools while the whites used the whites only pool. The blacks had colored bars and restaurants and the whites had their own.

The dictionary definition of the word segregation is, “1: The act or process of segregating. 2: The separation or isolation of a race, class, or ethnic group by discriminatory means. 3: The separation for special treatment or observation of individuals or items from a larger group.” In other words, segregation is being mean to someone or something because of their differences.

On the front lines in Europe longer than any other American unit, the African-American 369th Regiment triumphed in battle and was recognized for courage and resilience by much of the American public. Yet, the mere existence of a segregated all-Black unit and the mixed reception of these soldiers during and after the war, testify to the entrenched mistreatment of Blacks in America and the ingrained White supremacy attitudes of Americans. Even when they served in segregated units, the presence of Black men in uniform threatened the racial hierarchy and unnerved Whites, which worsened the treatment of people of color. Despite the success of the regiment, their fame did not advance them individually, or the status of Blacks more broadly. Furthermore,

In Merriam Webster Online Dictionary, the word segregation means a “cause or force the separation of (as from the rest of society).” American society has for decades segregated African-Americans from their White counterparts. Even today, with equal rights for all, many people of color feel segregated in their daily lives. However, today’s segregation does not compare to the 1930’s America.

There is a question that has been wondered throughout time. Why are people afraid of others who are different? Segregation in the 1940’s-60’s is a great example of this. During this time southern whites feared African Americans just because they had a different skin color. African Americans were discriminated for many years, but it was especially bad in the South.

Racial Segregation in Public Places (Restaurants) In the 1880’s, to counter Jim Crow laws, laws were enacted to weaken segregation though, they were rarely enforced and ignored by many. It was normal in many restaurants to segregate against not just blacks, but Mexican-Americans and Asians as well. It wouldn't be until 84 years later that a better alternative would come into place.