Life+In+Jim+Crow+America

Aelin Hill May 3rd, 2011 2 __Life In Jim Crow America__ ** 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? ** The 14th Amendment gave us hope. It stated that us African Americans were able to be free citizens of the United States. This was one small step for our civil rights.

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? ** I remember that the poor man was just trying to show equality between the whites and us African Americans. They punished him for simply sitting in a white rail road car!!

Jim Crow was a terrible stereotypical African American figure that was formed to “symbolize” us. He was a horrible stereotype and is very offensive to our race. He was not a specific person, but just a figure, and therefore wrote no 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? **

Some examples of these terrible Jim Crow laws would be not allowing African Americans and whites to play together. Also, whites and African Americans were not allowed to marry. The law that prevented us from playing with the white children ruined my childhood because one of my best childhood friends was a white and I couldn’t play with her. Miscegenation is another name for not allowing African Americans and whites to marry.
 * 4. What are some specific examples of the Jim Crow laws from southern states? How did the laws affect you? **


 * 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 America was very segregated. There were “black” and “white” water fountains, theatres, bathrooms, train cars, schools, etc. Here is an example of what Jim Crow America looked like in the 1900’s. []

White women blamed nine African American boys jumped on a train and said that the boys raped them, even though the boys didn't do anything. This terrifying case frightened me because any of us African Americans could be targeted for actions that we did not do.
 * 6. What happened in the Scottsboro Case? How did it make you feel as an African American in the South? **

I believe that we should realize what happened in Jim Crow America so that we can learn from our mistakes and not discriminate against any other race EVER. This was a HUGE part of our history and must be learned about.
 * 7. Why should anyone care about your life during Jim Crow America? **