Attempts to break the Jim Crow Laws
The Civil Rights Act of 1875, introduced by Charles Sumner and Benjamin F. Butler, demanded a guarantee that everyone, regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, was entitled to receiving equal rights in public accommodations, such as inns, public transportation, theaters, and other places of recreation. This Act had little effect. In 1883, an Supreme Court decision ruled that the act was unconstitutional in some respects, saying Congress was not afforded control over private people or corporations. With white southern Democrats forming a solid voting bloc in Congress, with power out of proportion to the percentage of population they represented, Congress did not pass another civil rights law until 1957.
In 1887 Rev. W. H. Heard lodged a complaint with the Interstate Commerce Commission against the Georgia Railroad company for discrimination, citing its provision of different cars for white and black/colored passengers. The company successfully appealed for relief on the grounds it offered separate but equal accommodation.
In 1890, Louisiana passed a law requiring to separate accommodations for colored and white passengers on railroads. Louisiana law had distinguished between "white", "black" and "colored" (that is, people of mixed European and African ancestry). The law already specified that blacks could not take rides with white people, but colored people could take rides with whites before the year 1890. A group of concerned black, colored and white citizens in New Orleans formed an association dedicated to rescinding the law. The group persuaded Homer Plessy, who was one-eighth "Negro" and of fair complexion, to test it.
In 1892, Plessy bought a first-class ticket from New Orleans on the East Louisiana Railway. Once he had boarded the train, he informed the train conductor of his racial lineage and took a seat in the whites-only car. He was then instructed strictly to leave that car and instead sit in the "coloreds only" car. Plessy refused and was immediately arrested. The Citizens Committee of New Orleans fought the case all the way to the Supreme Court. They lost in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), in which the Court ruled that "separate but equal" facilities were constitutional. The finding contributed to 58 more years of legalized discrimination against black and colored people in the United States.
In 1908 Congress defeated an attempt to introduce segregated streetcars into the capital itself.
In 1887 Rev. W. H. Heard lodged a complaint with the Interstate Commerce Commission against the Georgia Railroad company for discrimination, citing its provision of different cars for white and black/colored passengers. The company successfully appealed for relief on the grounds it offered separate but equal accommodation.
In 1890, Louisiana passed a law requiring to separate accommodations for colored and white passengers on railroads. Louisiana law had distinguished between "white", "black" and "colored" (that is, people of mixed European and African ancestry). The law already specified that blacks could not take rides with white people, but colored people could take rides with whites before the year 1890. A group of concerned black, colored and white citizens in New Orleans formed an association dedicated to rescinding the law. The group persuaded Homer Plessy, who was one-eighth "Negro" and of fair complexion, to test it.
In 1892, Plessy bought a first-class ticket from New Orleans on the East Louisiana Railway. Once he had boarded the train, he informed the train conductor of his racial lineage and took a seat in the whites-only car. He was then instructed strictly to leave that car and instead sit in the "coloreds only" car. Plessy refused and was immediately arrested. The Citizens Committee of New Orleans fought the case all the way to the Supreme Court. They lost in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), in which the Court ruled that "separate but equal" facilities were constitutional. The finding contributed to 58 more years of legalized discrimination against black and colored people in the United States.
In 1908 Congress defeated an attempt to introduce segregated streetcars into the capital itself.
Racism and Defenses of Jim Crow in United States
White Southerners had encountered many problems in learning free labor management after the end of slavery, and they resented black Americans, who represented the Confederacy's Civil War defeat: "With white supremacy challenged throughout the South, many whites sought to protect their former status by threatening African Americans who exercised their new rights." White Democrats used their power to segregate many other public spaces and facilities in law and reestablish social dominance over blacks in the South.
One rationale for the systematic exclusion of black Americans from southern public society was that it was for their own protection. An early 20th-century scholar suggested that having allowed blacks in white schools would mean "constantly subjecting them to adverse feeling and opinion", which might lead to "a morbid race consciousness". This perspective took anti-black sentiment for granted, because bigotry was widespread in the South after slavery became a racial caste.
One rationale for the systematic exclusion of black Americans from southern public society was that it was for their own protection. An early 20th-century scholar suggested that having allowed blacks in white schools would mean "constantly subjecting them to adverse feeling and opinion", which might lead to "a morbid race consciousness". This perspective took anti-black sentiment for granted, because bigotry was widespread in the South after slavery became a racial caste.
Supporters and oppositions of The Jim Crow Laws
Supporters of the Jim Crow Laws: Eugenicists, Christians, KKKs, Democrats and Social Darwinists. Christians supported the Jim Crow Laws because they believed they were the chosen race by the God. The KKKs supported the Jim Crow Laws because they wanted the society with only white people. Social Darwinists supported the Jim Crow Laws because they believed that only superior races could survive Natural Selection of societies. They thought superior races were whites. Eugenicists supported the Jim Crow Laws because they wanted to improve the human genes by selecting out good traits and controlling marriage and reproduction so that they could inherit them to children. They thought whites were superior and colored were inferior. Democrats supported the Jim Crow Laws because they were made up of Southern Whites. Majority of Southern Whites supported the Jim Crow Laws.
Black people went against the Jim Crow Laws because they were treated as a second-class citizen. Some non-racist southern whites went against Jim Crow Laws because they thought racial segregation is part of discrimination. Human Right Groups went against the Jim Crow Laws because they thought segregation is against the fact that all people are equal, a thing mentioned in the US Constitution. Northern Whites went against Jim Crow Laws because they agreed with Lincoln’s idea that all people are equal. Republicans went against Jim Crow Laws because they were mainly made up of Northern Whites.
Lots of people were involved in the Jim Crow Laws. Black People, the Supreme Court, Southerners, and civil right activists were involved in the Jim Crow Laws. Black People were people who suffered from Jim Crow Laws. The Supreme Court was the court to justify racial segregation and illegalize racial segregation later. Southerners were people who hated black people to have same rights as whites. Civil right activists were involved because they were the ones who tried to get rid of the Jim Crow Laws.
Black people went against the Jim Crow Laws because they were treated as a second-class citizen. Some non-racist southern whites went against Jim Crow Laws because they thought racial segregation is part of discrimination. Human Right Groups went against the Jim Crow Laws because they thought segregation is against the fact that all people are equal, a thing mentioned in the US Constitution. Northern Whites went against Jim Crow Laws because they agreed with Lincoln’s idea that all people are equal. Republicans went against Jim Crow Laws because they were mainly made up of Northern Whites.
Lots of people were involved in the Jim Crow Laws. Black People, the Supreme Court, Southerners, and civil right activists were involved in the Jim Crow Laws. Black People were people who suffered from Jim Crow Laws. The Supreme Court was the court to justify racial segregation and illegalize racial segregation later. Southerners were people who hated black people to have same rights as whites. Civil right activists were involved because they were the ones who tried to get rid of the Jim Crow Laws.