Jim Crow Laws - Research Paper Example

? Research Project English 1101-220 Hox Spring Part Essay Jim Crow Laws Since time immemorial, social divisions have existed in the society. This may be based on gender, racial or ethnic inclinations and social class. Such divisions may exist subconsciously in the society, but sometimes, social subdivisions are rooted in the society to the extent that legislation regarding them is enacted. An example of such is the Jim Crow Laws. Jim Crow was the name of the racial social group system which existed mostly in the Southern and Border States in America between 1877 and mid 1960’s. These were laws formed against blacks in the society. Under Jim Crow Laws, African Americans were relegated to the state of second class citizens, and this is the way of life that they were supposed to follow. This paper will be a discussion of the Jim Crow Laws and the impact that they had in the society. Jim Crow represented the legitimization of Anti-Black racism. This were state and local laws in the United States, it was as a result of various prominent people in the society then, advocating for the fact that black people were not equal to the whites. In their congregations, Christian ministers and theologians preached the fact that whites were the chosen people. They further emphasized the fact that blacks were cursed to be servants (Pilgrim 1). Intellectual bodies such as craniologists, eugenicists, phrenologists and social Darwinists taught their audiences to believe that Blacks were intellectually and culturally inferior to the whites. Sensitization towards segregation was harnessed by politicians who gave eloquent speeches about the dangers of integration between the whites and the blacks. Newspapers and magazine writers frequently referred to African Americans as niggers, coons and darkies. Almost all major societal institutions supported the idea of black’s segregation (Pilgrim 1). With the enactment of such laws, there was segregation against the blacks in various functions and institutions of the society. These ranged from restaurants, residential areas, telephone booths, public carriers, work places and even in issues that dealt with individual preferences such as marriage. According to Randall, a Floridian law prohibiting intermarriage between whites and blacks stated that, “All marriages between a white person and a negro, or between a white person and a person of negro descent to the fourth generation inclusive, are hereby forever prohibited.” (1). this is the extent to which the Jim Crow Laws dictated actions of individuals. Institutions such as hospitals also practiced segregation. In the state of Georgia, there were strict directions that, “The Board of Control shall see that proper and distinct apartments are arranged for said patients, so that in no case shall Negroes and white persons be together,” (Randall 1). This was the same case in educational institutions since schools for white and black children were supposed to be conducted separately. The justice system was one area that was keenly watched with regard to racial segregation. This is due to the fact that it was the body braced with the responsibility of enacting some rules and legislation. According to the text, From Jim Crow to Civil Rights: The Supreme Court and the Struggle for Racial Equity: When the justice system finally invalidated segregation in 1954, their decisions reflected the views that were held by roughly the whole country. Court rulings were seen to make little difference with regard to Jim Crow Laws; on the other hand, some people believed that courts made a vast difference (Klarman 6). Although courts would enforce legislation barring segregation in railroad transport, it was the responsibility of the concerned company or custom to decide on how they were going to run their institutions. Thus segregation laws on railroad transport were not necessary for the practice to take effect; segregation took place without any enforcing statute. Even though some railroad companies did not want to practice segregation of the black and whites due to the expenses involved in separating the compartments, they faced a lot of pressure from the public separate the compartments (Klarman 50). With regard to this, the reason as to why legislatures still enacted the Jim Crow Laws, yet they were in practice regardless of whether they were legislation or not, get questionable. In response to this, Klarman says that: Perhaps they did so for symbolic reasons and because of the political dynamics of white supremacy. Statutes may possess symbolic value quite apart from their functional significance. Even today, most southern states ban adultery, fornication and sodomy, while declining to enforce such laws (50). Thus, much of Jim Crow was concerned with symbolism, this included rules on sidewalk etiquette, refusal to extend courtesy and expectations that black remain submissive. It was all in a bid to portray the fact that whites were superior to the blacks. The reason behind the Jim Crow laws was based on the fact that whites believed that that were superior to the blacks. This was in almost all sectors such as intelligence, morality and civilized behavior. This may be the reason why intermarriages and sexual relations between the blacks and white were discriminated (Pilgrim 1). It was believed that it would lead to the production of an undesired race that would destroy America. Thus, whites believed that treating African Americans as equals would encourage sexual unions, a factor that many whites were very much against. This is the reason why whites would go to the extent of using violence against the blacks. A black man would not offer his hand towards a white woman for a handshake because he risked being accused of rape (Pilgrim 1). For the blacks who violated the Jim Crow Laws for example, by trying to vote, they risked their homes, their lives and even their lives. The whites could get violent against the blacks for such violations or even the simple imagination that blacks did not stick to their sections. For this, the blacks could not do anything because seeking legal justification would not be helpful since the justice system was all white. According to Pilgrim, the worst punishment for breaching Crow Laws was lynching. Statistics show that between 1882 and 1968, there were 4, 730 lynching of blacks. The lynching included burning, dismembering, castration and sometimes hanging and shooting. Whites advocated for lynching arguing that it supplemented the criminal justice system (1). The Jim Crow Era came to an end after the Supreme Court began opposing the Jim Crow Laws based on constitutional requirements. In 1917, the court held that the Kentucky law on residential segregation could not prevail. This was followed by the withdrawal of other laws related to the Jin Crow Law and this was the start of the abolishment of the offensive and regressive Jim Crow Laws. In conclusion, the Jim Crow Laws ensured that the African Americans were denied some of the right that they were entitled to and got treated as second class citizens. They were denied their constitutionally right to vote and at the same time, they were supposed to have different institutions from the whites. These ranged from schools, hospitals, restaurants, public transportation systems and other services. The judicial system was instrument in the promotion as well as abolition of this regressive practice and a sense of equity is almost being achieved in the United States of the America. Part 11-Annotated Bibliography A. Klarman, Michael. From Jim Crow to Civil Rights: The Supreme Court and the Struggle for Racial Equality. London: Oxford University Press, 2004. This book was written for anyone who wishes to learn about the part that the judicial system played in relation to the Jim Crow Laws. The book also has information on various areas where Jim Crow Laws were in effect. Details on the political and social contexts within which the Supreme Court Justice operates and the consequences of their decisions based on the Americans and African Americans relations are also highlighted. Klarman argues the fact that the decision of the Supreme Court does matter in any processes that go on in a country. The book was well written and gives the reader the morale to read it to the end. Pilgrim, David. What was Jim Crow? Retrieved on 17th April 2012 from http://www.ferris.edu/jimrow/what.htm This article highlights what Jim Crow Laws entailed and gives an exhaustive definition of what the laws are. Additionally, it brings into focus the groups of people that were instrument in ensuring that black segregation was effective, such as religious and academic bodies. Areas where the laws prevailed as well as the punishments that the blacks who violated the laws went through are well illustrated. Pilgrim also talks about the beliefs that the whites had about the blacks and as a result putting into practice the Jim Crow Laws. This included the belief that blacks were inferior to the whites intellectually, socially as well as morally. The article is written in simple language making it very informative to persons that have no idea on what Jim Crow Laws entailed. Randall, Vernellia. Race, Racism and the Law: Examples of Jim Crow Laws. Retrieved on 17th April 2012 from, http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/jcrow02.htm In this article, Randall highlights the period within which the Jim Crow Laws were effective. However, the article majorly highlights a number of laws that were enacted in various states to ensure that there was complete division between the blacks and the whites. The laws are divided based on various areas of the society such as nursing, buses, restaurants, railroads, intermarriages, burial, cohabitation, sports, juvenile delinquents and many others. Different states had different laws on the same functions and this are well highlighted in the article. B. ‘New York and New Jersey Jobless Rates Drop.’ New York Times. April 8, 1989. This article talks about unemployment rate in New York and New Jersey. It says that there has been a significant drop in unemployment rate due to the fact that fewer people were looking for employment. Unemployment rate in New York was 4.3 percent in March as compared to 5.1 percent in February. In New Jersey, the rate was 3 percent compared to 3.9 percent in February. In the article, one Mr. Ehrenhalt argues that sluggish growth in both states could be discouraging people from seeking work. He further says that in New York, the sluggish growth of jobs stems from the slow growth in the New York Metropolitan region that was affected by a decline in financial services in late 1987. In New Jersey, slow growth was mainly in the retailing sector. In New York, the number of unemployed people fell to 367,000 from 443,000 in the previous month. In New Jersey, the number of unemployed persons was 159,000 in February as compared to 120,000 in March. However, the article says that low unemployment rate is not an indication of an improving economy; rather it signifies a region that is growing slowly. Part 111-Outline Jim Crow Laws 1. Introduction Paragraph: A description of social divisions and focus on Jim Crow Laws. A. Social Divisions B. Thesis: Discussion of the Jim Crow Laws and the impact that they had in the society. 11. Body Paragraph One: Bodies that advocated for Jim Crow Laws A. Religious Bodies B. Intellectual Bodies C. The Media 11. Body Paragraph Two: Areas of Prohibition A. Examples B. Randall on: 1. Florida Law on Intermarriage 11. Georgia Law on Hospital Separation 111. Body Paragraph Three: Justice System on Jim Crow Laws A. Description B. Paraphrase from Klarman C. Symbolic reasons 1V. Body Paragraph Four: Reasons for the formation of Jim Crow Laws V. Body Paragraph Five: Punishment for breach of Jim Crow Laws V1.Body Paragraph Six: End of Jim Crow Laws V11. Conclusion Read More