Civil Rights in New Jersey before the 1950s

•Voting rights revoked in 1807; 1844 constitution expressly restricted the franchise to “white” males.•Many whites in New Jersey actively supported the colonization movement during the 1850s.•During the Civil War era whites in New Jersey were often hostile to the aspirations of African Americans.•Many people wanted “the Constitution as it is, the Nation as it was.”

Reconstruction Amendments

• New Jersey did not ratify the 13th Amendment until after it became federal law.

• In 1867, the state rescinded ratification of the 14th amendment.

• The 15th amendment was not ratified until 1871

• But Thomas Mundy, of Perth Amboy, was the first person to vote under the protection of the 15th amendment.

Thomas Mundy

1870s and 1880s saw significant legal gains

• In 1872, Newark desegregated its public schools.

• 1881 New Jersey School Law made it illegal to deny a child a public education because of race.

• 1884 case of Pierce v. Union District Trustees (Burlington City) ostensibly outlawed segregation in public schools throughout the state.

• 1884 Civil Rights Law outlawed discrimination in public transportation, lodging, and entertainment.

End of European immigration results in huge influx of African Americans in the 1920s

Percent change in population from previous census year

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960

Census Year

Per

cen

t

% change black population % change total population

Total African American population in New Jersey

4763869844

89760

117132

208828226973

318565

514875

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960

Year

Nu

mb

er

The “Georgia of the North”

• African Americans faced endemic prejudice, which resulted in the formation of urban ghettos.

• Prior to the New Deal, black workers were, by and large, excluded from higher paying jobs and labor unions.

• In the face of discrimination, many black leaders in New Jersey preached racial solidarity.

• Bordentown School (1886-1955) was New Jersey’s “Tuskegee of the North.”

Lewis Hine photograph of hairdressers at the Bordentown School, 1935 (www.geh.org)

Incremental gains during the 1930s and 1940s

• African American newspapers, such as the New Jersey Herald News vigorously protested discriminatory practices.

• Segregation in public schools became worse in many parts of the state because white administrators and parents did not want white children mixing with poorly prepared and “unhealthy” migrants from the South—there were 75 separate black schools in 1935.

• The New Deal and World War II employment improved the economic status of African Americans.

• African Americans became more politically assertive and organized many economic boycotts— “buy where you can work” campaigns.

• In 1937, Guy Moorehead, from Newark, became the 1st Democratic Assemblyman in state history.

• In 1938, the state formed the Urban Colored Population Commission to improve employment, education, and housing conditions for blacks.

• FDR’s Executive Order 8802 opened up defense jobs to African Americans.

The foundation of modern civil rights

• In 1945, New Jersey outlawed discrimination in employment and created a Division Against Discrimination within the Department of Education.

• The 1947 state constitution forbid segregation in the militia and public schools; New Jersey’s law was a catalyst for President Truman’s action in regard to the Armed Services.

• The 1949 Freeman Act empowered the state to investigate individual complaints of discrimination; in 1954, discrimination in public housing was prohibited.