What were the Jim Crow Laws?

Jim Crow laws were laws in the South of the USA and based on race.

They enforced segregation between White people and Black people in public places such as schools, transportation, restrooms, and restaurants. They also made it difficult for Black people to vote.

The basis for segregation was “Separate but equal”.

Why were they called the Jim

Crow Laws?

The name "Jim Crow" comes from an

African-American character in a song

from 1832.

After the song came out, the term "Jim

Crow" was often used to refer to African-

Americans and soon the segregation

laws became known as "Jim Crow" laws.

Voting

Poll taxes and literary requirements meant many Black people were denied the vote.

White people were not affected by this (1866).

This meant that Black people were not represented in the political system.

Schools

White pupils and Black pupils attended

different schools.

The Supreme Court stated that as long

as they were of equal quality then this

was fine.

Can you spot the difference?

A school for white children. A school for black children.

Do you think these schools are equal in

quality?

Travel

Black people were not allowed to travel in the same carriages as white people.

They also had separate waiting rooms.

Plessy challenged this in 1896 but the law was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Leisure Black people were also segregated when eating out.

White Coloured

Going out……

Toilets

Drinking fountains

How did the Jim Crow Laws discriminate against

Black people in the USA?

You could write down bullet points under

the following headings:

School

Travel

Leisure

Housing

Voting