American American SegregationSegregation

Life before Brown v. Board of Life before Brown v. Board of Education and the Civil Education and the Civil

Rights MovementRights Movement

Imagine…Imagine… if you were not allowed to live where you if you were not allowed to live where you

want.want. if you were not allowed to go where you want.if you were not allowed to go where you want. if you were afraid of being killed by people in if you were afraid of being killed by people in

your own town. your own town. if people made fun of you and thought you if people made fun of you and thought you

were a fool. were a fool. if people attacked you when you said what if people attacked you when you said what

you thought.you thought. if people would not let you vote. if people would not let you vote. if you were considered less of a person.if you were considered less of a person.

Brown v. Board of Education Brown v. Board of Education of Topekaof Topeka

It was a U.S. Supreme Court Decision It was a U.S. Supreme Court Decision that changed America forever. that changed America forever.

It happened 50 years ago. It happened 50 years ago. It made segregation based on race It made segregation based on race

illegal. illegal. It said that all children, no matter It said that all children, no matter

what their race, could go to their what their race, could go to their neighborhood school. neighborhood school.

Separate but EqualSeparate but Equal Plessy v. Ferguson was a Louisiana court case Plessy v. Ferguson was a Louisiana court case

that went all the way to the Supreme Court in that went all the way to the Supreme Court in 1896.1896.

The Court said that segregation by race was The Court said that segregation by race was legal. legal.

It said that blacks and whites could be separate It said that blacks and whites could be separate as long as the facilities were the same. It as long as the facilities were the same. It started the idea of “Separate but Equal.” started the idea of “Separate but Equal.”

It made blacks and other minorities second It made blacks and other minorities second class citizens. class citizens.

Blacks did not have the rights and the freedoms Blacks did not have the rights and the freedoms that whites had and that you have today. that whites had and that you have today.

Separate but EqualSeparate but Equal

This picture shows This picture shows how blacks were how blacks were forced to sit in forced to sit in different places in different places in movie theaters and movie theaters and restaurants. restaurants.

Blacks hated this, Blacks hated this, but they were but they were forced to do it by forced to do it by state and city state and city governments. governments.

Separate but EqualSeparate but Equal Blacks were forced Blacks were forced

to sit in different to sit in different parts of bus and parts of bus and train stations. train stations.

They were forced They were forced to get on last and to get on last and ride in the back of ride in the back of the bus. the bus.

They were forced They were forced to ride in different to ride in different train cars. train cars.

Blacks and whites were Blacks and whites were kept separate in…kept separate in…

Homes: Blacks could Homes: Blacks could not buy houses in not buy houses in white neighborhoods. white neighborhoods.

Jobs: Blacks could not Jobs: Blacks could not get many jobs that get many jobs that whites could get. whites could get.

Buses and trains.Buses and trains. Courts: Blacks could Courts: Blacks could

not serve on juries.not serve on juries. Movie Movie theaterstheaters. .

Restaurants: Many Restaurants: Many places would serve places would serve blacks in the back or blacks in the back or would not serve blacks would not serve blacks at all. at all.

Schools and universities. Schools and universities.

Marriages: Blacks and Marriages: Blacks and whites could not marry. whites could not marry.

Hospitals: Black babies Hospitals: Black babies were not born in the same were not born in the same hospitals as white babies. hospitals as white babies.

GraveyardsGraveyards

That does not make any sense!!!That does not make any sense!!!

What about civil rights? What about civil rights? Civil rights means Civil rights means everyone who is a citizen everyone who is a citizen deserves the same rights. deserves the same rights. Don’t blacks and whites Don’t blacks and whites have the same rights?have the same rights?

The 14The 14thth Amendment Amendment says “Equal says “Equal protection.” protection.”

Separate but Separate but EqualEqual would would give blacks give blacks equality, right?equality, right?

Blacks might be Blacks might be separate, but doesn’t separate, but doesn’t the equal part mean the equal part mean they have the same they have the same rights and opportunities rights and opportunities as whites?as whites?

Wrong! Separate was Wrong! Separate was fine with fine with

segregationists. segregationists. Segregationists were Segregationists were

not interested in not interested in letting blacks have the letting blacks have the

Equal part. Equal part.

Separate but Separate but NOTNOT Equal Equal

was the reality was the reality in the lives of in the lives of

blacks. blacks.

Segregationists fought Segregationists fought against equal rights for against equal rights for

blacks. blacks. The Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan was established in was established in 1867 to scare 1867 to scare blacks into not blacks into not voting or running voting or running for public office. for public office.

They used violence They used violence and intimidation to and intimidation to stop blacks from stop blacks from voting and gaining voting and gaining equality. equality.

Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws White leaders in state and White leaders in state and

city government made laws city government made laws that separated whites and that separated whites and blacks. blacks.

These laws, called Jim Crow These laws, called Jim Crow Laws, were made to keep Laws, were made to keep blacks as second class blacks as second class citizens.citizens.

““Jim Crow” was a character Jim Crow” was a character in theater who was foolish in theater who was foolish and stupid. Calling and stupid. Calling someone “Jim Crow” was an someone “Jim Crow” was an insult. insult.

Here is a picture of the “Jim Here is a picture of the “Jim Crow” character. See how Crow” character. See how he looks silly and ridiculous. he looks silly and ridiculous.

Separate but NOT EqualSeparate but NOT Equal Separate but Equal Separate but Equal

was the law, but was the law, but many cities and states many cities and states did not listen. did not listen.

This is an example of This is an example of a restaurant that a restaurant that blacks had to eat in. blacks had to eat in.

Whites had a cleaner, Whites had a cleaner, newer restaurant in newer restaurant in another part of town. another part of town.

Discussion and Journal Discussion and Journal QuestionsQuestions

What emotions do What emotions do you think this man you think this man is feeling?is feeling?

What does this What does this man think about man think about segregation?segregation?

What would you do What would you do if you were him?if you were him?

Discussion and Journal Discussion and Journal QuestionsQuestions

Why do you think Why do you think segregationists segregationists tried so hard to tried so hard to keep blacks as keep blacks as second class second class citizens?citizens?

What could change What could change their minds and their minds and show them that show them that segregation and segregation and racism is wrong?racism is wrong?

Discussion and Journal Discussion and Journal QuestionsQuestions

Imagine you were a Imagine you were a black person in black person in 1910. 1910.

How would you fight How would you fight against segregation?against segregation?

What could you do to What could you do to help your help your community?community?

Why would the Why would the education of your education of your children be so children be so important to you?important to you?