Jim Crow Era

After the popular Supreme Court case of Plessy vs. Ferguson the nation transformed into the Jim Crow Era.

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Many unforgettable events took place during the Jim Crow that lead to the fair treatment of blacks compared to whites. During this time period Sundown Towns were specifically popular within the midwest. Sundowns were white only areas that emplaced local laws towards blacks after dark that allowed whites to use intimidation and violence towards black at night. This tactic of discrimination was common in states such as Indiana and Illinois. The 2nd Klan arose fifty years after the original KKK in 1915 by William Simmons and targeted blacks, Catholics, Jews, and foreigners. They believed in Fundamentalism and White Supremacy, and their membership grew dramatically during the 1920s to three million members as it continued to grow. Poll taxes were also started in southern states as requirement to vote and was not fair to the poor. The Grandfather Clause was set in place in favor of white males who had ancestors that voted before the Civil War. There no exceptions African Americans which was clearly racial discrimination. Literacy Test also created obstacles for blacks that wanted to exercise their “rights” by voting. The exam were meant for someone to struggle passing which many did fail the 68 question exam. Another part of the Jim Crow era was the Minstrel Show where white actors pretended to be black (Blackface). The Birth of a Nation  movie displays this sad hardship African Americans faced during this era.

Lynching was also a apart of the Jim Crow era that lead to the death of an accounted 72.7% of the black population in the south.