Laws and Practices Enforcing Segregation

• Jim Crow Laws

  • Enforcement: Predominantly in the Southern states, these laws mandated racial segregation in public facilities.
• Jim Crow Laws

  • Reality of ‘Separate but Equal’: While touted as providing “equal” facilities for both races, those for African Americans were often substandard, from schools to public restrooms and transport.
• Brown vs. Board of Education (1954)

  • Background: A collection of five cases challenging the constitutionality of segregation in schools culminated in this historic ruling.
• Brown vs. Board of Education (1954)

  • Outcome: The Supreme Court declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning the previous “separate but equal” doctrine from the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case.
• Brown vs. Board of Education (1954)

  • Reception: While a legal victory, its implementation faced strong resistance in many Southern states.
• Little Rock Nine (1957)

  • Context: Despite the Supreme Court’s verdict, Arkansas's governor resisted the integration of Little Rock Central High School.
• Little Rock Nine (1957)

  • Federal Intervention: President Dwight D. Eisenhower had to deploy federal troops to ensure the safety and attendance of the nine African American students.
• Little Rock Nine (1957)

  • Significance: A significant moment showcasing state versus federal tensions and the lengths authorities would go to uphold segregation.