American History Discussion

PLEASE, remember that this week discusses only historical events in the Southern states. There was NO system of legal, systemic segregation in the North, partly because Northern states ended all slavery after the constitutional creation of the United States. This is a massive difference you will need for your work in this course. (We will cover the North in Weeks 2, 3 and Assignment 1.1).

Republicans passed Reconstruction Era amendments to the Constitution (13th, 14th, and 15th) to assure that the "blessings of liberty" were extended to all American men, including former slaves. However, in 1890 Louisiana passed the Separate Cart Act. A group of prominent African-Americans decided to test the constitutionality of the Law. They lost which caused a serious blow to generations of civil rights as Jim Crow segregation became the norm in the south. (There was never systemic racial segregation in Northern states). The Supreme Court, consequently, passed "separate but equal" legislation for Southern states. Discuss the impact segregation in the South. Identify at least two unique spheres where segregation was the norm in the South. (Consider businesses, community organizations, health care, criminal justice or other spheres). What kind of methods best challenged racial inequality, then and now.

References:

The Negro Motorists Green Book http://autolife.umd.umich.edu/Race/R_Casestudy/Negro_motorist_green_bk.htm

Green Book Helped Keep African Americans Safety on the Road - PBS http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/blog/green-book-helped-keep-african-americans-safe-on-the-road/