Jim Crow Laws

The Jim Crow laws were intended to control and suppress freedom, ensure a supply of cheap labor and continue white supremacy. The term 'Jim Crow' came from a television show in which a white man acted in a way that was derogatory to African Americans. The name of the show was "Jump Jim Crow". The Laws were designed to socially separate blacks and whites in all areas of daily life. Blacks were denied to testify against whites in court, vote, and serve on juries. They denied blacks the civil rights they had gained during the reconstruction. Forcing segregation between blacks and whites in many areas. These laws were not overturned until Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in Kansas in 1954.

In Maya Angelou's novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Jim Crow Laws are expressed throughout. For example, Maya needs some dentist work done so her grandmother takes her to the closest dentist to whome is white. The dentist refused to help them because he is a white dentist only. He would not assist them because they were Black. He continues to say that he rather 'stick his hand in a dog's mouth than a negroes." Living in Arkansas, their town was primarily blacks. There were few, if any, whites around. In the novel Maya explains that when she moved to California and saw so many whites, she could not believe it. She did not think that white people were real. In Arkansas they were not exposed to any other lifestyle than what they lived. In Calfiornia she was amazed about the amount of whites and how they were able to go in the same stores and use the same waterfountains as blacks.

Modern teenagers should understand that although the Jim Crow Laws and segragation have been abloished, there is still a division of the white and black classes. People may still seem prejudice towards another racial or religous group. This is not something that can be changed like how the Jim Crow Laws were abolished because it is somethign that a single person feels. Maybe even a whole group of people, for example the Ku Klux Klan, a.k.a the KKK. Even though slavery and segragation were abloished it stills goes on. Teenagers especially need to understand that they are the people who are going to change this (or keep it going). It is imorntant to understand the social issues that are going on around you and to stay involved.