Jim Crow Laws

1. Jim Crow Laws

2. Who was Jim Crow? • The name Jim Crow is often used to describe the segregation laws, rules, and customs which arose after Reconstruction ended in 1877 and continued until the mid-1960s. • Jim Crow was a caricature of a black man • The name came from a song: • "Come listen all you galls and boys,I'm going to sing a little song,My name is Jim Crow.Weel about and turn about and do jis so,Eb'ry time I weel about I jump Jim Crow."

3. Who was Jim Crow? • The song was written by Thomas Rice, a white actor • After seeing a black man singing the song, he was “inspired” to create the character “Jim Crow”, an exaggerated and highly stereotypical black character • He wore black face paint and performed all over the country, and soon the world • His act was incredibly popular – white people loved seeing black people as singing, dancing, grinning fools

5. Who was Jim Crow? • By 1938, the term “Jim Crow” was used as a racial slur against Black people • It wasn’t as offensive as the “N” word – more along the lines of calling someone a coon or a darkie • By the end of the 19th century, it was used more often to describe laws and customs designed to oppress Blacks rather than to describe Blacks themselves

6. Its Effect • Rice and other actors like him popularized the idea that Black people were lazy, stupid, and less human • This made it easy to continue treating Blacks as inferior to whites • Whites were able to justify laws to continue the oppression of Blacks