Jim Crow Laws

Jim Crow Laws were laws that were enacted to disenfranchise and prevent blacks from having their constitutional rights.

Enforcement
Enacted in the 1880s through the 1960s, Jim Crow Laws were enforced throughout the south, "from Delaware to California, and from North Dakota to Texas," and the cities of these states. These states and cities "could impose legal punishments on people consortin gwith members of another race."

Most commonly, Jim Crow Laws that were enforced included the forbidance of interracial marriage, as well as employers, business owners, and public institutions being forced to keep separated their black and white clientele.

Statutes
A few of the most important Jim Crow Laws were those that regarded education, housing, and transportation. Regarding education, the Jim Crow Laws stated that "separate free schools shall be established for the ducation of children of African descent; and it shall be unlawful for any colored child to attend any white school, or any white child to attend a colored school." Jim Crow Laws regarding housing stated that "any person who shall rent any part of any such building to a negro person or a negro family when such a building is already in whole or in part in occupancy by a white person or white family, or vice versa when the building is in occupancy by a negro person or negro family, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five ($25.00) nor more than one hundred ($100.00) dollars or be imprisoned not less than 10, or more than 60 days, or both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court." Jim Crow Laws regarding transportation stated that "the Utilities Commission is empowered and directed to require the establishment of separate waiting rooms at all stations for the white and colored races."

Effects
The effects of the Jim Crow Laws are such that African Americans, though constitutionally they had the same rights as white people, they were prevented from exercising their rights, as well as being disenfranchised. The Jim Crow Laws spread the idea that African Americans really were inferior to whites, which in a way, allowed for the same treatment of blacks as before the practice of slavery was made illegal. Though not exactly the same, the idea behind both institutions was the same: beat down the blacks, and make sure they never have the chance to get back up.