Racial segregation in the United States

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1943 Colored Waiting Room Sign

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"Colored" drinking fountain from mid-20th century with african-american drinking

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Segregated cinema entrance3

Racial segregation in the United States was a legal and social practice of separating people based on their race. Enforced primarily in the Southern United States, segregation was upheld by laws known as "Jim Crow laws" from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. Segregation mandated the separation of African Americans from white Americans in public places, schools, transportation, restrooms, and restaurants. In addition to African Americans, other groups such as Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans also faced varying degrees of segregation.

History

The roots of racial segregation in the United States can be traced back to the slavery era, but it became more systematically enforced after the end of the Reconstruction era in 1877. The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the doctrine of "separate but equal." This decision legitimized the already widespread practice of segregation and discrimination against African Americans and other racial groups.

During the Great Migration, millions of African Americans moved from the rural South to the urban North in search of better opportunities and to escape Jim Crow laws. However, they encountered segregation and discrimination in the North as well, albeit in less formalized forms.

Civil Rights Movement

The mid-20th century saw the rise of the Civil Rights Movement, aimed at ending segregation and discrimination against African Americans. Landmark events and legal victories during this period, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, played crucial roles in dismantling legal segregation. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 also addressed discrimination in voting and housing, respectively.

Contemporary Issues

Despite the legal end of racial segregation, the United States continues to face issues related to race, including systemic racism, racial profiling, and disparities in education, employment, and the criminal justice system. The legacy of segregation and discrimination has had long-lasting effects on American society and contributes to ongoing racial tensions and inequalities.

See Also

• Brown v. Board of Education
• Rosa Parks
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Malcolm X
• Black Power movement
• Affirmative action