AP+Segregation

1) 2) Segregation (Audience) 3) Jamie Stevens 4) The time period of segregation was geared toward two audiences, African-Americans and whites. Segregation negatively affected African-Americans. “The Ku Klux Klan, Knights of White Camellia, and other terrorists murdered thousands of blacks and some whites to prevent them from voting and participating in public life” ([]). Because “thousands of blacks” were harmed through segregation acts, this shows that a very large amount of the African-American population who was harmed during this time. These people were “murdered”, which demonstrates an extreme action taken by the Ku Klux Klan. They strongly believed that blacks should refrain from “voting and participating in public life”. The Ku Klux Klan would go to great lengths to ensure that this discriminatory act happened. Because African-Americans were constantly in danger, this proves that segregation was geared towards this audience.

The segregation era was also aimed towards the white audience. Segregation greatly benefited white people. “Regarded by many as second-class citizens, blacks were separated from whites by law and by private action in transportation, public accommodations, recreational facilities, prisons, armed forces, and schools in both Northern and Southern states” ([]). Because blacks were considered to be “second-class citizens”, it implies that white people were first-class citizens, giving them more importance. Due to this importance that whites possessed, the blacks had to be “separated” from them so that they could maintain it. This separation was enforced in “public accommodations”, causing the whites to have more rights than blacks within the community. For example, in “transportation” and “schools”, whites got higher-classed things than blacks did, such as a smoother-running bus or better school supplies. Thus, whites benefited from the segregation time period. 5) “A Century of Racial Segregation, 1849-1950”. //loc.gov.// Library of Congress. Web. 26 August 2011.

Stonaker, Brielle, and Shepard, Arica. "Segregation". //kawvalley.k12.ks.us.// Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education. Web. 25 Aug. 2011.



Term: Segregation

Historical: Megan Litwicki

Slavery was the starting point of segregation within America. Even at the founding of the country, discrimination against blacks was the norm. Ronald L.F. Davis explains the history of slavery after the Civil War stating, “ After that brief period, during which southern blacks experienced significant political and social empowerment, there descended upon the region over 100 years of segregation…” (Davis). In this quote, Davis points out that even though there was a “brief period” of time that “blacks” were gaining freedom and rights, it was indeed “brief.” Because of this, it is clear that discrimination could not be easily deterred within America as things went right back to the old ways in the form of “segregation.” The fact that progress was made, only to be set back, shows how segregation and discrimination has always been an issue within the United States. When Davis explains that “100 years of segregation” “descended upon” America, it becomes clear that indeed no amount of change or laws could prevent “segregation” and prejudice against class. Though this, it is blatantly apparent that segregation has always been a key part of American culture. This was a huge issue for African Americans during the time as they did not have equal rights, something that is made obvious through the Civil Rights Movement. Although slavery was a key starting point for segregation, the time leading up to the Civil Rights Movement really displayed the issues of segregation. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History touches on this subject through the Jim Crow laws during the movement. It is explained that, “ Legislation known as Jim Crow laws separated people of color from whites in schools, housing, jobs, and public gathering places” (//White Only// 1). The fact that “color”-ed people could not intermingle with “whites in schools, housing, jobs” and even “public gathering places” shows that segregation was a huge issue during this time. Because blacks and whites could virtually do nothing together, the idea of segregation becomes poignant. If that were not enough, it is directly stated the blacks and whites were physically “separated” from each other, further bringing home this concept. Because “blacks” were “separated” from “whites” there was much discrimination during the Civil Rights Movement. Overall, this created a less equal world for “blacks,” and greatly impacted American society during the time of the movement. Through occurrences such as the Jim Crow laws, it becomes clear that the major issues with segregation and its affects can be seen through the Civil Rights Movement.

Works Cited:

Davis, Ronald L.F. //slaveryinamerica.org//. Slavery in America. Web. 24 August 2011.

“White Only: Jim Crow in America.” //americanhistory.si.edu.// Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Web. 25 August 2011.

Michael Lagier The Aim of Segregation The aim of segregation was for white people to keep some of their social superiority over everyone else. Slavery was no longer legal, but white people in both the north and the south saw themselves as the dominant race, leading to them creating laws that required white people and colored people to be segregated. Segregation appealed to many whites because they received their own facilities, as shown when this author wrote, “ Regarded by many as second-class citizens, blacks were separated from whites by law and by private action in… armed forces, and schools in both Northern and Southern states” (A Century of Racial…). Many white people in both the north and the south wanted segregation, because if there were separate facilities for both, nice accommodations could be provided for the white people, and the people they saw as inferior were stuck using junk compared to what the white people were using. There was a popular support for segregation for a very long time, even in the government, shown when an author wrote, “ He dismissed 15 out of 17 black supervisors who had been previously appointed to federal jobs and replaced them with whites” (A Century of Segregation). The person that the quote is talking about is President Woodrow Wilson, who promised to the black community that he would do his best to end segregation. The white community of the time saw blacks as inferior, and Wilson believed that he could use those people for him to gain control and keep them inferior. The aim of segregation was to keep the status quo, with the white people in charge and everyone else beneath them.

Works Cited: “A Century of Racial Segregation.” www.loc.gov. //Library of Congress//. 23 July 2010. Web. 25 August 2011 “A Century of Segregation.” www.pbs.org. pbs.org. 2002. Web. 25 August 2011 Photo http://conservativecorporatism.blogspot.com/2011/04/discreet-red-state-segregation-with.html

Term: Segregation Name: Xavier McLallen

Though racial segregation may seem to be an idea of the past, society today is till affected. Alex Kotlowitz, in his novel "There Are No Children Here", writes that people are still separated residentially. Low income neighborhoods have high percentages of minorities with very few whites, which only furthers the idea of racial segregation even if it is not by law but by choice. Kotlowitz argues that "Racial segregation concentrates poverty and therefore crime. Inner city residents face much higher rates of violent crime than anyone else [b]ecause of the dangers of the neighborhoods…"(Kotlowitz). Here, one can see how the fact that whites and minorities live in vastly different areas affects our society. Minorites are often stuck in states of "poverty" due to their residential status and lives which are affected by crime, making it difficult for them to get good jobs as their reputation is decimated by the actions of those around them. Further more, this "poverty" creates "much higher rates of violent crime" and creates a stigma for the minorities who live in those areas. Blacks, hispanics, asians, and other minorities become labeled as dangerous, stupid, poor, unmotivated, mean, or simply unfavorable. In fact, this can be seen in a study conducted throughout the nation to examine school childrens' reactions to different skin tones.

This study, which was reported by Anderson Cooper on his show AC360, showed that children showed "white bias", which is a preference of whites or associated whites with positive ideas and words. However, this was not only exhibited by white children, though they did show the greatest and strongest amount of bias, but by children of all ethnicities. Children typically associated images of children with light or white skin with positives such as smart, nice, pretty, and "most preferred by adults", while images of the two darkest skin tones were associated with things like dumb, mean, ugly, and "not preferred by adults". When asked their reasoning only a few children said more than "she is black" or "she is white"; however one or two children are shown as saying things like "[she is mean] because she is white and makes fun of other people's skin". Of course, there are exceptions to everything as many children where either neutral to all skin tones, but they were a vast minority of less than 10 percent. Margaret Beale Spencer, in an article written by CNN News to explain the videos, is quoted to show her insight on these findings.

"What's really significant here is that white children are learning or maintaining those stereotypes much more strongly than the African-American children. Therefore, the white youngsters are even more stereotypic in their responses concerning attitudes, beliefs and attitudes and preferences than the African-American children."(CNN 2).

One can see how "stereotypes", such as those implied by Kotlowitz, are "learned" by children from adults. In fact, "white children" are shown to believe in more stereotypes and stigmas about blacks and other minorities than those minorities do about whites and themselves. This, as was likely the case during times of segregation in the U.S., could lead to more and more people disassociating with minorities those of other races. Once again, not interacting with others based on "stereotypic[al]" beliefs and prejudices based on race becomes reasons to separate one's self from them. Which, in turn, feeds into the current system of residential segregation. The two ideas seem to create a cycle of stereotypes and prejudice which may lead to the disassociation of people of varying races, causing more stereotypes to be created or "learned".

Works Cited: Kotlowitz, Alex. There Are No Children Here. New York: Paw Prints, 2009. Print. "Study: White and black children biased toward lighter skin" cnn.com Web. 26 Aug. 2011.