• Jim Crow Laws• Scottsboro

Trials• Recovering from

the Great Depression

• Racial Injustice• Poor South

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/slavery/abraham-lincoln/portrait-lincoln-sitting.htm

NEW YORK, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1865.

SCENE IN THE HOUSE ON THE PASSAGE OF THE PROPOSITION TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION,

JANUARY 31, 1865.

States that slavery must end in the United States and all of its territories.

Black Americans

were granted citizenship

and guaranteed their Civil

Rights.

“The First Vote" A.R. Waud.

Black Voting Rights. It sought to protect

the rights of citizens, particularly former

slaves, to vote in federal and state

elections

Jim Crow laws segregated blacks

politically by making it difficult for them to vote. For instance, they required voters to pay a poll tax as

well as prove that they could read.

Although African Americans now supposedly had the same rights as

white society, they were still segregated.

After the American Civil War most states in the South passed anti-African

American legislation. These became known as Jim Crow laws.

These laws included segregation in…–Schools and Hospitals–Theaters–Water fountains–Restaurants and Hotels–Public transportation–Some states forbid inter-racial

marriages

Racial separation (segregation)

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Seal_of_the_United_States_Supreme_Court.png

The Supreme Court went even further to legalize racism by ruling that segregation was lawful as long as blacks and whites had access to equal facilities. (EX. Separate Water Fountains)

These laws were instituted in 1896 and were not abolished until the late 1950’s . Some states still did not adopt the

changes.

Realize that not all of the Justices

supported this view, many felt that the “Constitution is colorblind and

neither knows or tolerates classes among citizens.”

The Roaring 20’s• The new concept of

“credit” • People were buying:

–Automobiles–Appliances–Clothes

• Fun times reigned–Dancing–Flappers–Drinking

1929-1939• Stock market

crash• Didn’t realize

the effect it would have

• No money to replenish what was borrowed

Many found being broke humiliating.

Why was this bad?• Credit system

–People didn’t really have the money they were spending

• WWI–The U.S. was a major

credit loaner to other nations in need

–Many of these nations could not pay us back

The Stock Market• People bought stocks

on margins– If a stock is $100 you

can pay $10 now and the rest later when the stock rose

• Stocks fall–Now the person has

less than $100 and no money to pay back

And then….

• With people panicking about their money investors tried to sell their stocks–This leads to a huge decline

in stocks–Stocks were worthless now

• People who bought on “margins” now could not pay

• Investors were average people that were now broke

• Herbert Hoover was president at the start

• Philosophy: We’ll make it!

• What He Did: Nothing• The poor were looking

for help and no ideas on how to correct or help their situation.

• Farmers were already feeling the effects– Prices of crops went down– Many farms foreclosed

• People could not afford luxuries– Factories shut down– Businesses went out

• Banks could not pay out money• People could not pay their taxes

– Schools shut down due to lack of funds• Many families became homeless and had

to live in shanties

Many waited in unemployment lines hoping for a job.

People in cities would wait in line for bread to bring to their family.

Some families were forced to relocate because they had no money.

• Some families were forced to live in shanty towns– A grouping of shacks

and tents in vacant lots

• They were referred to as “Hooverville” because of President Hoover’s lack of help during the depression.

A drought in the South lead to dust storms that destroyed crops.

“The Dust Bowl”

• Crops turned to dust=No food to be sent out

• Homes buried• Fields blown away• South in state of emergency• Dust Bowl the #1 weather crisis

of the 20th century

Two Families During the Depression

Some families tried to make money by selling useful crafts like baskets.

• When he was inaugurated unemployment had increased by 7 million.

• Poor sections (like Harlem) had 50% of the pop. unemployed

• Instated the “New Deal”

• Yea! Frankie!

• People everywhere were affected by the depression

• It wasn’t until President Roosevelt took over and tried to put the economy back together. People began to see a glimmer of hope.

• 9 young African-American men (13-20) accused of raping 2 white girls in 1931

• Immediately sentenced to death

• Trials went on for nearly 15 years before all the men were dismissed

• Started on a train bound for Memphis• Several white men boarded and picked a

fight with the black men• Whites were forced off train by the 12

black men. • The white men reported to authorities

that the black men had raped two white girls on the train.

• They were immediately arrested and tried in front of an all-white jury.

The trials caused a huge uproar among the black community.