A Summary From Reconstruction to Today

To gain a better understanding of segregation, I think a time line of events starting from the end of the Civil War to now would help, because they all lead from one to the other. Beginning from the end of the Civil War, 1865, where the North won, a period called Reconstruction began. The North was trying to reconstruct both sides back into a whole nation, so they enforced three amendments throughout the whole nation, though especially for the southern states, and the South had to accept it due to their defeat. The 13th Amendments abolished slavery and prohibited involuntary servitude . The 14th Amendment gave equal rights among all U.S. citizens. The 15th Amendment made it so everyone, no matter of their differences, race, color... all deserves the right to vote. The South went mad, but they had to listen to it.

After the supervisors from the north left the south, thinking that the reconstruction was a success, the South became rebellious. They came up with state laws that made black and white people to have different rights. Such as the black codes, poll taxes, ability to read the contract for voting, and more. All of these state laws were very unfair and favored only one side, which was the White.

The period of time from 1865 to 1965 was very painful for black people that lived in the Southern states; for some time it was similar with slavery, or even worse; as African-Americans were not allowed to quit their place of work, and were paid considerably much lower than their white co-workers. After the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the case of Plessy V.S. Ferguson, segregation grew enormously. African-Americans and White Americans were separated in nearly every way(e.g. schools for only black or only whites, drinking fountains, public transportation, most stores in general, playgrounds, neighborhoods, and socially among other things). These segregation laws were made by the southern states that once were The Confederacy and were called Jim Crow laws.

This type of living continued for another 100 years, but on May 2, 1963, the black people finally decided to take actions! A crowd in Alabama was inspired by Martin Luther king, containing both black adults and students, to protest about segregation. The method that they were using to convince the government was to meet violence with non-violence. A lot of them were arrested, but with a smiles on their face. They knew that they were doing the right thing, and they would win this time, and finally have freedom. This event lasted for quite a long time, but at last it caught President Kennedy’s attention. On June 11, 1963, the president declared the end of segregation (it still continues today, but less frequent and in a different form).

Integration began, but very slowly. Schools started to accept black students, restaurants began to be for both black and white as well…

Today, it is a common phenomenon to see black and white together, laughing and joking with each other. Though imagine that relationship 100 years ago, probably impossible!

-Kevin He