According to Jim Crow restrictions refers to a set of laws and practices that were enforced in the United States between the late 19th and mid-20th centuries. These restrictions were implemented primarily in Southern states to enforce racial segregation and maintain white supremacy.
Under Jim Crow, African Americans faced systemic discrimination and were subject to various legal and social restrictions. These restrictions covered nearly every aspect of life, including education, employment, housing, transportation, and public spaces.
Education was segregated, with separate schools for Black and white children, and the resources provided to Black schools were often inferior. African Americans were also faced with limited employment prospects, as many jobs were reserved exclusively for white individuals. Housing discrimination was widespread, with Black individuals forcibly confined to certain neighborhoods or denied access to certain housing options.
Segregated public transportation meant that Black individuals were subject to separate and unequal facilities, such as seating in the back of buses or separate train cars. Public spaces such as parks, libraries, and restrooms were also divided, with African Americans being relegated to inferior facilities.
The term "Jim Crow" originated from the racially derogatory minstrel shows that depicted African Americans in stereotypical and demeaning ways. Jim Crow restrictions were finally challenged and largely dismantled by the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, culminating in the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which declared segregated schools unconstitutional.
