What was the purpose of the Jim Crow Laws?
1 Answer
Jan 28, 2016
To keep blacks separated from whites.
Explanation:
In much of the south the idea of "separate but equal" was how the southern states dealt with the freeing of the slaves. Unfortunately, most of those original laws survived well into the 20th century, some until 1970. In 1968 while traveling though Louisiana I saw in one city's bus stop two drinking water fountains one right next to the other. Above one was "White only" and the other "Colored Only."
Southern politicians were so set on keeps blacks away from the voting booths that they set up artificial systems to keep blacks away, for example, poll taxes, reading tests, among other devices. It took a change in our Constitution via the 24th Amendment to bar states from using a poll tax for any reason.
