The Segregation Era

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The Segregation Era was an extremely miserable time for African Americans in the United States. Whites treated African Americans like trash or their own property instead of as equals. I will explain segregation and what the main causes of it were. Then, I will describe what life was like for people living during this period. Finally, I will talk about the laws that were passed during the segregation period. I will also inform you about the NAACP and its impact on getting equal rights for blacks. In conclusion, I will summarize everything and share my thoughts on segregation. The Segregation Era in the United States is a time that many African Americans living in the United States wish to forget. “Racial Segregation is the separation of different kinds of human racial groups in daily life,” (Wikipedia). The Segregation period, in terms of public life, lasted from roughly 1896-1954. This period was from the Supreme Court case Plessey v. Ferguson to the case of Brown v. Board. What could bring about such a horrible policy like segregation? The answer is fear. “The main cause of segregation was fear of people who are different from us,” (Wikianswers). Those we fear we tend to hate. Racism and prejudice existed mostly in the South during the Segregation Era and they still exist in our country today. Whites treated African Americans as if they were lesser beings. This racism and prejudice pervaded almost the entire country. While racism wasn’t nearly as bad in the North, it still existed in many places. For blacks, life during segregation was very difficult. Racism, which is bad enough, led to things much worse for African Americans. “Along with restrictions on voting rights and laws to segregate society, white violence against Af... ... middle of paper ... ...ows that we have come a long way. But despite this, we can’t erase the fact that our country once was segregated and treated those of different races inequitably. Works Cited Appleby, Joyce PhD., Brinkley., Alan PhD; McPherson, James PhD. The American Journey 2003. New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2003 “Growing Up Black in the 1930.” Library.thinkquest.org. 2010. May 4, 2010. < http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/mculley.html?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0730 “How Long Did Segregation Last?” answers.yahoo.com. 2010. May 4, 2010. < http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090113063526AA12hdO “Racial Segregation.” Wikipedia.com. 2010. May 4, 2010. “Separate But Equal.” Law.umkc.edu. 2010. May 4, 2010.

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