Segregation and Racism in the United States Essay - 784 Words

Just fifty years ago, America was a society of segregation and racism. The dictionary defines racism as â€Å"the belief that a particular race is superior to another.† Although it is clear times have changed, racism is still seen in modern american society. It’s also clear that relationships between African Americans and whites are generally better than they were in the forties and fifties. Today, it is rare to witness a black man walk down the street and step off the sidewalk to let a white man walk by, or to see a black man sitting on a different section of the bus or train because a white man told him he has too. But superiority of races is still happening. A lot of this has the do with the ignorance of others. Passed down generation to†¦show more content†¦According to the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, blacks had the same legal protection as whites. The Supreme Court contradicted this when they allowed so called â€Å"restrictions† in the South against blacks. Those who supported Jim Crow generally lived in the South. They believed that whites were above the blacks, in things ranging from intelligence to morality. They thought sexual relations between the two races would ruin the nation, and violence could be used on blacks if needed. So, hospitals, beaches, parks, prisons, public restrooms and even water fountains were separated by color of skin. In certain areas, there weren’t even facilities for colored people (Pilgrim). African Americans also had to treat whites with respect, whereas whites did not have to, and most of the time would not treat the blacks the same. Blacks had to use titles when speaking to whites, they could not eat with the whites, and black men could not offer to shake a white mans hand. Preachers did not help with the problem, but in some situations made it worse. They would preach that God supported segregation, â€Å"the whites were the chosen people, and Blacks were servants † (Pilgrim). Violent rages began during the time of Jim Crow. The laws didn’t prevent one race from hurting another for reasons that are not acceptable. Lynching was the biggest form of violence, and mainly, blacks were the ones targeted. Lynching is the â€Å"public, murder carried out by mobs† (Pilgrim).Show MoreRelatedRacism : Nelson Mandela, Former President Of South Africa1523 Words   |  7 Pageslove comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite† (Nelson Mandela Museum). Racism has been at the forefront of debates since the Nineteenth century and has spread throughout the United States, creating outrage, violence, and political reform. Racism has been the main cause behind many major organizations in this country, some even political. 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