The American Dark Ages

1. The American Dark Ages Focus on 1880s-early 1900

2. Introduction to the American Dark Ages • This time period was coined the American Dark Ages by historian Rayford W. Logan due to an increased violence—e.g., lynching—in the south based on race. • Whites used a three pronged attack aimed at stopping African Americans' participation in politics and the economy and maintain white supremacy: • 1. Disenfranchisement—every southern state, between 1890 and 1905, passed laws designed specifically to prevent African Americans from voting. • 2. Jim Crow Laws—In this same period, each southern state passed laws formally segregating public facilities. It was in the 1890s that the famous "white" and "colored" signs appeared. • 3. Lynching—In this same period, a campaign of lynching began, targeting African American men especially

3. Disenfranchisement • In order to deter black men (and poor whites) from voting, southern states created laws within their state constitutions: • Poll tax—payment upon voting (usually being asked to pay back taxes). • Literacy tests—(40-60% of blacks were illiterate) needing the ability to read or write (to sign name, write candidate down, place in appropriate box). • Arbitrary registration practices • Grandfather Clauses were created in order to allow anyone whose grandfather voted pre-Civil War to bypass any sort of tax or test upon voting. • Aside from laws, blacks faced violence and possible fraud when attempting to vote • Intimidation or physical violence • Having their vote for a non-white candidate thrown out

4. Jim Crow Laws • Up until Plessyv. Ferguson (1896) the idea of “separate but equal” was not law of the land in the south (although it existed in some areas). • Formal legal segregation became known as Jim Crow Laws • The term Jim Crow comes from an American actor names Thomas D. Rice who lived in the early to mid-1800s and who would imitate black culture—speech, habits, songs—all in black face. • Once segregation was made into law, specified in signs in public places started popping up. • Separate drinking fountains, bathrooms, restaurants, hotels, train cars, and separate sections of beaches, parks and theaters.

6. Lynching • Lynching was a cruel combination of racism and sadismused to sustain the caste system in the South. • Most of the lynchings were by hanging or shooting. • Other forms of lynching include: burning at the stake, maiming, dismemberment, castration. • Mississippi, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama were the leading lynching states (had nearly half the total victims combined). • However, there were lynchingsin ever state except MA, RI, NH and VT. • Lynchings occurred most commonly in the smaller towns and isolated rural communities of the South where people were poorand mostly illiterate. • Mobs were made up of small land holders, tenant farmers and common laborers, whose economic status was very similar to that of the Negro.

7. Lynching • According to the Tuskegee Institute, between 1882 and 1951, 4,730 people were lynched in the United States: 3,437 Negro and 1,293 white. • Tuskegee records also show that between 1882 and1951: • 41 % felonious assault • 19.2 % rape • 6.1 % attempted rape • 4.9 % robbery and theft • 1.8 % for insult to white persons • 22.7 % for miscellaneous offenses • Lyncherswere rarely ever indicted by a grand jury or sentenced. • Judge, prosecutor, jurors and witnesses were all white. • If sentenced, the participants in the lynch mobs were usually pardoned.

8. Lynching • William Brown recalls a Florida lynching in 1902.

9. Works Referenced • http://www.umich.edu/~lawrace/disenfranchise1.htm • http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1979/2/79.02.04.x.html • http://withoutsanctuary.org/main.html • http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/shipp/Lynchcauses.html • http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/shipp/lynchingyear.html