Blacks In The 1800s Essay

456 Words2 Pages

In the 1800’s blacks were treated very unfairly. In this time period it was very hard for blacks, just being a different color was pretty much a crime. One hardship for slaves and blacks was Segregation. Segregating led to slave codes which were used against slaves for slave owners to have power over them. For example, it was illegal for slaves to marry, own property or weapons, and learn how to read and write. Because of segregation, there were many effects on blacks. Dred Scott was a freed slave and he tried to sue the Missouri court for his freedom. In court the judge claimed blacks were not and could never become citizens of the United states. There was already states with slaves, and then the judge allowed slaves to be in the whole nation. …show more content…

After reconstruction, all blacks, slaves, and freed slaves had to follow Jim crow laws. These laws were just as racist and unjust as slave code laws. A slave code law, for example, free black people had to pay fines and if they didn't then they were sold into slavery. Jim Crow Laws, for example, colored and white people had to go to separate schools.

In 1890, the separate car act required railroads to separate blacks and whites. Homer Plessy challenged the law by sitting in the whites only car and said that he was black, so he got charged. The judge did not agree with Plessy, the case decided that the Louisiana law was constitutional under the 14th amendment in the cars for african americans. The Plessy decision was “separate but equal” places, for whites and blacks were constitutional as long as they were equal.

Even though blacks had a hard time with all the discrimination against them they still did not give up. Blacks did things to get out of slavery. For example, Harriet Tubman found the underground railroad and led slaves there to escape. Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist and did everything he could do for the world to have peace. African Americans made jazz and created songs, follow the drinking gourd and wade in the water. These songs helped slaves