Plessy Vs Ferguson Segregation

On the front lines in Europe longer than any other American unit, the African-American 369th Regiment triumphed in battle and was recognized for courage and resilience by much of the American public. Yet, the mere existence of a segregated all-Black unit and the mixed reception of these soldiers during and after the war, testify to the entrenched mistreatment of Blacks in America and the ingrained White supremacy attitudes of Americans. Even when they served in segregated units, the presence of Black men in uniform threatened the racial hierarchy and unnerved Whites, which worsened the treatment of people of color. Despite the success of the regiment, their fame did not advance them individually, or the status of Blacks more broadly. Furthermore,

Local and state governments enacted laws that mandated separation between Blacks and Whites. Such separateness was almost always unequal, despite the Supreme Court’s 1896 “separate but equal” ruling in Plessy vs. Ferguson. Blacks were confined to substandard bathrooms, parks, water fountains, restaurants, schools, and hospitals. They generally received a poor education, which hindered their ability to advance. White Southerners subjugated African-Americans whose work options were limited and whose pay lagged behind that of Whites. Perhaps most demeaning were poll taxes and literacy and understanding tests. The vote is at the core of democracy, a fundamental right of every citizen. By denying them suffrage, the government suggests they do not merit equality. Blacks had little input in government policy. Indeed, through endorsing Birth of a Nation, a film praising the Ku Klux Klan lambasting African-Americans, President Woodrow Wilson reveals racist

They were subject to lynching and other violence. In 1892, White mobs lynched 161 Blacks and approximately 1,000 is the decade prior. By 1917, Whites had lynched 70 Blacks for merely talking back. While most attacks occurred in the South, casual racism was common in the North. Blacks could not live in certain areas, sleep in certain hotels, and even try on clothes at a store. Many people criticized the U.S. government for allowing inequality, and especially when the country entered WWI. Hubert H. Harrison, the president of Liberty League of Negro Americans, said that “[W]hile they are talking about fighting for freedom and the Stars and Stripes, here at home the White apply the torch to the black men’s homes, and bullets, clubs and stones to their