Southern Race Relations

I would characterize the changes in Southern race relations that took place over the course of the first half of the twentieth century as a massive struggle for changes in African American lives. There were significant differences between the earlier Jim Crow years, approximately from 1890 to 1932, and the period from 1933 to 1954 include; the implementation of segregation, attainment of African American women’s rights, reduction of racial discrimination, white supremacy, and the eradication of civil and political. In addition, African Americans were deprived of education, employment, and economic opportunities. In late nineteenth century America, white supremacy was created in the south when “mammy [caricature] became the canvas upon which …show more content…
Unfortunately, African Americans were more deprived of education, employment, and economic opportunities during the earlier Jim Crow years, approximately from 1890 to 1932, mostly in the South. In the mid-1940s, the Durham statement became valid and started to improve the lives of African Americans. The Durham statement was a detailed examination of the South and the nation [… which] “discussed the needs and desired rights of blacks in the areas of political and civil rights, industry and labor, service occupations, education, agriculture, military service, and social welfare and health” (Gilpin and Gasman, The Best of Booker T. Washington 2003, 150). Gilpin and Gasman explains that the Durham statement, not only helps to improve the opportunities for African Americans, mostly in the South, but it also helped to “set the stage for some improvements in the conditions of blacks within Jim Crow” (Gilpin and Gasman, The Best of Booker T. Washington 2003, 150). During the period from 1943 to 1954, the chances of African Americans attaining political, social, and economic advancement, started to …show more content…
Regardless of the Supreme Court 's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, many African Americans had continued to press for the abolition of Jim Crow and other racially discriminatory laws. One particular organization that fought for racial equality was the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) founded in 1909. Jonas explains that “it was that in the 1930s the legal arm of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) began plotting a litigation strategy to force the courts to confront the evils of official racism” (Jonas 2005, 31). According to, “the period 1953 to 1954 was time of tension and anxiety [… nevertheless,] this was a time of great movement behind the scenes for those forces that hoped to aid the peaceful transition required” in order to accomplish at least some adjust of segregation (Gilpin and Gasman 2003, 161). It was the momentous Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education that finally broke the back of segregation (Jonas 2005, 31). Given the decision of this case, the NAACP not only fought for racial equality for African Americans but “it was now necessary to restore their rights immediately” (Jonas 2005, 52). On May 17, 1954, in the case Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation of public schools