Jim Crow Laws

What are Jim Crow laws?
The Jim Crow laws were racial segregation laws that went on until 1965. These laws were created to separate the black and white people. They claimed that the laws would help the towns by providing “equal facilities” for both colors, but that was not the case most of the time. The black schools, libraries, etc. were often in poor conditions, almost unbearable for any person to tolerate.

How does this play a role in “To Kill A
Mockingbird”?

The Jim Crow laws took place during the same time frame as “To Kill a
Mockingbird”. Although many of Maycomb's citizens were very happy with the Jim Crow laws, Atticus wasn’t. Atticus protested these laws in the defense of Tom Robinson. He definitely doesn't allow Scout and Jem to use racial slurs. Another character that is crucial to this would be Calpurnia. Atticus regards Calpurnia as an equal even though many other white people don’t. Calpurnia is full of wisdom and she mothers both Scout and Jem. Atticus isn't afraid to stand up to people who disagree, such as Aunt
Alexandra, even when Aunt Alexandra tells Atticus that he brings disgrace on the family for representing a black man. Jem and Scout are allowed to watch the Tom Robinson trial from the balcony where Atticus tries desperately to defeat the Jim Crow laws by giving Tom Robinson a fair chance at his court case.

What do the laws consist of?
● A black male could not offer his hand to a white male.
● A black male could not offer his hand or any other part of his body to a white woman because he risked being accused of rape.

● Blacks and whites were not supposed to eat together. If they did eat together, whites were to be served first, and some sort of wall was to be placed between them. ● Under no circumstance was a black male supposed to offer to light a cigarette for a white female. That gesture implied intimacy.
● Blacks were not allowed to show public affection toward one another in public, especially kissing, because it offended whites.
● Blacks were introduced to whites, never whites to blacks.
● Whites did not use courtesy titles of respect when referring to blacks, for example. Instead, blacks were called by their first