Why did segregation Start?
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I think it might have started to stop interracial marriage.
Segregation in the United States started primarily as a result of deeply rooted racial prejudices and discriminatory laws. It emerged during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, following the Reconstruction Era after the American Civil War. Several factors contributed to the initiation and perpetuation of segregation:
1. Reconstruction Period: After the Civil War, the South experienced significant upheaval and changes as former slaves were emancipated and granted citizenship rights. This period saw the implementation of progressive policies aimed at racial equality. However, as Southern states reintegrated into the Union, white supremacists sought to regain control and enforce racial division.
2. Jim Crow Laws: Starting from the late 1800s, Southern states enacted a series of laws known as Jim Crow laws, which mandated racial segregation and reinforced white supremacy. These laws segregated public spaces such as schools, transportation, restaurants, and hospitals, creating separate facilities for African Americans and whites.
3. Plessy v. Ferguson: In 1896, the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson upheld the constitutionality of segregated public facilities, establishing the "separate but equal" doctrine. This decision provided legal justification for segregating public spaces based on race, laying the foundation for subsequent segregation laws.
4. Racial Prejudice and Fear: A prevalent belief in white supremacy and racial prejudice among many Americans also played a significant role in the perpetuation of segregation. Fear and distrust of African Americans fueled segregation as a means of maintaining social and economic control over them.
It is important to note that while segregation was primarily enforced in the American South, it was also present in varying degrees throughout the entire country. Overcoming segregation required significant social and political efforts, which culminated in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.