Separate is Not Equal

 I remember reading about the Jim Crow laws in my US history course and that due to the Plessy v. Ferguson case, African Americans were treated under the law as “separate, but equal”. It is horrifying to think that in the 1890’s in the South, the “separate, but equal” dogma was used to justify racial segregation and oppression. This sickening system allowed white supremacists to maintain power over “colored people” in the images above that separated the “white” water fountains and bathrooms from the “colored” water fountains and bathrooms. These racially separate facilities, however, were not seen as discriminatory and did not go against the constitution as long as they were “equal”. Not only were water fountains racially separate facilities, but so too were buses, schools, bathrooms, churches, waiting rooms, theaters, and many more. These Jim Crow laws kept white people in power by denying and stripping African Americans of their social and political power. Although these unjust laws were met by African American resistance, groups such as the KKK and UDC fought to maintain white supremacy.

In Karen Cox’s article, “The whole point of Confederate monuments is to celebrate white supremacy”, she exclaims that “The UDC was the main group responsible” for the confederate monuments that still exist today.  A monument by definition is a “structure erected to commemorate a famous or notable person or event”. Thus, I cannot imagine how white supremacist groups justify these monuments by arguing that they honor “heroes” when they are just contributing to the cyclical racism and oppression discussed in the readings the far. After reading Cox’s article, I believe that these monuments are symbolic endorsements of the bigotry that occurred during the Jim Crow era and still today. It is unbelievable to me that the UDC justified and regarded the notorious KKK “as a heroic organization, necessary to return order to the south” (Cox). I was also shocked to discover the vast extent to which women were involved in the KKK when reading Laura Smith’s article, “The Truth about Women and White Supremacy”. Elizabeth Tyler, as Smith mentions, was one of the most influential women and face behind the 1920’s KKK. In fact, one of Tyler’s main contributions was “galvanizing the KKK’s base by expanding the list of targeted Klan enemies beyond Black people: Catholics, Jews, immigrants, and communists” (Smith). It makes my stomach churn to think that people such as Elizabeth Tyler are capable of defending bigotry and “normalizing terrorism” (Smith). When Smith describes the white supremacists’ rally in Charlottesville, it is outraging and terrifying to know that some people in today’s society still uphold values similar to those of the KKK and other hate groups.

Johnson and Cox emphasize the importance of participation as a tool to dismantle racism and oppression. I would agree and say that it is participation through gaining knowledge and awareness that will unravel these unjust and discriminatory systems. In the readings thus far, a theme amongst them has been that certain groups in history have either been misrepresented or totally erased. Thus, it is our duty as participants in this society to face our differences with open arms so that we can attempt to understand and build better relationships with each other.

- Jane B