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More like 50 years ago. The civil rights movement got it's start in the late forties. I don't think there were many places still practicing Jim Crow in the 1970's.
My mom tells stories of growing up in Indiana in the forties and fifties. What she describes is very similar to what stillkit has to say.
Sundown town with blacks living in their own area, separate bathrooms, water fountains, restricted to the movie theater balconies, etc.
She also has some pretty bad stories about how white children would go 'across the tracks' and harass the black children, just for something to do when they were bored.
As this happened in Indiana it should be noted that this was not just a southern issue, it happened in many, many places.
Yes, it was very widespread, but the South got all the press during the late 50's and early 60's, which allowed effete northerner's the luxury of disclaiming their own racism.
Yet, it was in Boston where opponents of forced integration set school busses on fire and even today, right now, whenever a black person comes up on the CB radio, in places like PA or NJ or NY, it won't be two minutes before someone says, "Shut up n----r!" You rarely hear that in the South.
Former Pres. Carter wrote a book abouting growing up in the south before civil rights. It was interesting. I remember when I was a little girl and was on a trip to the south and it was the first time I saw water fountain label colored or white. It was a awful feeling because I came from the north. Thank God everything has changed.
The difference was that the Southern state gov'ts sponsored racism. In the north, it was de facto. But in the north, the huge immigrant population also lead to self segregation i nthe cities based on ethnicity. Blacks weren't really looked down upon as a distinct group because everyone was looked down upon by everyone else as a distinct group up north. In the south, it was clearly white versus black with a clear demarcation of state sponsored segregation and rights.
Although I cannot testify to the south prior to the civil rights movement, it was probably over dramatized.... that is not to say it was not racist, but just not to the extent the media makes it out to be. That's my guess though.
Sadly, you are wrong, it was worse than the media made it out to be - especially for the folks living through it. There are lots of documented info available as well as folks still alive. I personally know 2 people with permanent scares from dog bites. There was a reason Blacks migrated to the north and west during that time and money was not the only reason.
Actually, during those times, it was the media that made some folks open their eyes and say wow - I can't believe this is really happening
This article describes the dynamic between the whites and blacks in the Missouri Bootheel in the early 1900's. Pretty interesting read.
"For example, in January of 1923 an article in the Sikeston Standard berated locals who were responsible for intimidating African Americans and encouraged citizens to protect them. Yet when African Americans crossed social boundaries by trying to live anywhere or by having parties where races mixed, the paper published veiled and overt threats. For most, a “good citizen” meant someone who did not attempt to step out of their prescribed place in society or attempt to achieve equality with white citizens."
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stillkit
The Civil War ended 146 years ago. There aren't any "older" Southerner's left to ask.
Sorry I meant Civil Rights movement ended.
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