Segregation and discrimination

Segregation and discrimination.

• In the 1950s, African Americans were still denied the rights promised by the American constitution. Many states were still segregated and racist attitudes were common.

1. Despite gaining freedom from slavery after the civil war, African Americans were still heavily oppressed in the South.
2. In the South of the USA, segregation was enforced by law in most aspects of daily life - schools, restaurants, theatres, workplaces, public transport and public toilets. Most white people thought this was normal and unremarkable.
3. In the North, there was some informal segregation - reflecting and reinforcing African Americans' lower social status.
4. Average wealth and living standards remained comparatively low for African Americans across the whole country.
5. The Klu Klux Klan was a secret organisation that believed in white supremacy - and used violence to intimidate African Americans. It had declined in popularity in the 1940s but was still active, and many people still shared its beliefs.