The Ethics of Living Jim Crow
The title, The Ethics of Living Jim Crow, by prominent writer Richard Wright explores the life of African-Americans under the Jim Crow Laws in the State. The experience people had while living under the Jim Laws in Africa had a shaping of the black perspective in different perspectives. The laws in reference where racial laws enacted immediately after completion of the Reconstruction period in Southern areas of the United States. Many aspects of life changed and the social interactions became a burden to the Blacks as they had to watch on how they talked to the white people. One could face death due to any form of utterance considered disrespectful. Wright through the elaboration of a life story of the narrator in a literary piece, the oppression he faced and helps the audience to understand the response many Black – Americans had to the Jim Crow Laws. Although physical threats such as torture, severe punishments and deaths were standard threats, the Blacks had other emotional and psychological risks and recited to them in diverse ways as reflected in the book.
Vulnerability to crime accusation
One of the emotional and psychological issues that Black Americans faced during the time of Jim Crow Laws was the aspect that they could be accused of crime anytime without necessarily committing it. If you were a ‘Nigger’ during this period, you had an automatic qualification to any sort of crime. Wright notes that any white man could accuse a Black person of minor issues like disrespect, and move to the extent of hitting the culprit. He states, "Nigger, ain' yuh learned no better since the' yet?" asked the man who hit me. "Ain' yuh learned t' say sir t' a white man yet?" (Pg. 3). The most significant problem was not the punishment they received but the trauma that they belonged to the wrong or lawbreakers category whether they were law-abiding citizens or rogue members. Through this trauma, Blacks became resistant internally and developed a sense of hatred to all whites hence the sharp divisions on the minority and majority groups in the United States. Since they lacked supremacy to champion for their rights in this period, they only developed an attitude that all whites were there to tarnish and discriminate Black people.
Racial Discrimination and Segregation
Another emotional aspect that the Blacks faced during the period of these laws was discrimination in both formal and informal places. Informal places like workplaces, for example, there were separate amenities for Whites and Blacks. The two groups could not share the same offices, same dining rooms, and the same healthy facilities. While in workplaces, both official and non-official interactions were limited between the two groups as Wright notes. Black people were arrested for interacting with Whites in the same position or through a grown social relationship with people of opposite sex. “One of the bell-boys I knew in this hotel was keeping steady company with one of the Negro maids. Out of a clear sky, the police descended upon his home and arrested him, accusing him of bastardy.” (Pg. 6). Such restrictions even to the social life made the life of the Blacks difficult.
In response to the restrictions and discrimination in all the diversities of life, the Blacks had to device a survival technique. The laws had black people scared for their lives and social interactions until they found ways to survive through sticking together. In the late 1880s, the Blacks through the inspiration they had of sticking together began to fight against the Jim Crow Laws. While they were a minority, with the oneness, their voice received attention, and despite the frustrations and intimidations during the initial stages, the genesis resulted in the late revolutions that saw a reduction of such discriminations. The Blacks utilized the threat of discrimination to educate themselves on the Jim Crow Laws, noted their loopholes about the constitution and used such information to defend themselves.
Access to Education
Another threat blacks faced was access to education. Wright and other blacks lacked access to reading materials since they had no right to enjoy reading the same books as whites. At once instance, Wright had to ask for help from a Roman Catholic friend to allow him to borrow books from the library in his name, pretending that he works for him and he is the one who sent him (Wright, 9). Additionally, blacks had no right to debate some topics with the whites, terming them as taboos. Blacks responded through acceptance by following the rules but also finding means to gain access to their educational needs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Jim Crow Laws were laws conceived in 1836 as they were created by white people to Amuse other white people during the era of racism and discrimination. The Ethics of Living Jim Crow is a title that helps people digest the results of such Laws through the eyes of an Africa – American who lived during the terrible times. Different issues such as unity among minority groups and the pursuit of education among Africans came as a response to such laws.
Work cited
Wright, Richard. The ethics of living Jim Crow: An autobiographical sketch. 1937.
