Discussion

The material from Week 4 asks you to think about how people experienced Jim Crow.  Your responses here should show direct engagement with the assigned readings.  In other words, I want to be able to tell from your responses that you are thinking critically about the material from Week 4. 

1. The Higginbotham chapter and the reading from Remembering Jim Crow details the many ways that life for Black Americans was limited, circumscribed, and controlled.  Which example/s from these readings were most striking to you and why did it stand out?  Your response should be 2-3 sentences. 3 points.

2. Higginbotham frames his discussion of Jim Crow policies and practicing actively contributing to the "prevention of Black excellence."  What do you think Higginbotham means by "prevention of Black excellence" and what is the case in support of that argument?  Why was the prevention of black excellence so important to white people?   Your response should be 3-4 sentences long. 3 points. 

3. What were some of the acts of violence commonly experienced by the Black population during the Jim Crow era?  Why do you think such extreme violence was committed to uphold segregation?  Do you think it is important for people today to learn about the incredible brutality that characterized the Jim Crow era?  Why or why not?  Your response should be 4-5 sentences long. 4 points.