Who enforced the Jim Crow Laws?
From the 1870s to the end of the 19th century, southern states passed laws that restricted the rights of nonwhites. They enacted laws which made segregation legal. These laws became known as Jim Crow Laws. States, counties, and towns enacted such laws and the local and state police forces enforced the laws. They were also upheld by local courts, usually trials consisting of all white juries. In some areas, the laws were also enforced by the use of violence and fear tactics. Mob violence included lynching against southern blacks and the activities of the KKK continued into the early 20th century. Laws were also passed to prevent blacks from voting, via polling taxes and literacy tests before a person could register to vote. Several Supreme Court decisions also enforced the right of states to pass Jim Crow laws. The Court ruled the Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional and said the 14th Amendment did not protect blacks from discrimination by businesses or individuals. (1883) The most
