During the beginning of the 1880's, a series of laws known as the Jim Crow laws were passed. These laws legalized segregation between blacks and whites. When the blacks tried to stand up to the oppression they were threatened and in some cases killed. During this time, there were many lynchings and unfortunately, it was very common then. Frederick Douglass once said in a speech, "If there is no struggle there is no progress.... This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one.... But it must be a struggle."
The 13th Amendment freed the black slaves, the 14th granted them citizenship and the 15th allowed them to vote, but even though they were free, they were still treated differently. …
