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The first aspect of the segregation system that comes to mind when one begins to study the system was how amazingly complex it was. Another issue is cost. Having separate systems entailed costs. The most economically significant was work place segregation which essentially denied econiomic opportunity to African Americans. This meant a societal cost. Denying opotunity meant that the society as a whole suffered because large numbbers of Americans were not making the contribution to the economy that they were capable of making. This was one area where the restrictions were not based on law, but rather societal custom and emoloyer contribution. There were, however, legal complications. The most notable aspect of segregation was school segregation. This meant that every southern state and some other systems had two separae school systems. Per pupil expenditures for African Americans were much lower than for White students--a fundamental violation of the Plessy dictum of 'separate but equal'. A too often ignored asoect here is that the children coming out of these schools had real academic achievement, in contrast to he disgraceful stadards of many schools educating African-American children today. A wide range of other Governmernt services were also segregated or set up so African Anericans did not receive the same level of services as Whites. Public recreational facilities were also segregated. Here the approach varied state by state and locally. Parks were either fully segegrated or divided into black and white sections. There were black abd white state poaeks. The approach to city parks varied. Often there were black and white ben ches and drinking fountains. Swimming pools were often for whites only or in some days blacks were allowed to use them on a separate days, often the day before the water was changed. Segregatd transportation varied. The type of conveyance affected the system. Trains within the South had special cars for blacks. Generally busses were segregated by having blacks sit in the back. The approach to transportation also varied from state to state and even by municipalities.
Laws about the workplace varried. Textiles were a major industry in South Carolina. The South Carolina legislature passed laws establishing workplace facilities in the textile mills to the smallest detail. Mill operators were prohinitted from allowing workers of different races from working in the same room or using the same entarnaces. There had to be separate stairways, pay windows, and bathrooms. No socializing was allowed. There had to be separate water fountasins, drinking pails, dippers and or cups. These laws varied greatly from state to state. Several other Southern states had laws that were comparable to South Carolina. Moving north the code was often somewhat more relaxed. While these laws were primarily passed in the South, they were not unknown in other states as well. Many companies only hired White or hired blacks for only the most menial possitions--often ones where it was difficult to recruit Whites. As a result in the deep South states, most Blacks could only find jobs as agricultural laborers.
The slave codes passed by Southern states varied from state to state. Most made it illegal to teach a slave to read and write. They were variously enforced. A few kind hearted owners did so anyway. Other owners did so because educated slaves were more valuable. These were, however, isolated incidents. At the time of emancipation the vast majority of the slaves in the South were illiterate. The Freedman's Bureau set up schools to educate the freed slaves. There were blacks in the North, but a very small proportion of the population. The situatuon in the North varied over time. Some communities excluded blacks from public schools, overtime blacks were admitted although the time frame varied from state to state. Even after emancipation, some states northern and western states still excluded black children. In the South there was a very limited public school system before the Civil War. As public school systems were established following the Civil War, sparated systems were set up for black children. Segregation did not only involve separating black children, but they were the primary target. Nor did segration only occur in the South, although this is wear the vast majority of segregated schools existed. These schools were poorly funded and the facilities abd equipment were far below the standards of he white schools. In most states, black school children got the used books rejected by the white schools. North Carolina and Florida actually seggregated school books. Florida schools had separate depositories for white and black school books. There were costs associated with running two school systems. White children were often bussed. Black children normally had to walk. After World war II, several southern states began improving the black schools, realizing that they were vulnerable to legal challenge because they were so obviously inferior.
Goverment services beyond schools were separated in southern states. There were separate prisons and facilities for the elderly, poor, orphans, mentally ill, and even the blind. These facilities thrioughout the South were generally inferior to such facilities in northern states. And for African-Americans the difference in these faciklities was especikaay notable. Another segregated facility was public libraries. School systems were state systems. Libraries were municipal systems. So the arrangements were more varied. Commonly there were designated libraries for African Americans, usually small branches of the main library which was for whutes only. These branches usually had books that were worn-out and outdated, often cast-offs from the main branches. Often if there was only one buk=lding, there were separate entrances and reading rooms. Some municipalities, simply did not provide library services to African Americans. .
Public recreational facilities were also segregated. Here the approach varied state by state and locally. Parks were either fully segegrated or divided into black and white sections. There were black and white state parks. The approach to city parks varied. Often there were black and white benches and drinking fountains. Swimming pools were often for whites only or in some days blacks were allowed to use them on a separate days, often the day before the water was changed.
Segregatd transopoetation varied. The type of conveyance affected the system. Trains within the South had special cars for blacks. Generally busses were segregated by having blacks sit in the back. The approach to transportation also varied from state to state and even by municipalities. In Washington D.C., for example the schools were segregated, but the streetcars and busses were not. In the southern states, municipal busses generally were segregated. Blacks had to sit the back. There were variations from city to city. In Montgomery Alabama there were three inconscipuously marked sections of every bus. White sat in the front and blacks sat in the back. There was a third middle section. Is few whites were on the bus then blacks could sit in the center section. One ce the white section filled up, however, all the blacks in the center section had to get up and stand in the back. Schools were desegrated through the courts. Transportation systems were not only confronted in the courts, buy by boycotts which received national attention.
Oklahoma law required that there be separate phone booths for black and white customers.
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