27 Heartbreaking Photos That Sums Up The Racial Segregation Era In The United States

1950 Segregated Water Fountains in North Carolina by Elliott Erwitt

The water fountains were mostly the most segregated item in the Jim Crow South, white people were often outspoken about not sharing hygiene facilities with African Americans. The bathrooms were also separated to white people and African American, noted as Colored.
Black and White Activist both protesting
A small ‘coloured dining room’, this shows that the African- Americans were given worse facilities than white Americans

The African Americans  that worked in factories or other facilities had a separated dining room which were far worse that the ones the White people dinned in.
A woman watches as robed Ku Klux Klansmen walk in downtown Montgomery, Alabama prior to a cross burning rally that night, November 24, 1956.

Circulars advertising Klan meeting said, “We believe in white supremacy, we need you — you need us.” Negroes have boycotted city buses for nearly a year in protest against segregation.

African American Woman, walks instead of riding the segregated buses

Montgomery Bus Boycott succeeded because of the participation of tens of thousands of ordinary people. These women and men risked their lives and jobs to keep the boycott alive. Many people like this woman on the picture above, refuse to ride in the segregated bus and walled instated which was a huge risk.
African Americans were relegated to the rear of a bus.
Alabama eatery where a family orders ice cream from the “colored” side of the counter.
All-black classroom
An African American man emerges from using the White Men Only bathroom at courthouse in Clinton, Louisiana, 1964. Photo credit Bob Adelman Corbis
“Integration is Education” – Jim Crow protesters gather outside of George V. Brower School.
Durham, North Carolina, 1940
Hotel owner pouring acid in the water when black people swam in his pool, ca. 1964
Image by leonard freed, 1965
June 20, 1943 White People taking picture with beaten African American

This photo was taken on June 20, 1943 In Detroit. This very day was the beginning of an awful,violent, race-fueled riot. The riot lasted  nearly a week and there were dozens of people killed and countless others injured. Of the persons killed, 25 were African American and 17 of that group were struck down by police officers.”
A sign for the zoo

Occasionally, a few days were designated to allow black people to attend the zoo with the restriction placed on whites.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1939.
Police using a water hoses on African American protesters

Police chief Bull Connors famously turned fire hoses on protesters, and used attack dogs and his own fists to physically beat unarmed people  including women and children.
Racial segregation Ferry Mississippi River 1964
Segegated Military Police
Segregated Entry to the theater

If the theater was not marked with a sign for Colored people, African American were not allowed to walk in the theater.
Black is forced to bow down and kiss the foot of a white individual while the rest of the  Christian
white mob watch. If the man confront the group and  didn’t obey it was most likely that he had been hanged.
Segregated Taxi

The transportation was another segment that was racially separated. Not only that there were segregated buses only for black people, there were also Black Cabs.
Segregated Theather For African Americans
Segregation is UnAMerican
Segregated water fountain
Women’s Prison, New Orleans, Louisiana 1965
Woman arrested for trying to read a book in a segregated library in Albany, GA. 1962.