A History of the Civil Rights Movement

During the first half of the 20th century, Jim Crow laws in many southern states legally segregated whites and blacks, as the photos on this page, which were taken in the 1940s, show. (Top) This cafe in Durham, North Carolina, has separate entrances and seating areas for whites and blacks. (Bottom left) Blacks are required to stand behind white passengers while waiting for a bus at the terminal in Memphis, Tennessee. Racial discrimination was not confined to the South during this time. In the northern states, many African Americans were unable to get a decent education or job because of racism.