Jim Crow Laws

Gr 9 Up—Young people need to be informed often about America's dark racial history, yet this segment is never fully explored in schools. This important book traces the history of racial discrimination against African Americans, beginning immediately after the Civil War and continuing into the aftermath of Brown v. Board of Education. It describes the many landmark Supreme Court cases that defined the period and the horrors endured by blacks during this time of government-supported and approved segregation, especially in the South. The scope and content of the book reflect thorough research and recount the events surrounding the Supreme Court cases. The writing is clear and the chapters logically arranged. There are no illustrations, reflecting the more legalistic nature of the text. Included, however, are excerpts of important primary-source documents and biographical sketches of important figures.—Carol Jones Collins, Hanover Park High School, East Hanover, NJ