Final answer:
Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the US that enforced racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans. They contributed to the reestablishment of white supremacy in the South by reinforcing racial hierarchies and denying civil rights to African Americans.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jim Crow laws were a series of state and local laws in the United States that enforced racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans. These laws existed between the late 19th century and the mid-20th century, particularly in the Southern states. They contributed to the reestablishment of white supremacy in the South after Reconstruction by reinforcing racial hierarchies and denying African Americans their civil rights.
Under Jim Crow laws, African Americans were subjected to separate and unequal facilities, such as schools, transportation, and public spaces. For example, they were forced to attend separate, underfunded, and inferior schools, travel in separate train cars with limited amenities, and use separate drinking fountains and restrooms.
Jim Crow laws also disenfranchised African Americans, making it difficult for them to exercise their right to vote. Poll taxes, literacy tests, and other restrictions were used to target and exclude African American voters. These discriminatory laws and practices, combined with systemic racism and violence, further marginalized African Americans and entrenched white supremacy in the South.
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