Final answer:
African Americans actively challenged segregation through lawsuits and the formation of civil rights organizations. The enforcement of Jim Crow laws and the 'separate but equal' doctrine intensified institutionalized racism, but post-World War II efforts led to increased resistance and some dismantling of racial segregation.
Step-by-step explanation:
African Americans responded to segregation laws in various ways throughout history, particularly following the Supreme Court's endorsement of such policies. After the Supreme Court invalidated the Civil Rights Act in 1883, African Americans pursued lawsuits against segregation in Northern and Western states. T. Thomas Fortune, a prominent black leader, founded the National African-American League and won a discrimination case in New York in 1891. Despite many lawsuits often being dismissed, success was seen in several cases, such as in Iowa, indicating that civil rights laws were only enforced due to African American activism.
With the establishment of Jim Crow laws and the Plessy v. Ferguson decision, which sanctioned the 'separate but equal' doctrine, African Americans faced heightened institutionalized racism. However, following World War II, organized resistance began to dismantle such racial segregation through legal challenges and grassroots activism, although this was met with considerable opposition, including violence.
Many African Americans migrated northward, seeking job opportunities and less discriminatory environments, yet faced de facto segregation. Notably, incidents such as the Springfield Riot of Illinois highlighted the volatility of race relations when African Americans challenged segregation and vied for equality.