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January 03, 2012

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Brando Simeo Starkey

Sounds interesting. Does the book at all talk about the impetus for undermining of Jim Crow? I.e. what made southern states and the federal government introduce these reforms?

Alfred Brophy

It's focused around the reformers; some of the impetus for change came from them (and in a later period from more radical people, obviously). Sometimes the reformers were people who wanted moderate change, but not wholesale abolition of Jim Crow. After the mid 1930s a significant impetus for change came from appeals to African American voters in northern states. And important part of this story is about voters "purchasing" more freedom with their votes.

Brando Simeo Starkey

Great. I just checked my school's library and they have it. It sounds like something I should be citing.

David Bernstein

"Johnson does a very nice job of reminding us of what should be obvious -- the state (the federal government, as well as southern states) had a lot to do with undermining Jim Crow." Since government had a lot to with establishing, institutionalizing, and maintaining Jim Crow, it makes sense that government initiative was required to undermine it.

Alfred Brophy

Thanks for commenting, David. The impetus for reform might have come (and did in many cases) from outside of the state. The actions of outsiders are often the focus of studies of Jim Crow. However, Johnson makes the point that often gradual reforms by the state led to more political power for African Americans and, thus, even more reform.

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