The Importance of the Judicial System in the Rise Essays

The Importance of the Judicial System in the Rise and Fall of Jim Crow Lauren A. Gonder Athens State University, Culture and Globalization, Dr. Malcolm Cort The Importance of the Judicial System in the Rise and Fall of Jim Crow The Jim Crow era was one of struggle, not only for the victims of the violence, discrimination, and poverty, but by those who worked to contest segregation in the South. The judicial system resolves cases based on legal precedent and in terms of the rights of the Constitution CITATION Mas \l 1033 (Massey, 2016). Most of the time, the court plays catch up to public opinion and changing traditions. The decisions of the courts, in some cases, force social change when the public and major organizations are separated CITATION Mas \l 1033 (Massey, 2016). After the Jim Crow era, it was crucial for the United States and the judicial system to break the deadlock between Jim Crow and the people in order to move forward into a justly and justifiable society. The state as a large-scale structure can and does play an important role in social change. Ulysses S. Grant accepted the surrender of General Robert E. Lee in 1865 at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. The Civil War marked the deadliest period of fighting in U.S. history CITATION Ame99 \l 1033 (Reconstruction and the Rise of Jim Crow, 1999). While the Northern economy boomed during the controversy, the Southern economic infrastructure was devastated by the war. Southern whites were sorrowing over their losses while the blacks celebrated in victory hoping they would finally be recognized as equals. The reconstruction of the South was difficult and less rewarding for the former slaves than they hoped CITATION Ame99 \l 1033 (Reconstruction and the Rise of Jim Crow, 1999). Everyone had a different view on how to bring the rebel states back to the Union, though there weren't any specific guidelines explaining the process. In the end, a fundamental belief in the right to property and lack of concern for the blacks led to few essential adjustments in regard to race relations in the South. The situation would remain this way until the Civil Rights movement in the 20th century. President Abraham Lincoln had little opportunity to implement the reconstruction program devised during the war. During this time, Lincoln passed the 10 percent plan laying out the terms for readmitting the rebel states to the Union. This plan offered full pardons and amnesty to all Southerners, except high-ranking Confederate civil and military officers, who reestablished their allegiance to the United States by taking the oath of loyalty and accepting the abolition of slavery CITATION Ame99 \l 1033 (Reconstruction and the Rise of Jim Crow, 1999). Any property that was commandeered would return to its owner, apart from slaves. In the 1860 election, when the percentage of loyal Southerners in any state reached 10%, that minority could create a new state government and send a representative to the U.S. Congress. By this point, Lincoln had said little regarding the former slaves other than they would not return to oppression. After Lincoln was shot in 1865, five days after General Lee surrendered, Vice President Andrew Johnson became president. Johnson had complete control of the reconstruction policy for 8 months while Congress vacationed for the summer, and during that time he implemented a plan that appeared to strip the Southern aristocrats of their wealth and power CITATION Ame99 \l 1033 (Reconstruction and the Rise of Jim Crow, 1999). President Johnson kept Lincoln's program of amnesty, but excluded officials of the Confederacy and very wealthy Southerners from receiving a pardon without a direct request to Johnson himself. He was determined to fundamentally alter the structure of the Southern society. Suddenly, the reconstruction policy changed, and members of the South's old elite reiterated their sway, and many won state and federal elections, which returned them to positions of power. Unexpectedly, President Johnson began pardoning aristocrats and leading rebels allowing them to take office. As a result, many former Confederate officials traveled to Washington to claim their newly acquired seats in Congress, but Radical Republicans refused to accommodate their Southern colleagues or recognize the new state governments CITATION Ame99 \l 1033 (Reconstruction and the Rise