introduction

While SLAVERY was abolished in the United Kingdom and across much of the world, it remained in place in one place that was ironically known as the 'Land of the Free' - the United States.  It would take a murderous four year Civil war to end slavery. Sadly, although the abolitionist North eventually won and abolished slavery, it was replaced in the Southern States by a system of segregation, discrimination and persecution. 

background

Between 1861 and 1865 the United States, a country that wasn’t even 100 years old, experienced a devastating Civil war which killed more Americans  than both the First and Second World wars combined. It was a war fought over one issue –SLAVERY. 

The Southern States had an economy that was driven by slavery.

However, the Northern States were much more industrial and the majority of people in these states were revolted by the practice of slavery and wanted it abolished.

​The division was so great that the Southern States formed a breakaway Confederacy  removing themselves from the United States. This created a conflict with the North which would last 4 years and cost 620,000 lives.
 

The NORTH would eventually win the US Civil war and therefore Slavery was to be abolished in the United States.

In 1865 the 13th AMENDMENT to the US Constitution abolished Slavery in the United States.
 

Sadly, Slavery was simply replaced by another system of control and discrimination.  Southern States continued to exploit and control African Americans through a system of segregation.  
 

segregation IS.. 

The deliberate separation of the white population in the Southern States from the African American community. 

This practice was even deemed 'legal' in the South due to a notorious US Supreme Court ruling called PLESSY Versus FERGUSON in which it was deemed that segregation was fine as long as things were regarded as 'Separate but equal'  Therefore, schools could be segregated, restaurants, public transport, even park benches! 

​The States in green are the states which enforced segregation. These were the states in which slavery had been celebrated

The JIM CROW LAWS were a set of discriminatory laws in the Southern States of the USA. 
They were aimed at completely controlling and segregating African Americans into an inferior position in society. 
The Jim Crow laws legalised segregation and helped to keep black Americans in inferior positions in society, politics and the economy

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a white supremacist organisation set up to defend / promote the White Anglo Saxon Protestant (WASP) influence in the USA. It believes in a racial state, that this race is supreme and that other races and religions are inferior and indeed are a danger to American society. It deeply dislikes:

• African Americans 
• Other Non White races
• Roman Catholics
• Homosexuals
• Jews

actions

The KKK have used a variety of methods to promote their 'cause'

• Their organisation is generally secret
• They wear Hooded outfits to protect their identity
• They have used marches to promote their ideas
• They use intrimidation such as burning crosses, posters, threats and even bombs to intimidate people
• They have also used murder. Thousands of african americans have been lynched in the USA. 

One of the most notorious cases in the 1950's involved the case of Emmett Till a 14 year old African American who was murdered in the most brutal way by a group of White people in 1955.
Look through the evidence below to unravel the story of what happened. 

warning: this section contains graphic evidence.