For many people, especially those who came of age after landmark civil
rights legislation was passed, it is difficult to understand what it was
like to be an African American living under Jim Crow segregation in the
United States. Most young Americans have little or no knowledge about
restrictive covenants, literacy tests, poll taxes, lynchings, and other
oppressive features of the Jim Crow racial hierarchy. Even those who
have some familiarity with the period may initially view racist
segregation and injustices as mere relics of a distant, shameful past. A
proper understanding of race relations in this country must include a
solid knowledge of Jim Crow--how it emerged, what it was like, how it
ended, and its impact on the culture.
Understanding Jim Crow introduces readers to the Jim Crow Museum of
Racist Memorabilia, a collection of more than ten thousand contemptible
collectibles that are used to engage visitors in intense and intelligent
discussions about race, race relations, and racism. The items are
offensive. They were meant to be offensive. The items in the Jim Crow
Museum served to dehumanize blacks and legitimized patterns of
prejudice, discrimination, and segregation.
Using racist objects as teaching tools seems counterintuitive--and,
quite frankly, needlessly risky. Many Americans are already apprehensive
discussing race relations, especially in settings where their ideas are
challenged. The museum and this book exist to help overcome our
collective trepidation and reluctance to talk about race.
Fully illustrated, and with context provided by the museum's founder and
director David Pilgrim, Understanding Jim Crow is both a grisly tour
through America's past and an auspicious starting point for racial
understanding and healing.
