jim-crowism

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Racial segregation policy: "jim-crowism" refers to the system of laws, practices, and social customs that enforced racial segregation and discrimination against Black people, primarily in the Southern United States from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century.

Usage Examples

• (The period of legally enforced racial segregation.)
• (The system of racial discrimination.)

Advanced Usage

• "to oppose jim-crowism": to actively resist or challenge the system of racial segregation.

  • Many civil rights leaders dedicated their lives to opposing jim-crowism. (They fought against discriminatory policies.)

• "the legacy of jim-crowism": the lasting social, economic, and political effects of this segregation system.

  • The legacy of jim-crowism continues to affect communities today. (The enduring impact of past discrimination.)

Variants and Related Words

• Jim Crow (n): the name for the system of racial segregation and discrimination itself, derived from a 19th-century minstrel show character.

  • The Jim Crow laws enforced separation in schools, transportation, and public facilities. (The specific legal codes of segregation.)

• Jim Crowism (n): an alternative spelling of "jim-crowism," meaning the same system.

  • Historians study the origins of Jim Crowism to understand its deep roots. (The ideology and practices of segregation.)

Synonyms

• Segregation: the act of separating people based on race.
• Racial discrimination: unjust treatment of people based on their race.
• Apartheid: a similar system of racial segregation in South Africa.

Related Idioms

• "to be under Jim Crow": to live under the system of racial segregation.

  • Black communities were forced to be under Jim Crow for decades. (They endured discriminatory laws.)

• "to fight against Jim Crow": to struggle to end racial segregation.

  • The Freedom Riders were brave individuals who fought against Jim Crow. (They challenged segregated bus travel.)