Jim Crow Lecture Lacks Conviction

Author: Crystal Belle

It was 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, and Mead Chapel was more than half full. Students, faculty and parents came prepared to hear a lecture on one of the most painful, horrific moments in American history - the enforcement of Jim Crow laws.

As the audience chattered in excitement, the man of the hour finally came to the podium - William H. Chafe, a relatively tall, bespectacled man with white hair. The distinguished professor of sociology at Duke University did appear to be knowledgeable from the catchy title of his lecture, "From Jim Crow to Civil Rights."

His first statement quickly moved the audience. He proclaimed, "Race is a sin in American democracy." As the audience swallowed these powerful words, it became evident that Chafe was setting a tone that labeled race as a central issue and a primary divider in American history.

As he went on to quote other academics and people who survived the Jim Crow era, his overall tone went from powerful to conservative.

He reinforced the theme that America was built upon a bed of inequality, saying, "Slavery is America's first proclamation for democracy." The land of the free and the home of the brave didn't seem quite as appealing as Chafe drew upon anecdotes of black children drinking from their "black only" water fountains and the continuous lynching of black men in the deep, segregated South.

However, Chafe seemed rather hesitant during his most striking points. For example, while addressing themes of White solidarity and their control over the lives of Blacks in the South, his tone was monotonous and uninviting. Yes, he was stating the facts, but his statements didn't seem to carry any conviction.

Black oppression and resistance went on to be the two dominant themes of the lecture.

Black churches, barbershops, schools and black writers like Richard Wright helped uplift Blacks in the south as well as in the Midwest. Chafe talked about Wright and how he used to serve Whites steak and potatoes while he was allowed to eat only molded bread. Hence, once Wright became a writer, he was compelled to use his imagination to portray race as a result of his own personal experiences.

Chafe also discussed how Black barbershops and beauty salons provided an atmosphere where Black men and women could openly express themselves without being judged. This point complimented Chafe's notion that, despite their oppression, Blacks still managed to better themselves socially and economically.

However, within the topic of Black resistance, oppression still remained at the core-lynchings, segregation laws, and economic inequality.

One key detail of Chafe's speech was his description of black male lynchings and how they actually gave white men the authority to treat black women as sexually subordinate creatures. What could a Black man possibly do if a White man disrespected his wife? Any "improper" action would lead to an automatic lynching. Hence Black males were trapped, defenseless and unable to protect Black women from White advances.

As Chafe articulated this fact, many audience members looked on in amazement. They knew it was true, but hearing the depth of the inequality made it seem so much more unbelievable.

Although Chafe did an excellent job of portraying the realities of blacks in the Deep South, he failed to dig beyond the anecdotes and explain how Jim Crow realities are still affecting the lives of many Blacks today. There are still strong cases of segregation in the South - take the example of the segregated prom in Georgia last year.

One did not get a sense of the actual evolution of Jim Crow and its permanent effects on the Black community despite new policies like Affirmative Action.

Chafe summarized the historical significance of Jim Crow, but he failed to connect how that history is very much a reflection of the socio-economic and political conditions of Blacks today. Too often the lecture came across as redundant, lacking a true sense of progression.

The Civil Rights Movement was hardly addressed, despite the title: "From Jim Crow To Civil Rights." The title in itself reflects an evolution among Blacks from the early to mid-20th century - an evolution that is still very much apparent today. More importantly, the title reflects an inherent change in the United States regarding race relations as a whole.

Overall, Chafe did a decent job of addressing the inequalities experienced by millions of Blacks. However, he failed to offer any new facts or connect the past to the present. How can we understand where we are going if we don't understand how our past fits in?