Strange Careers of the Jim Crow North: Segregation and Struggle outside of the South

American racism originated in the liberal North, perpetuated by colorblind arguments about "cultures of poverty" and policies that diverted resources away from poor black people. This history was made by Americans in the North, who tried to unmake it, but liberalism gave racism new and complex places to hide. The anthology "Jim Crow's Long Shadow: How the North Maintained Systemic Inequality" dispels the myth that the South was the birthplace of American racism and presents a compelling argument that American racism actually originated in the North.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 23 April 2019
Publisher: New York University Press

The origins of American racism have long been a subject of debate, with many suggesting that it originated in the liberal North. However, this assertion is far from accurate. Jim Crow, the system of institutionalized racism that characterized the South, was not a regional sickness but a national cancer. Despite the high point of twentieth-century liberalism in the North, Jim Crow racism remained hidden in plain sight. This was perpetuated by colorblind arguments about "cultures of poverty" and policies that focused more on black criminality than black equality. Procedures that diverted resources in education, housing, and jobs away from poor black people turned ghettos and prisons into social pandemics.

It is important to note that Americans in the North made this history, and they also tried to unmake it. However, liberalism, rather than lighting the way to vanquish the darkness of the Jim Crow North, gave racism new and complex places to hide. The twelve original essays in this anthology unveil Jim Crow's many strange careers in the North. They accomplish two goals: first, they show how the Jim Crow North worked as a system to maintain social, economic, and political inequality in the nations most liberal places; and second, they chronicle how activists worked to undo the legal, economic, and social inequities born of Northern Jim Crow policies, practices, and ideas.

The book ultimately dispels the myth that the South was the birthplace of American racism and presents a compelling argument that American racism actually originated in the North. This is a significant revelation, as it challenges the dominant narrative that has been perpetuated for decades. It is essential to understand the origins of racism in order to work towards creating a more just and equitable society for all. By recognizing the role that the North played in perpetuating Jim Crow, we can begin to address the systemic issues that have contributed to racial inequality and work towards a more inclusive and diverse future.

Weight: 546g
Dimension: 230 x 151 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479820337