4 Facts about the Origins of Jim Crow

The term was among other things, a song and dance act modelled after a slave

Long before Jim Crow became the name for legalised oppression of black people, it was a song.

Thomas Darmouth Rice noticed a slave with a crooked leg and deformed shoulder working and singing:

Wheel about and turn around do ji so Ebratime I wheel about I jump Jim Crow

Dartmouth found it inspiring, wrote a song which made fun of black people and called it “Jump Jim Crow”.

However this is not the true origin of the term which can be traced back to West Africa.

Many people often hear the name without truly knowing how it came about.

In this article, we are going to list the 4 facts that define Jim Crow.

1. The slaves and the crow symbolism

Life on a plantation was very harsh to say the least and slaves often tried to lift their spirits by singing.

Many among them came from West Africa where the crow has positive connotations.

It is a symbol of good luck, the Yorubas for instance believe that hurting a crow bring misery into one’s life.

In the Yoruba culture, there is a folk tale about “Jim”, a crow who is acting foolish to get what he wants.

It is not far fetched to state that various slaves who came from this part of Africa shared this tale with others. It became a song that could be heard in various fields.

2. The actor who made a career out of racism

Thomas Dartmouth Rice was born in New York in 1808. He grew up in an integrated neighbourhood and loved acting from a young age.

He often toured in the South where he came upon a disabled slave who was singing.

As we previously mentioned, this encounter changed Rice’s life and launched the culture of Minstrel shows (white actors with blackface).

Daddy Rice as he came to be known, caused a sensation with this act and performed all around America as well as England.

His career can be defined by this song as he never did anything else after “Jump Jim Crow”.

3. The song lyrics

“Jump up Jim Crow” depicts slaves as violent, stupid alcoholics with predatory tendencies. Here is an extract of the song:

Come, listen all you gals and Boys, Ise just from Tuckyhoe I am goin’ to sing a little song, My Name’s Jim Crow I went down to the river, I didn’t Mean to stay But dere I see so many gals, I Couldn’t get away And arter I been dere awhile, I Thought I push my boat; But I tumbled in de river, and I Find myself afloat

4. Jim Crow and Segregation

The laws implemented racial segregation in Southern states. Democrats politicians were upset with the Abolition of slavery and the Reconstruction period. They enacted laws to make sure black people never mingle with whites.

The principle of “separate but equal” became a way of life until the civil rights movement in the 50’s.

In 1954, the Supreme Court declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. By extension the ruling applied to other public facilities and effectively ended segregation (Brown v Board of Education of Topeka).

Unfortunately the fight for equality never stopped despite the ruling of the highest Court of America.

In Conclusion

It is important to learn the history of Jim Crow because the consequences are still felt in the society.