Exactly and as powerful and insightful as ever. I would add a couple things I noticed. Jim Crow laws were made by states, not the federal government, and as such they existed largely in the 15 or so state of the Southeast in different formats and degrees. For example, I track 4 segregation laws explicitly mentioning the difference between “negroes” and “whites” made by the legislature in Delaware from 1865 to 1968. In Kentucky by contracts I counted 72. Many states have failed in between, but Kentucky needed to “catch up” to the slave states after the Civil War. There were no segregation laws North of the Mason Dixon Line and I just a photo of my father in his high school in Newark standing near a black girl, and my mother in her high school in Staten Island standing near a black girl. It was illegal in both states (NY, NJ) before 1954 to segregate which is why they had black Americans in their schools. There was 15 states with “Jim Crow lite” laws outside the region, usually forbidding negroes to many whites. And of course only negroes and whites could become Americans before 1925 from 1870.
But today the “New Jim Crow,” or “Jim Crow 2.0” as MIchelle Alexander calls it in her book (she’s a powerful voice) it occurs insidiously in 48 of the 50 by “felony” laws, instead of directly using “negro” in the those state laws. Only Maine and Vermont don’t alienate the right to vote from “felons” inside or after prison, according to Professor Hull’s study at Rutgers I’m reading. The use of “duly convicted” felony under the 13th now is used not just to enforce “slavery or involuntary servitude” (as in Louisiana and California that voted both to keep this system) but also to alienate voting rights, mostly “aimed at” black and latinos, and yes some poor whites.
Again, an excellent overview of the sad history. Just adding a couple minor points to your continue heroic endeavors. Stay strong in history!