Maryland, Jim Crow Law and The Eastern Shore - Essay Example

Much of the Eastern Shore’s practices were the same as southern states and showed little signs of improvement at moving forward with allowing African Americans to be free through the enforcement of Jim Crow laws. The state of Maryland is located north of Virginia and south of Pennsylvania. Maryland was very popular for its steamboat trade. It’s location along the coast made it easy for steamboats to travel up and down the coast importing and exporting goods. Maryland practiced segregation and passed many laws between 1879 and 1957.

Maryland, without a doubt, practiced more as a southern state as its views on recapturing slaves were more similar to the south rather than areas north west of the state. What this meant was that even though they abolished slavery, they still believed in segregation, which was more common in the south than in the north. Maryland as a whole, gave in to the abolishment of slavery when it was abolished in 1864, 101 years after it was instituted. Maryland supported many Jim Crow laws. The laws specifically segregated African Americans from living freely amongst whites.

Many of Maryland’s Jim Crow laws prohibited African Americans from marrying whites, riding in steamboats with whites and attending the same schools as whites. These laws were supposed to help African Americans be free of slavery but only caused more problems like segregation. Most of Maryland was pro Jim Crow laws like the eastern shore. The eastern shore didn’t profess the practice of slavery but did implement Jim Crow laws, which were in full force through the 1960s. Much of Maryland was dependent on slavery like many of the southern states.

White plantation owners participated in slavery as free labor. The free labor was important to the plantation owners because they were able to make more profit. Tobacco was one of the choice products grown. The slaves could harvest the tobacco and since the land was owned, slave masters were able to make almost 100% profits from the tobacco. Areas like the Eastern Shore of Maryland were especially subject to slavery since there was easy access to steamboats. Maryland’s Eastern Shore was an area near the Eastern shore that was accustom to strict beliefs and practices.

Many African Americans struggled to find true freedom in the southern states because of such people as slave catchers and extreme racists. However, some southerners were willing to help. The Quakers that lived along the Eastern Shore were known for fighting slavery. They risked their own lives and families to protect free slaves from being captured and discriminated. The Quakers were even thought to actively participate in the Underground Railroad. Alongside of the Quakers were the free blacks.

These free blacks made up a small percentage of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The free blacks were constantly in fear of becoming re-slaved or convicted of crimes. Many fled to northwestern states in fear of becoming re-enslaved. This was similar to the fear that many slaves felt living in southern states, as the southern states still continued to practice free labor even after slavery was abolished. Practices that led the Eastern Shore to be similar to southern states include the constant re capturing of slaves and freeing of slaves.

Recapturing and freeing of sl