Riding the Rails with Jim Crow

New England railroads, segregated transportation, and the origins of the term Jim Crow appeared in the 1830s. The equal rights movement in New England shifted toward direct action in the 1840s. Constituting only a small portion of the overall population, activists could not overturn segregation and racism by themselves. They believed—they almost had to—that most New Englanders were decent people who, when aware of injustice, would want it eliminated. Others might need economic or political persuasion. To counter the discrimination African Americans turned to direct action—sit-ins, boycotts, petition drives, political manoeuvring, and they were successful. One of the first targets was discrimination on public conveyances. The first half of the 1840s were the first years of substantial progress, including the end of segregation on public transportation.