The Era of Segregation was an extremely miserable time for African Americans in the United States. Whites treated African Americans like dirt or as their property instead of as equals. I will explain segregation and what the main causes were. Then I will describe what life was like for the people who lived during this time. Finally, I will talk about the laws passed during the period of segregation. I will also inform you about the NAACP and its impact on achieving equal rights for blacks. In conclusion, I will summarize everything and share my thoughts on segregation. The era of segregation in the United States is a time that many African Americans living in the United States wish to forget. “Racial segregation is the separation of different types of human racial groups in everyday life” (Wikipedia). The period of segregation, in terms of public life, lasted roughly from 1896 to 1954. This period runs from the Supreme Court case Plessey v. Ferguson in Brown v. Board. What could lead to such a horrible policy as segregation? The answer is fear. “The main cause of segregation was fear of people who were different from us” (Wikianswers). Those we fear we tend to hate. Racism and prejudice existed especially in the South during the era of segregation and still exist in our country today. Whites treated African Americans as if they were inferior beings. This racism and prejudice has pervaded almost the entire country. Although racism was not as bad in the North, it still existed in many places. For blacks, life during segregation was very difficult. Racism, which is bad enough, has led to much worse things for African Americans. “Along with restrictions on voting rights and segregation laws, white violence against A... middle of the document... shows that we have come a long way. But despite this, we cannot erase the fact that our country was once segregated and treated people of different races unfairly. Works Cited Appleby, Joyce PhD., Brinkley., Alan PhD; McPherson, James Ph.D. The American Journey 2003. New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2003 “Growing Up Black in the 1930s.” library.thinkquest.org. 2010. May 4, 2010. < http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/mculley.html?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0730“How long did segregation last?” answers.yahoo.com. 2010. May 4, 2010. < http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090113063526AA12hdO“Racial Segregation.” Wikipedia.com. 2010. May 4, 2010. “Separate but Equal.” Law.umkc.edu. 2010. May 4, 2010.