Evolution

I do not think evolution is the appropriate term for that happened in the South during the beginning of the 20^th century when in reference to race relations. Rather, the beginning of the century marks a period of devolution in the treatment and equality of blacks in the US South. With the influence of such groups as the Ku Klux Klan and the White league growing and Jim Crow laws backing their anti-color cause, a wave of hate and intimidation plagued the black population. Exclusion from public and private institutions left many blacks without much needed care. Only after the first half of the century can a slow evolution of rights and relations be seen. Only after 1950 did all states admit blacks into mental wards. The establishment of such organizations as the Florida Progressive Voters League in the late 40s and beyond helped the black population to steadily gain a voice and struggle with their quest for equality. It is telling that I hear stories from my parents about the first years of integration in their middle schools when legal segregation is something unknown to my generation. That is evolution.