Architecture of Segregation

Architecture of Segregation. . Although abolished in 1865, the legacy of slavery remained in the adoption and enforcement of segregation laws. These laws - known as Jim Crow - sought to separate White from Black in every aspect of daily life. Although segregation had become a part of daily life by the late 1870s, in 1896 the United States Supreme Court gave legal sanction to segregation in a Louisiana case called Plessy v. Ferguson., The inequality built into the depot is a painful reminder of America's segregated past. There were two entrances, two waiting rooms, two sets of restrooms, two ticket windows, and two water fountains. Legally the separate facilities were required to be equal. In practice, they were not., Glaring inequities like these were the norm in Jim Crow Louisiana. Although this depot closed in 1965, its design is a reminder of the discriminatory aspects of Jim Crow laws in practice. This depot also serves as a poignant reminder that, while the ongoing march toward equality and justice continues, the segregated past is not so far behind us., "I even think the fountains were different then, with colder water being on the other [White] side." , - Edward Ward, Natchitoches resident, Captions , (Photo #1) Smaller Waiting Room. African Americans residents had to wait in a much smaller, less comfortable room with lower ceiling and simpler décor. Instead of wood, cheaper horsehair and plaster corbels were placed in the "Colored" waiting room. NPS Photo/Da Nira M. , (Photo #2) Larger Waiting Room. Only White travelers could access the larger ornate waiting room with massive carved wood beams and wood corbels, NPS Photo/Da'Nira M. , (Photo #3) Replica Signs. These replicas depict the painted signs that marked each exterior door on the depot through the 1960s and were created after much discussion and consultation with the African American community surrounding the depot. They hang on the interior of the depot as a vivid reminder of how much progress has been made in the realm of civil rights. NPS Photo Da Nira M.