What were Jim Crow laws primarily designed to enforce?

Jim Crow laws were primarily designed to enforce racial segregation in the United States, particularly in the South, from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century. These laws institutionalized a range of discriminatory practices that separated white and African American populations in public spaces, such as schools, transportation, restrooms, and restaurants. The overarching aim was to maintain white supremacy and limit the social, political, and economic rights of Black citizens following the Reconstruction era.

The legal framework established by these laws sought to uphold a system of racial discrimination and disenfranchisement, severely restricting African Americans' access to education, voting rights, and various public services. This systemic inequality was further supported by the prevailing social attitudes and the judicial system at the time, which often upheld the constitutionality of such segregation practices.

In contrast, women's suffrage focused on the right for women to vote, prohibition dealt with the ban on alcohol, and labor rights pertained to the advocacy for fair working conditions and wages. Each of these issues represents separate movements and areas of legislation that did not specifically address the enforcement of racial segregation, making them distinct from the intent and implementation of Jim Crow laws.