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His popular act included over-exaggerated gestures and dance steps to simulate a stereotype of African-American performances. It is not certain just how Rice’s performance and song became the source of LYNchING The reach oF As the roots of Jim Crowism grew deeper, the level of violence against blacks across the South expanded to new extremes. Lynching was commonplace across the South by the 1890s, and was used as an extreme form of intimidation. Between 1889 and 1932 approximately 3,750 people were lynched in America—an average of two or three people each week for 30 years.

Indd 53 11/9/09 09:29:39 54 The New South and the Old West All railway companies carrying passengers in their coaches in this state shall provide equal but separate accommodations for the white, and colored races, by providing two or more passenger coaches for each train. No person or persons shall be permitted to occupy seats in coaches, other than the ones assigned to them, on account of the race they belong to. The law was binding not only on blacks, but also on the railroad officials and train conductors who had to enforce the law directly.

The stage was set for an epic duel between the executive and legislative branches. Again, President Johnson responded with indignation and, perhaps, rightly so. He considered the Tenure Act to be unconstitutional. To test the legislation, he ordered the dismissal of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, who had supported the Radical Republicans. House Republicans were quick to respond, voting to impeach the President for high crimes and misdemeanors. In the spring of 1868 Johnson was placed on trial in the Senate, under the threat of removal from office.