By the end of the 19th century the term Jim Crow began to be applied to laws and customs, which effectively oppressed and disenfranchised Southern blacks. The racial class system overwhelmed Blacks with the harsh realities of stereotyping and the segregation of daily life in the Jim Crow South. However, within the combined efforts of The Great Migration of the post war era, the work of organizations on the national level, as well as the effort of everyday African-Americans, an overall push from segregation to civil rights resulted. .
For the vast majority of southern blacks, the horror of Jim Crow meant that they were forced to live behind a virtual veil. This created a psychological trick in which blacks assumed the position of non-confrontation. As many whites refused to acknowledge the humanity of African-Americans, most blacks had to hide their true feelings and personalities in the presence of white people. Sometimes, this masking meant shuffling and feigning irresponsibility; sometimes, it meant turning the other cheek and walking away rather than responding to white insults. But almost always, it meant conforming to a pattern of racial propriety in day-to-day affairs. Blacks avoided looking whites in the eyes and were expected to stare at the ground when addressing whites of both sexes. Black customers had to show deference to white customers while shopping. They were usually not permitted to try on clothing in white businesses, as it was commonly believed that white customers would not purchase clothes that black customers had tried on. Adult African Americans were seldom afforded titles of respect by whites, as described by Mr. Young, a black male whose account was recorded in "Remembering Jim Crow." "White men and women were addressed as Mr. and Mrs. You didn't address blacks that way." They were instead referred to by their first names or by the words "boy," "girl," "auntie," "uncle," and frequently, "nigger.