Lectures in History Blake Gilpin on Reconstruction-Era Supreme Court Cases That Led to Jim Crow Segregation
Jan 11, 2026
Blake Gilpin, a historian from Tulane University, delves into critical Reconstruction-era Supreme Court cases that paved the way for Jim Crow segregation. He explores the implications of Slaughterhouse, Cruikshank, and Plessy v. Ferguson on civil rights, highlighting how the Supreme Court's rulings narrowed the 14th Amendment. Gilpin discusses the Colfax Massacre's aftermath, Northern disillusionment with Reconstruction, and the strategic legal challenges faced in Louisiana. His insights illuminate the transition from violence to legislative disenfranchisement, shaping America’s racial landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Slaughterhouse Crippled Federal Protection
- The Slaughterhouse decision eviscerated the 14th Amendment's Privileges and Immunities Clause, removing a key federal check on state laws.
- Blake Gilpin explains this crippled a constitutional avenue for black rights during Reconstruction's fragile gains.
Campbell Turned Reconstruction Law Against Itself
- John A. Campbell, a former Confederate and Dred Scott voter, led opposition to the Slaughterhouse Act in Louisiana.
- Gilpin highlights Campbell's use of the 14th Amendment to attack Reconstruction as a deliberate strategy.
Northern Weariness Undermined Reconstruction
- Northern fatigue and political shifts after 1874 undermined Reconstruction enforcement nationwide.
- Gilpin links growing northern indifference to the eventual rollback of federal protections for black citizens.