this unwritten but understood law of the land in the south governed interaction between the races following the civil

The unwritten but understood law that governed interaction between races in the South following the Civil War is commonly known as the "Jim Crow routine" or "Jim Crow's unwritten code." This complex set of informal rules and scripts dictated how white and Black southerners were expected to behave in daily life to maintain racial segregation and white supremacy. Although legally enforced segregation was in place, these unwritten codes were equally significant in controlling racial interaction. The Jim Crow routine involved carefully scripted behaviors and social exchanges that enforced racial separation while allowing for close physical proximity in many everyday situations, such as attending the same events or using public spaces, but with strict rules of deference and separation. For example, Black people had to show deference to whites, physical contact was limited, and social equality was forbidden. Violations of these unwritten norms often led to social sanctions or violence. This routine developed as a way to maintain racial boundaries and white dominance with or without formal laws. It was a form of customary law operating alongside formal Jim Crow laws, deeply shaping social relations in the South well into the mid-20th century until the civil rights movement challenged and dismantled the system. Notably, the Jim Crow routine was subtle and dynamic, tightly woven into daily interactions, and was a major factor in sustaining segregation beyond what was explicitly stated in the laws.