During the Jim Crow era, Whites and Blacks were extremely segregated. While the free Black electorate threatened the political and economic dominance of elite White society, Whites still wanted--and needed--Black labor. Which theory best explains segregation under these conditions?

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The Noel hypothesis explains segregation under these conditions by suggesting that if two or more groups come together in a contact situation characterized by ethnocentrism, competition, and a differential in power, then some form of racial or ethnic stratification will occur. This theory aligns with the dynamics of the Jim Crow era, where Whites and Blacks were segregated due to competition and power differentials, with Whites aiming to maintain their political and economic dominance while still relying on Black labor.

During the Jim Crow Era, Whites and Blacks Were Extremely