1965-1980: Black Power Flashcards
What was the Black Power Movement?
- started in 1966, called for Black self-determination, racial pride and economic independence
- rejected nonviolent strategies, in favour of self-reliance and self-defence
- Inspired by Stokely Carmichael’s speech (1966) and organisations e.g. SNCC and the Black Panthers.
How did the Black Power movement influence culture?
- encouraged AA identity through: natural hairstyles (Afro)
- increased demand for Black history education in schools
- Rise of Black-owned businesses and communities
What were the goals of the Black Panther Party?
- Founded in 1966 by Huey Newton & Bobby Seale to protect Black communities from police brutality.
- advocated for self-defence, economic justice and community programs
- Created a 10-point Program calling for education reform, housing, and an end to police violence
What community programs did the Black Panther Party introduce?
- Established ‘Survival Programs’ which included:
- Free Breakfast for Children Program, fed over 20,000 kids per week by 1969
- Free medical clinics
- education programs promoting Black history and self-defence
What was affirmative action, and how did it help African Americans?
- introduced by LBJ in 1965 under Executive Order 11246
- aimed to increased Black employment in federal jobs and unis
- Philadelphia Plan 1969: introduced hiring quotas for AA workers
- led to a rise in AA professional, higher education enrolment doubled between 1970-80
How did the Back Panther Party influence healthcare?
- exposed high infant mortality rates in AA communities
- launched free healthcare clinics in 13 major cities
- Advocated for sickle cell anaemia awareness, disease which mainly affected AA
How did affirmative action face opposition?
- many whites saw it as ‘reverse discrimination’
- Regents of the University of California v Bakke 1978: ruled racial quotas unconstitutional but allowed race as a factor
How did the War on Drugs affect African Americans?
- Crack cocaine epidemic led to harsher drug laws
- mandatory minimum sentencing 1986: disproportionally imprisoned AA men
- AA incarceration rate increased 5x in late 80’s
How did Raegan’s economic policies impact AA
- Raeganomics 1980: cut welfare and social programs
- unemployment for AA workers reached 21% in 1983, compared to 9% white
- minimum wage froze at $3.35 per hour, worsening poverty in AA communities
What were the major political successes for AA during this period?
- First Black mayors elected:
- Carl Stokes (Cleveland,1967)
- Richard Hatcher (Gary, Indiana, 1967)
- Maynard Jackson (Atlanta, 1973)
What was Shirley Chisholm’s impact?
- First Black women in Congress (1986)
- Ran for president in 1972, winning 152 delegate votes at the DNC
- advocated for racial equality and women’s rights in politics
When and what were the Watts Riots?
- 1965
- Sparked by police beating Marquette Frye, a black motorist
- lasted 6 days
- 34 deaths, 1,000+ injuries and 4,000+ arrests
When were the Detroit Riots and what happened?
- triggered by a police raid on an unlicensed Black club
- led to 43 deaths, 7000+ arrested and over 2,500 buildings destroyed
When and what was the Housing Act?
- 1968
- outlawed racial discrimination in housing sales and rentals
- however housing segregation continued
How did the assassination of MLK change the civil rights movement?
- 1968
- riots in over 100 cities
- over 20,000 arrested
- marked the decline of nonviolent activism and the rise of black power
How did the FBI’s COINTELPRO program target Black activsts?
- used illegal wiretaps, false letters and informants to undermine civil rights groups
- led to the assassination of Fred Hampton in 1969, a Black Panther Leader, by the FBI and Chicago police
How did Reagan’s policies limit civil rights progress?
- cut funding for affirmative action and civil rights enforcement
- Expanded the War on Drugs, leading to mass Black incarceration
How did Nixon’s Southern Strategy affect Black political progress?
- aimed to win white Southern voters by opposing civil rights policies
- slowed desegregation and cut funding to schools enforcing integration
- appointed 4 conservative supreme court justices to limit civil rights
