4d) The changing status of minorities Flashcards
Truman made a ___________ contribution to the progress of _____ ______.
Truman made a significant contribution to the progress of Civil Rights.
Truman’s Civil Rights Committee
- Set up to investigate racial abuse.
- 1947 Report: “To Secure These Rights” - Called for laws preventing lynching, and poll tax, and make the FEPC permanent.
- 20 Southern Democrats and 15 Republicans blocked every civil rights measure introduced to the Senate.
Changes in the lives of Black Americans:
1948: Truman’s Desegregation of the Armed Forces
- Executive Order 9981 - July 1948.
- Completely desegregated armed forces + guaranteed fair employment opportunities in civil service.
- Exec Order 9980: Fair employment board to replace FEPC - lacked funding so minimal impact.
- Training camps in the south were integrated.
Desegregation did NOT apply to the ________ _____ or to the _______ ______.
Desegregation did NOT apply to the National Guard or to the reserve forces.
Changes in the lives of Black Americans:
Integration in popular entertainment
- African Americans more readily accepted in popular culture.
- Black music crossed the racial divide - jazz grew in popularity but still faced segregation and prejudice.
- Hollywood: Black actors (Henry Poitier) challenged stereotypes - slow witted, sly, subservient.
- Producers didn’t want to use black actors;
HUAC - Equality = Communism
20% of Southerners wouldn’t appreciate a black hero.
Changes in the lives of Black Americans:
Integration in professional sports
- 1936: Jesse Owens won gold at Berlin Olympics.
- 1950s: Sugar Ray Robinson dominated boxing.
- Joe Louis became heavyweight champ of the world.
- 1946: American Football integrated
- 1947: Jackie Robinson joined a white Baseball team.
There was still huge a __________ in terms of ___ for black athletes.
There was still huge a inequality in terms of pay for black athletes.
Changes in the lives of Black Americans:
Growth of NAACP
- 1930: Commissioned Marigold Report:
Black schools were underfunded - lacked resources
Black teachers paid less. - 1946: 1/4 of southern black americans were illiterate.
- 1947: Key in Truman’s Committee on Civil Rights and the report.
Changes in the lives of Black Americans:
1954: Brown vs Topeka Education Board case
- 7 yr old girl walked for miles to underfunded black school.
- Topeka - Town in Kansas - NOT a deep South state.
- Supreme Court May 1954: ‘Separate but equal’ had no place in education.
- Chief Justice (Earl Warren) sympathetic to race issues.
- Change was slow: 1956/57 - 723 districts desegregated vs 240,000 still segregated.
The Brown vs ______ Board of Education case was the ________ achievement of the _____ to date.
The Brown vs Topeka Board of Education case was the greatest achievement of the NAACP to date.
On May 17th ____, the _______ Court made a __________ decision to desegregate school districts. However, change was ____, especially in the _____.
On May 17th 1954, the Supreme Court made a monumental decision to desegregate school districts. However, change was slow, especially in the south.
Changes in the lives of Black Americans:
Rosa Parks bus boycott
- March 1955: Rosa Parks refused to give her seat up to a white man.
- The boycott lasted until December 1955.
- 1956: Supreme Court declared that public transport was to be desegregated.
Changes in the lives of Native Americans
- WW2: Many left reservations to cities - created problems on the reservations (not sustainable).
- 1944: Indian Claims Commission began policy of termination - compensation for lost lands but land not returned.
Changes in the lives of Native Americans:
Termination under Eisenhower
- Was stepped up.
- Aug 1953, House Concurrent Resolution No 108: Reservations broken up and Natives encouraged to move to cities - Natives weren’t consulted.
- Policy was a disaster - fed govt rid itself of responsibility in an attempt to save money - Natives cut loose.
- By 1960: 13,000 out of 400,000 had moved - many who stayed were unemployed.
- Policy abandoned but ill feeling between them and govt - more militant in the 1960s.
Changes in the lives of Hispanic Americans:
- Bracero programme continued to 1964.
1950-1954: Roughly 200,000 entered USA each year as contract labourers. - Job opportunities led to illegal immigrants - 500,000 in 1951.
- Employers preferred illegal immigrants - low wage, poor conditions, no health or welfare provision, + less documentation.
- Became more militant - CSO civil rights group.
