55-63 Civil Rights Flashcards
Political barriers (% vote)
-only 25% of black adults in the south could vote in comparison to 65% of whites.
In Montgomery, Alabama the figure dropped to 9%
Political barrier (Opposing legislation)
senators could fillibuster civil rights legislation to prevent it becoming law.
Strom Thurmond filibustered the 1957 Civil Rights Act for 24 hours 8 minutes
Political Barrier (consitition)
The constitution gave individual states the right to pass their own laws
Political/ social barrier (Jury)
Black codes passed at the end of the 19th century in the southern states prevented black people from serving on juries.
Political/ social barrier (marriage)
in 1958 24 states prohibited inter racial marriage
political/ social barrier (Plessy V Ferguson)
in 1896 the supreme court ruled in plessy v Ferguson that segregation was legal in what was know as the seperate but equal ruling
Economic barrier (education)
In 1949 the southern state South Carolina spent an average of $179 educating a white child, whereas for a black child it was $43
Economic barrier (wage)
In Montgomery, Alabama the average wage for a white person was $1730 and for black people was $970
social barrier (title)
social etiquette forced black people to call white people by mr or mrs yet black people were refferred to by their first name
social barrier (Emmet Till)
14 year old Emmet Till was lynched in 1955 after reportedly flirting with a white woman
economic barrier (Housing)
in Washington Dc 40% of housing available for black people was sub standard. For white people the figure was 12%
economic barrier (unemployed)
In New York 6% of the unemployed were white, whereas 10% of black people were unemployed
Ruby Bridges
At 6, she was the first and only African American girl to attend a primary school in 1960. When she arrived, white parents withdrew their children. Only 1 teacher agreed to teach her.
she was protected by US marshalls and only ate food from home as one women even threatnend to posion her.
Her father lost his job and her granparents were turned of thier land
Emmet Till
in 1955, he was kidnapped and lynched for allegedly making a gesture at a white woman.
the event triggered outrage in the north, espcially when the judge found the murderer not guilty
(later on they admitted to it)
Why did African Americans start to challeneg discrimantion
-growth of car ownership
-cold war
-economy
-ww2
-television/radio
growth of car ownerhip &civil rights
-it meant they were able to boycott public transport (montogmery bus boycott)
-It would be more difficult for African Americans to afford a car
- Activistr could drive to campaigns, allows more people to getr involved in civil rights
cold war & civil rights
- In the Vietnam War African Americans were more likely to be drafted
-America prides themselves for being “free” compared to the soviets, if it is really free why is the African American vote denied?
second world war & civil rights
-African American soldiers stationed in Europe saw the desegregation and it influenced them
-the war was aginst fascism, so racism was viewed as bad
-African American soldiers helped them win the war but came back to face discrimination
-segregation within the armies
-Tuskegee Airman
economy & civil rights
-African Americans did not benefit from the economic boom, so it highlighted discrimination
-Great Migration, African Americans moved south to north to get away from discrimatory laws, for better jobs and lives.
By the end of the 1950s 50% of all African Americans had moved out of the south
tv, radio & civil rights
-meant there could be more media covergae
-radio could spread their music
-Littler Rock Arkansas on tv
-MLK tried to ensure that they were always broadcasted.
1954 ruling
Brown Vs Board of Education
Linda Brown
Linda Brown was denied access to a wshite school, and forced to attend a school further asway
Neither school was run down, it was equal, this was carefully chosen so the case would not become about fudning
NAACP
Nation Asociation for the Advancement of Colored People
role of the NAACP regarding the board of education
Thurgood Marshall lead the NAACPs defence, in the 1960s he became the first African American to serve on the supreme court.
he fought persistintly so he would win the cae.
role of Earl Warren in the boardf of education
he believed segregation was unconstitional
he was the chief justice of the supreme court.
supreme court 9 justices agreed school woul desgregate with all deliberate speed. (no fixed timeline)
significance of the board of education
Federal government became more comitted to Civil Rights (CR 1964 abnd Vr1965)
Civil Rights movement grow bigger and louder, inspired by the success of this case
response to board of educattion
after the 1954 ruling, the federal governemnt did very little to ensure southern states complied with the ruling.
In 1955 a further ruling was made saying desgregation should happen with all deliberate speed, this was partly because of southern delaying tactics but also because President Eisenhower thought the ruling was mistake and did not throw his weight behind the federal governemnet regarding the decsion.
Event: Little Rock, Arkansas
in 1957, 9 students attempted to enrol at Little Rock Highschool in Arkansas. Governor of Arkansas (Orval Faubus) sent the National troops to support segragation, and they blocked the school entrance. President Eisenhower was forced to send in federal troops into school. Despite this they still experienced horrendous violence and intimidation in school
little Rock Arkansas and Eisenhower
-he was forced to act because of all the media attention, is he had continued to deny them access he would have been siding with the segtrationists,
-he was not in favour of civil rights
-he inly sends the troops in afterwards
Event: Montgomery Bus Boycott
in 1955, Rosa Parks was asked to giver up her seat on the bus. The entire African American community of Montgomery boycotted the buses (which they were the primary uses of) The boycott lasted until December 1956
Involved were the then unknown oastor MLK, SCLC and MIA. later the sclc would be the forefront of many future campaigns challenging segration
MIA
Montgomery Improvement Association
SCLC
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
why was MLK so important in Montgomery
-he was relatively unknown in Montgomery so he would not have friends/enimies and so everyone accepted him
-he was a pastor, and the church had an established network to communicate through to arrange the boycott
-he formulated ideas of mass action and non violence
how long did the montgomery bus boycott last?
386 days
why was Montgomery Bus Boycott a key moment for the civil rights movement
- there was a major succes: In December 1956 the Supreme Court ruled that segregation on buses was unconstitional
-led to the rise of MLK
-created the SCLC
-showed the importance of mass movement and non violence
-Supreme court rules in their favour
Event: Sit ins
As a method of protest, sit ins had been used throughout the 30s and 40s. In 1960 students spontaneously began a sit in at a Woolworths store in Greensboro in North Carolina. WHilst King joined them once it was primarily led by students. They would sit at the counter and refuse to move when staff would not serve them.
led to the formation of SNCC who practiced non violence but this did not stop people from using extreme violence against them.
SNCC
Student Non-violent Co-ordinating Comittee
why were students like SNCC more likely to challenge segregations laws
the young are often more radical, and if they are students they have more free time
Event: freedom riders
led by CORE. They were challenging segregation laws at interstate highway bus facilities. Once again KIng had little role, and even declined the invitiation to partake in a freedom ride.
when the freedom riders arrived in the south they recieved violence. It took action from the presdidenscy to pass stronger legislation to force desgregation, but it would take much longer until full desgregation occurred.
Event : violence in Birmingham Alabama
1963
it was one of the most racially segregated cities in the south, its governor George Wallace was a segregationist so it became the target pf civil rights movement. MLK, fred Shuttlesworth and James Bevel led the campaign which incorporated sit in, boycotts and protests.
Protestors faced violence from the police led by the police commisioner Eugene Bull O COnnor whose heavy handed tactics garnered international attention.
America was supposed to be the forefront of democracy yet peaceful protest was met with violence
MLk in Birmingham Alabama
he was arrested and whilst in jail, he wrote the “letters from Birmingham Jail”. (critical of moderates like Kennedy) He manipulated the news and the media to good effect, extra donations poured in and the Kennedy Administration was pushed into drafting the 1964 civil rights act
Critics of MLk (regarding Birmingham, Alabama)
he was accused of hypocrisy
“He marches for peace one day, and then the very next day threatens actions we think are coldly calculated to bring violent responses from otherwise peaceful neighbourhoods”
Bobby Kennedys response to Birmingham Alabama
He urged his brother that if King lost in Birmingham “worse leaders are going to take his place.”
James Bevels tactic in Birmingham Alabama
young children were used in protests, some as young as six. The jails were filled with children and images appeared of the children being sprayed with high pressure water hoses, clubbed by police and attacked by police dogs.
this would appall those who witnessed it through the news as children would be seen as a step to far.
event: March on Washington
1963
initially Rustin and Randolph intended it to focus on jobs and freedom.
Many other attempts of organising a mass demonstration had failed but this attracted 250,000 people and many speakers, but MLK spoke last and his “I have adream speech” is the most remebered.
Afterwards the speakers went to the white house to discuss civil rights with the Kennedy Adminstration.
criticism of the march on Washington
Malcolm X criticised the march and called it a “farce on washington” as he believed civil right leaders were cooperating to much with white leaders.
Effect of the March on Washington
it had alot of coverage from the leaders, and is seen as vital for propelling the Kennedy Adminstraion to focus on civil rights.
Event: Selma
1965
After the passage of the CRA 1964, focus turned to increasing black participation in voting. Selma was chosen as half of the population of 29000 was black but only 23 were registered to vote. King and SCLC arranged a march of would be voters to the Selma courthouse, but it descended into violence (MLK admitted he wanted to be arrested to attract media attention).
they led another march which would become know as “Bloody Sunday” with state troopers attacking the marchers.
Civil rights Act 1964
outlawed disrimination based on gender, religion or race. ended de jure racism but no de facto
significance of Selma
the marches did raise awareness of the difficulty black people faced when trying to vote, and probably was responsible for LBJ passing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
one of Kings last successes
criticism of Selma
SNCC accused SCLC of leaving behind a “string of embittered cities” which were worse of when SCLC left. Only staying long enough for media attention and quickly moving on not caring about long term impact.
why did King focus on chicago?
1966- After the CRA and VRA there was little in terms of legislation that could be achieved so the focus turned to social and economic inequalties faced by black people. King chose the black ghettos of Chicago as his target, as there was aproblem of poor housing, unemployment and education.
leaders in chicago warned King not to come and interfere
What King did in Chicago?
Raised awareness by leading journalists around rat infested, unheated houses. However the campaign lacked any real focus or goal. A demonstration that anticipated 100,000 only attracted 30,000
chicago after
King and SCLC moved out in Autumn 1966. Whilst the SCLC managed to secure a $4million grant to improve loacal housing, black people felt the SCLC had sold out and failed to mobilise the movement in chicago
Why Chicago failed?
-by the late 60s many had turned to black nationalism and the views of Malcolm X
-White people tired of black protest, white people viewed the goal as having been achieved.
-King highlighted that racisim was not only a southern issue and people didnt like that remainder (white peoples attention had also moved to vietnam)
-King criticised Vietnam which alienated President Johnson
King’s legacy
When King was assinated in 1968 the direct action phase of civil rights ended and so did the SCLC. Howver the main goals had been achieved and it was questionable what more could have been.
Kings organsational abilities were poor but he had the ability to inspire and his actions often gained national attention.
impetus for reforms
