AA - organisations Flashcards
When was the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People established?
1909
What is the background of the NAACP?
- First major organisation - there had been limited support up to this point
- Originally created by white activists who were against lynchings and discrimination
Who were major AA campaigners in the NAACP?
W.E.B Du Bois and Ida Wells.
What were the aims of the NAACP?
- Suffrage rights
- Equal justice
- Better education
- Equality before the law
- Employment opportunities according to ability
How many branches did the NAACP set up and why is this surprising?
50
They originally had a small membership.
What were the NAACPs methods?
Mainly focused on legal challenges. Did organise and lead some public marches. Non-violent.
What effective civil rights legislation did the NAACP gain?
Brown v. Board 1954 - Little Rock 1957, ineffective
Browder v. Gayle 1956 - change in Montgomery but not across country
Montgomery bus boycott gained them publicity.
Smith v. Allwright 1944 - not v. effective
How was the NAACP ineffective at solving social and economic issues?
No major changes in these issues due to NAACP. Ppl don’t see the changes.
Little Rock - attempt at desegregation a major step forward but not necessarily successful
Why was the NAACP not effective?
Du Bois only senior Black committee member. Did not recruit mass following - 6000 members 1915. Couldn’t enforce changes they had helped bring about like Brown v. Board. Desegregation of schools was slow.
When was the Congress of Racial Equality founded?
1942
What is the background of CORE?
2/3 of initial membership white. Worked w/ white Americans. Focused on key areas of the civil rights movement.
Did CORE achieve effective civil rights legislation?
- Influenced Boynton v. Virginia in 1960
- Freedom Rides to test B v. V in 1961
- Pressured Robert Kennedy, Attorney General, to enforce B v. V
Did CORE encourage participation from the Black American community?
Inspired others to get involved in the movement. Freedom riders from north had support from AA community. Sit ins on buses.
Did CORE encourage participation from the white American community?
- Provoked a response from the gov. - success
- However, Kennedy called freedom riders unpatriotic and police arrested them
- The KKK worked w/ police in the South to attack Freedom riders.
- Encouraged mob violence in Anniston and Birmingham - against MLKs tactics
Was the CORE successful in solving economic and social issues?
Unsuccessful at achieving any social or economic change. Difficult to change attitudes when wA are not on side.
When was the Southern Christian Leadership Conference founded and who was the figurehead of the organisation?
Founded in 1957. MLK a prominent leader and figurehead of the organisation.
What did the SCLC achieve in terms of effective civil rights?
- 1963 Civil Rights Bill
- 1964 Civil Rights Act
- 1965 Voting Rights Act
Did the SCLC encourage Black American participation?
- Led by MLK - prominent CR leader, v. popular
- On the front lines w/ protestors - arrested 29 times
- Riots after MLKs death is 1968 - Holy Week Uprising
Did the SCLC encourage white American participation?
- MLK was a pastor - popular w/ white Americans
- Used non-violent methods
- Children in Birmingham
- Took advantage of media - ppl couldn’t ignore it
Why did the SCLC lose white support?
MLK spoke out against the Vietnam war. Lost the support of white Americans and Johnson.
Was the SCLC successful at solving economic and social issues?
Economic and social more difficult to change - can’t just doing it by passing legislation.
Failed at Chicago, bricked at Marquette Park.
When was the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee founded?
1960
What did the pre-65 SNCC gain in terms of effective legislation?
Gained nothing in terms of effective legislation. However, 150 cities desegregated facilities as a result of SNCC protests.
How did the pre-65 SNCC encourage participation of Black Americans?
- They reignited the CR movement
- Confrontational passive resistance
- Sit ins at restaurants, swimming pools and libraries
- Mass engagement, 700,000 ppl ended up joining
How did the pre-65 SNCC encourage participation of white Americans?
- Non-violent
- Used media coverage
- There was a growing no. of wA joining protests
Did the SNCC achieve any economic or social change?
No major changes. May have changed some attitudes.
What happened to the SNCC post-65?
Came under the new leadership of Stokely Carmichaels. New violent movement sparked by this new leadership as well as the shooting of James Meredith, the first AA to enter the Uni of Mississippi.
Tactics closer to that of Black Panthers
Did the post-65 SNCC gain any effective civil rights?
No effective CR legislation. Militant, wanted to see action rather than just an act passed
Did the post-65 SNCC encourage the Black American community?
- Support from young AA, especially in the North
- They used confrontational methods
- Celebrated African culture, music, food and hair
Did the post-65 SNCC encourage participation from the white American community?
No - no longer worked w/ white Americans. Fed. gov. used CIA against them. V. violent
Did the post-65 SNCC achieve anything in terms of social and economic issues?
Focused on money and improving AAs economic position but achieved little.
Did the Nation of Islam gain any effective civil rights legislation?
- Didn’t achieve any effective CR legislation
- Voter registration and = political rights not a priority
Did the NOI encourage participation of the Black community?
- Around 25,000 to a quarter of a million members by 1969
- March on Washington 1959 w/ 10,000 ppl, ‘don’t be passive, don’t turn the other cheek
- Used a newspaper to spread info - media
- Ideas of Black superiority
- Links to Islam faith increased emotional appeal
- Alienates Christians and against AA hairstyles
Did the NOI encourage white American support?
No - used violent and militant tactics
- Wanted to create a Black state in the deep south
Did the NOI achieve anything in terms of solving economic and social issues?
Focused on economic. Created businesses in ghettos. Wanted AA to focus on helping themselves economically.
Did the Black Panthers achieve any effective CR legislation?
No effective CR legislation.
Did the Black Panthers encourage the Black community?
- Formed defense groups against police brutality
- Black Panther salute by 2 AA athletes at 1968 Olympics
- Openly carried weapons
- V. popular among AA
- 1972 Black Power convention
Did the Black Panthers encourage the white American community?
- Communists - highly disliked in America
- Violent and militant
- Excluded white Americans
Did the Black Panthers achieve anything in terms of solving economic and social issues?
- Free breakfasts - resulted in it being introduced in schools for first time
- Focused on economic
- Healthcare, protection, legal advise, jobs, businesses
