Anti-rights groups vs African Americans Flashcards
How did the states oppose civil rights?
They believed in states rights, especially in the South. This put African Americans under massive amounts of discrimination and segregation. Meant that the states could continue De Jure segregation and that the federal rights given to African Americans could be overruled.
How did the KKK oppose the civil rights movement?
They were formed in Tennessee in 1865. They had an ideology of ‘white supremacy’ and they attempted to undermine Republican (who actually helped blacks in the early period) political domination in the South. They had huge power in communities where individuals or groups had grievances and grudges involving racial violence and intimidation. They would physically attack, beat and lynch black people, destroy property and even set of bombs.
They spread the myth of ‘savage black men’.
They always rose up with a racist reaction when black people made any sort of progress. They killed members of the Freedman’s Bureau in the 1860s. They made efforts to stop AA voters and enforce Jim Crow.
They attacked AAs trying to attend schools in the 1950s.
They even had support from presidents such as Wilson, and local governors and officials, especially police who would be members and cover up any illegality.
When did the Klan revive and why?
1915 on the basis of the same myth of ‘savage black men’. The film ‘A Birth of a Nation’ portrayed the Klan as a heroic struggle against the Northern domination and ‘dangerous blacks’.
How did the actions and attitudes of state governments oppose civil rights for African Americans?
From 1877 opposition came largely from teh activity of legally constituted state governments, the indifference of Congress and the administrations and the judgements of the Supreme Court.
Official restrictions were put onto African Americans such as Jim Crow laws and voting qualifications.
Government turned a blind eye to violence towards African Americans and when they were brought to court AAs were almost always found guilty, or Klan members not guilty.
What did the opposition of African American Civil Rights look like in the 1950s?
State governors and senators, legislatures and representatives made it impossible for the Republicans to penetrate the Solid South. Even presidents like Truman couldn’t break it.
Entrenched opposition of the judicial system in many areas of the South, police forces, juries and local courts were resistant to the change.
The Klan had embodied tradition into the south which was stuck fast.
Police Chiefs like Bull Connor, the march on Birmingham in 1963 he allowed attacks on the African Americans without helping them.
There were attacks on prosperous black homes all throughout Birmingham, these weren’t investigated.
The White Citizens Council formed after the 1954 Brown vs Topeka decision.
Media coverage made it much harder for racism to go unnoticed like it had done in the 1870s.
How did the White Citizen’s Council prevent the development of Civil Rights?
They were made up of much more middle class white people than the Klan, doctors and lawyers etc.
They wanted to intimidate black people out of using their right to vote.
They didn’t use violence but instead economic powers, such as pressuring insurance companies to cancel policies of African American church members, the councils were active into the 1960s.
How did the Red Shirts oppose African American Civil Rights?
They were a white paramilitary group, supporters of the Democrats. They believed in white supremacy and openly used violence. Seen as the militant arm of teh democratic party. They had political goals of preventing voting and preventing rights.
