chapter 2- quest for civil rights 1945-65 Flashcards
in1946 what did Truman criticise
southern law enforcement officials who failed to protect black service men and estalsiehd a committee of liberals to investigate the increasing violence even though adivisors warned this a political suicide
what did the committee established by Truman call for
to secure these rights
antilynching legislation
abolition of poll tax
voting rights laws
end discrimination in employment, interstate travel and armed forces
de jure segreagtion
in law in the south
de facto segregation
not in law segregation in north and west
in 1947 and 8 what did Truman ask congress for
civil rights legislation to implement reccomendations of to secure these right
first goal secure fully essential human rights of all our citizens
cited declaration of indeoendce all men are equal
equality was important for americas Cold War image
couldn’t get them to pass civil rights but what did Truman do in 1948
used executive powers to try and end discrimination in armed forces and garuntee fair employment in the federal bureaucracy
army resisted until pressure of Cold War spread up the desegregation
what did Truman do for employment in 1948
rejected his request to continue FEPC however established the Fair employment board which aimed to ensure equal treatment for people from minority ethnic groups in federal hiring
what was established in 1951
Comittee on Government contract compliance (CGCC)
what did CGCC try to do
deprive discrimantory companies of federal contracts
couldn’t only recommend but not enforce but advertised presidential commitment to economic equality
who did truman adminstarion support
NAACP litigation that accumulated after the brown ruling 1954 against segregated schools
wha were some of the protests during WW2
local branches organised protests against segregated lunch counters (Topeka,Kansas) an movie theatres (Council Bluffs, Iowa)
what did the New Orleans lousisiana branch do in the 1940-50s
boycotted stores that refused to allow black women try on clothes on the same term as white women
what caused the Sweatt Vs Painter trail of 1950
the university of Texas law school denied Sweatt admission based on the colour of his skin
there was another African law school however it wasn’t up to the same standard
what progress was made due to Sweatt Vs Painter
the state of Texas had to prove that they made a substantial effort to create equal opportunities for both races
what were the limitations of Sweatt vs Painter
tried to argue that there was a black law school available in the state of Texas however it wasn’t at the same standard
what was the Brown vs board of education case 1954
the NAACP bundled together cases against desegrqagarion of schools that had previously been dismissed and took them all to court togeyherb
what progress was made due to brown vs board of education
Judge earl warren felt it was unequal and wanted desegregation of schools\
said that diversity in the class rooms was good
limitations of Brown vs board of edu
didnt give a time frame for this desperation which was vague and allowed states to take as long as they wanted
what caused the montegomery bus boycott 1956
rosa parks was ordered to gibe up her seat to a white man on the bus
she refused and was arrested
she was a trained activist and secretary of the Montgomery branch in NAACP
what was created a day after rosa parks arrest
Montegomery improvement association led by MLK
what did MIA do
publicised arrest and boycotts handed out leaflets and held meetings
organised other transport for people in they couldn’t walk
when did bus boycott start
day of trial
dec 5 1955
75% bus users were black and 90% of them stayed away from buses
it lasted 380 days
what were MLK s rules during the protest
to keep it peaceful and kept media informed of everything
garnered a lot of media attention
shows determination in Montgomery bus boycott
taxi druvers were penalised for taking fares
MLK and NAACP E.D Nixons houses were bombed
continued even after king was imprisoned
some lost their jobs and carried on
when was bus segregation ruled unconstitutional
13 Nov 1956 and on the 21 dec over a year after the bus boycott starte, black people began to ride the buses again
what was Little Rock like
had a racist governor Orval Faubus but there were some intergrated schools
bused were desecrated there in 1956
what happened in Little Rock
in 1957 9 black children were selected to anted the previously all white central high school
what happened to elizebteh eckford when she tried to return home
had to walk through a screaming mob trying to get back to her bus stop shouting to Lynch her
photos of incident shocked the world d
250 reporters and photographers there
what happened on 4 sept the first day of school
Fabaus sent state national guard to stop the children going in ‘for their safety’
8 students got the message as they went to school by car
Elizabeth Eckford didnt get the message, she was turned away at the school by the national guard
what were some negative impacts of the success of the Bus boycott
hardened racial divide
white candied who favoured segregation were next voted in at local elections
3 days after desegregation kings home was firebombed
snipers shot at black massagers sat in white seats on the bus
what did king say to eisen hower at their meeting together
this was damaging Eisenhowers political image and urged federal intervention
what did Eisenhower do in response to Little Rock
reluctantly sent in federal troops to guard the children to and from school and in school corridors
negative impacts of Little Rock
children wee subject to years of taunts and violence
homes of local NAACP leaders were firebombed multiple times
Faubus closed the central school for a year to “let things cool off’
what happened at the Greensborough sit in
1st feb 1960 4 black students went to department school for supply and then to the segregated lunch counter and waited to be served
kept waiting until the store shut
next day 30 students joined them day after nearly all the seats were taken up by black student
media took photos of black well dressed boys waiting patiently whilst white boys yelled I there faces blew smoke at them and poured food on them
strengths of the greensborogh sitin
media
carried on till stores shut
peaceful way of restating
what were the freedom rides 1961
CORE and SNCC members carried out rides in the south
organised by James farmer
to test wether bus restrooms facilities had been segrgetad like they should after 1961 Supreme Court ruling
would cause violence the deeper they went south and felt this was the only way to get government to enforce legislation
buses wee attacked Alabama bus fired bombed and chased by around 50 cars
freedom riders were iprisoned in birimigham and beaten up in Montgomery
3 killed
strengths of the freedom rides 1961
people kept on riding
lost of media covrag e
only way to make gov enforce anything
weakness of the freedom rides
first 2 buses were attacked and people were beaten up
cars chased people and people were impriusoned
what happened in Birmingham 1963
king and SCLC led a push to desegregate the whole town
new it would prove violence but knew from core and SNCC that it would work
posters and leaflets were made with specific reference tp the American dream
one tactic was to get arrested and fill the jails and by the end of the moth they were full
children were trained in protest tactics
high pressure fire hoses and dogs were used by the police
shocking pictures were spread worldwide and ashamed JFK
this was JFKS reason for pressing for a civil rights legislation
strengths of Birmingham 1963
it made people admit that race was the biggest problem in America
America was a national disgrace
what was the march on Washington 1963
it was the largest demonstration in America history 200,000 people
organised by A.Phillips Randolph
had artists such a Bob Dylan play
strengths of the march on Washington
MLK created a huge profile - I have a dream speech
civil rights act was signed 1 year later
weaknesses of the march on Washington
still issues continued outside of legislative success
tension for black militant groups who felt they hadn’t been addressed during the event.
what was the 1960 civil rights act
crime to obstruct federal orders(deseg of schools) by threat or force and authorities federal referees for voting
what did the 1960 civil rights act achieve
more black children in schools
number of black graduates increased
limitations of 1960 civil rights act
most schools still in poor areas and some still segregated
what was the 1962 executive order
affirmative action
preference given to black interviews for jobs
achievements of 1962 executive order
black upper and middle class had grown significantly
siginiftcnt access to work in the higher levels of business, education government and law
what was the 1964 civil rights act
bans discrimination of sex or race in voting,public service and work
equal opportunities commission set up to enforce this
limitations of the 1962 executive order
created the feeling of minority quota instead of based of merit
achievements of the 1964 civil rights act
helped to end de jure segregation in public places and schools
socioeconomic score doubled for men and women between 1940-80
home ownership increased
limitations of the1964 civil rights act
poor were getting poorer and more were falling below the poverty line
what was the 1965 voting rights act
banned attempts to stop people voting because of their race
made literacy tests illegal and replaced white registrars with government approved officials
what were the achievements of the 1965 voting rights act
lots of black politicians at federal and state level
by 1980 the number of back voters was o ly 7% lower than the whites
number of black southerners increased in office x6
limitations of 1965 voting rights act
did little to facilitate black voting and didnt really help those in northern/western ghettos
what was the Swann Vs Charlotte Mecklen board of education 1971
bus children out of poor areas to desegregated schools
what were achievements of Swann Vs Charlotte
more black children in schools
limitations of Swann Vs Charlotte 1971
most schools still in poor areas and some stilll segregated
black children less likely to succeed and more likely to drop out
