Civil Rights Flashcards
What is the nickname given to laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern USA?
Jim Crow Laws
Give two examples of places where Jim Crow laws would segregate black and white people.
Public parks / cinemas / restaurants / schools / universities / public transport
What was the name of the white supremacist organisation that terrorised black Americans?
Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
What was the name of the court case that ruled racial segregation was legal as long as provisions were ‘separate but equal? When?
Plessy v Ferguson (1896)
Give three examples of how the KKK terrorised black Americans in the South?
- Lynching (murder or mutilation - usually by hanging)
- Burning crosses near homes of people they wanted to frighten
- Large groups dressed in white, hooded robes marched through town centres as a show of power
What sort of poorly paid jobs did black Americans typically do in Southern states? (2)
- Sharecropping (farming)
- Domestic service (i.e. cleaners, nannies, cooks)
Give two examples of ways in which black Americans in northern states were discriminated against.
- Given poorer quality housing often in ghettos
- Had the worst-paid jobs and received lower wages for them– black workers often earned 50% less than white workers for doing the same job.
Give four examples of how Southern states stopped black Americans from voting
- Literacy tests
- Grandfather Clause (i.e. you could only vote if your grandfather had been able to do so. This prevented the majority of black Americans as their grandfathers had been slaves and therefore not able to vote)
- White employers threatened to sack black workers if they registered to vote
- Made black Americans pay poll tax before they could register which many could not afford
What was the name of the organisation that used the American legal system to challenge segregation?
NAACP
Give three examples of non-violent direct action
- Sit-ins
- Boycotts (refusal to use particular services until they desegregate)
- Peaceful marches
What was the name of an organisation that used non-violent direct action to try to end segregation?
CORE
What was the name of the court case the NAACP fought to end segregation in schools? When?
Brown v Topeka (1954)
What was the name of the lawyer who represented the black schoolgirl Linda Brown?
Thurgood Marshall
What was the outcome of the 1954 Brown v Topeka court case in relation to segregation?
Supreme Court ruled segregation in public education was no longer legal as separate schools could never truly be equal.
What was a key limitation of the Brown v Topeka ruling in relation to segregation?
It did not give schools a deadline for desegregation so many ignored the ruling.
Give two examples of groups that opposed the Brown v Topeka ruling.
- Ku Klux Klan
2. White Citizens Councils
What was the name of the document many Southern politicians signed promising to fight the Brown decision?
Southern Manifesto
What was the name of the school in Arkansas at the centre of the campaign to enforce the Brown v Topeka ruling to desegregate schools?
Little Rock High School
What was the name of the Arkansas State governor who opposed school desegregation?
Orval Faubus
Who tried to prevent the nine black schoolchildren from enrolling in the (previously) all-white school? (2)
- The Arkansas National Guard – ordered by Orval Faubus
2. A mob of white people gathered outside the school
How did President Eisenhower intervene with the backlash of Little Rock nine?
Eisenhower ordered the National Guard to protect the nine students until the end of the term.
How did Faubus delay the desegregation in Little Rock?
He closed all schools until the Supreme Court forced them to re-open in 1959.
When was Little Rock Nine?
1957
When were schools in Little Rock fully integrated?
1972 (18 years after Brown v Topeka ruled segregation was illegal).
What percentage of black children attended desegregated schools by 1964?
Only 3%
What impact did the Little Rock campaign have on moderate white opinion in America?
Many moderate white Americans were horrified at the images of the black school children being abused by the white mob.
Under Alabama’s segregation laws, in which section of the bus did black passengers have to sit?
Back of the bus, or middle section if no white passengers needed the seat.
What was the name of the woman arrested for refusing to give up her seat for a white passenger?
Rosa Parks
What was the name of the organisation set up to oversee the non-violent protest against Rosa Parks’ arrest?
Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA)
What form did the non-violent protest against the Montgomery bus company take?
Boycott of all buses
How did black people organise themselves to avoid using buses? (2)
- Carpool system
- Black taxi drivers reduced their fares
What percentage of Montgomery’s black citizens refused to use the buses?
85%
How much money did the Montgomery bus company lose as a result of the boycott?
$250,000
What was the name of the man whose career as a civil rights campaigner was launched during this protest?
Martin Luther King
What did the NAACP do to support the bus boycott?
NAACP fought a court case challenging the legality of segregation on public transport
How did the Supreme Court show its support for the desegregation of public transport in 1956?
It ruled that segregation on public transport was unconstitutional (illegal).
When was the Montgomery bus boycott?
5 Dec 1955 – 20 Dec 1956
How long did the bus boycott last?
Just over 1 year
Give three reasons the boycott was a success.
- The black population of Montgomery was well organized and committed
- The boycott gained positive national media coverage
- The boycott damaged the bus company financially
Give three reasons why Martin Luther King was an effective leader of the Civil Rights Movement.
- Inspirational and charismatic orator (speaker)
- Roots in the black church gave him credibility among the largely Christian Southern black community
- Emphasis on peaceful protest appealed to moderate white people
How did the 1957 Civil Rights Act aim to support black people in the South to vote?
Gave courts the power to prosecute any individuals or states that prevented black people from voting
What was the increase (percentage) of black voters as a result of the 1957 Civil Rights Act add?
3%
Why was the impact of the 1957 Civil Rights Act so limited
All-white juries were unlikely to convict corrupt local officials who opposed desegregation.
What was the name of the organization set up by Martin Luther King to promote non-violent direct action?
SCLC
Why were the criminal activities of the KKK rarely punished?
Members sometimes worked in law enforcement (i.e. police) or sat on juries.
What was the name of and what happened to the 14-year-old child who was murdered by the KKK after he wolf-whistled a white woman?
Emmett Till / He was beaten up and murdered by the relatives of the white woman
What did the boy’s mother do that increased media attention on the brutality of his murder?
Help open-casket funeral so everyone could see his beaten up face
What happened to the two men charged with murdering the 14-year-old boy?
Found not guilty by all-white jury.
Give one reason why the murder of Emmet Till is seen as the start of the Civil Rights movement
The horror of murder encouraged many people to join the movement
What were the White Citizens Councils set up to do?
Defend segregation in the courts
What was the membership of the White Citizens Councils in the mid-1950s?
250,000
What was the name given to white Southern Democrats who opposed desegregation?
Dixiecrats
Which part of the US government did groups of pro-segregation politicians have most influence?
Congress
How were US politicians able to slow down or prevent desegregation? (2)
- Watered down bills
- Filibustered (talking non-stop) to prevent Civil Rights Bills from being passed into law
What did the four black college students do to protest against segregation in Greensboro? When?
Sat at an all-white lunch counter and refused to leave. 1960.
How many students – black and white – had joined the greensborough protest by the fifth day?
300
How were the protesters treated at the lunch counter by counter-protesters?
Sworn at, insulted, spat at and had food thrown on them
How did Woolworths react to the Greensboro protests?
Initially closed the store rather than desegregate but was eventually forced to desegregate
Which organization was formed after the success of the sit-ins?
Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
What was the wider response to the sit-ins in America?
Sympathy for the protestors – many Americans were horrified at the violent response to them.
What was the name given to the activists who challenged continued segregation on interstate buses? When?
Freedom Riders. 1961.
Which organization was behind the Freedom Rider protest?
Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
How did freedom riders challenge the continued segregation?
Black and white students sat in the ‘wrong’ areas of segregated buses
What was the reaction to the Freedom Riders?
Violence – beatings, firebombs, mob attacks
What did Eugene ‘Bull’ Connor order the police NOT to do when a mob attacked the Freedom Riders in Birmingham?
He ordered police to not intervene to help the Freedom Riders
What was the FBI’s reaction to KKK attacks on the Freedom Riders?
Decided not to arrest any KKK members
How did President JFK support the Freedom Riders?
Promised to enforce the desegregation of interstate buses and bus facilities.
Which university did James Meredith re-apply to? When?
University of Mississippi / 1962
Which federal body intervened to force the university to accept Meredith?
Supreme Court
What did President Kennedy do when the university physically prevented Meredith from registering?
Sent 320 federal marshals to escort Meredith to the campus
What happened when Meredith registered?
A riot broke out. Two people were killed.
How long were troops on campus protecting Meredith?
3 years (until he graduated)
Which city did Martin Luther King describe as ‘the most segregated city in the United States?
Birmingham, Alabama
Who was the police chief in Alabama?
Eugene ‘Bull’ Connor
Why did MLK suspect there would be a violent reaction to his campaign in Birmingham?
‘Bull’ Connor had used violence against peaceful protesters before (Freedom Riders)
Why did MLK want a violent reaction to non-violent protests?
Media attention (and sympathy) for protests
Give four examples of non-violent protests used in Birmingham.
- Sit-ins
- Meetings
- Protest marches
- Boycotts
How many children were arrested for joining the Birmingham marches?
900
What did Connor order police to do to try and get rid of the protesters in Birmingham?
Set huge water cannons and dogs on the protesters
How did wider America react to media coverage of the violence towards the protesters at Birmingham?
Shocked / sympathetic to the protesters.
When was the march on Washington?
1963
What was the purpose of the march on Washington?
Pressure for a Civil Rights Bill
Which civil rights groups were involved in organising the march on Washington?
NAACP, CORE, SNCC, SCLC
Who made the famous ‘I have a dream’ speech to the crowd in Washington?
Martin Luther King
How many people attended the march on Washington?
250,000
What was the name given to pop-up schools for black schoolchildren designed to address racial inequalities?
Freedom Schools
How did the KKK react to freedom schools?
Burned crosses, churches, and homes and attacked volunteers.
What happened to the three Freedom Summer activists when they arrived in Mississippi?
Murdered by the KKK following a tip-off from police
Name three ways Presidents Kennedy and Johnson supported Civil Rights.
- Appointed black Americans to high-level government jobs
- Backed the Civil Rights Bill
- Sent in federal troops to enforce desegregation
What was the name of President Johnson’s series of programs aimed at ending poverty and racial injustice?
‘Great Society’
When was the Civil Rights Act signed?
1964
When was freedom summer?
1964
Name three achievements of the Civil Rights Act
- Banned segregation of public facilities or places
- Outlawed racial discrimination in employment
- Set up new organisation to enforce desegregation
Name two limitations of the Civil Rights Act (3)
- Did not address black voting rights (in the South)
- Did not address causes of poverty for black Americans e.g. lower wages, poorer housing
- 4 years later, 58% of black children remained in segregated schools
What percentage of Selma’s population was black in 1964?
50%
What percentage of Selma’s black population was registered to vote?
1%
What was the name of Selma’s hardliner police Chief?
Jim Clark
How many protesters marched from Selma to Montgomery? When?
- 1965.
Why was the march on Selma known as ‘Bloody Sunday’?
Marchers were attacked with tear gas and clubs. They were forced back to Selma
It took place on a Sunday
How did President Johnson intervene with the Selma march?
He ordered the state national guard to escort the marchers from Selma to Montgomery.
How many people attended the second march on Selma, led by King on 21-24th March, 1965?
25,000
When was the Voting Rights Act passed?
1965
Name two things the Voting Rights Act achieved
- Outlawed literacy tests and poll taxes as requirements to vote
- Set up a body to monitor voter registration
Out of the 13 Southern states, how many had fewer than 50% of their black citizens registered to vote BY 1966?
4
How did Malcolm X’s father die?
Murdered by white supremacists.
Where did Malcolm X convert to Islam?
Prison
Which religious group did Malcolm X join?
Nation of Islam
This group believed in separatism. What does this mean?
Black people could only be free in an environment where there were no white people.
Give two reasons why Malcolm X criticized Martin Luther King’s belief in non-violence and integration
- Believed it was unnatural to allow your enemy to abuse you without fighting back. Self-defense is legal.
- Believed integrated society would lead to new forms of slavery for black people
What impact did Malcolm X’s pilgrimage to Mecca have on his beliefs?
Rejected earlier beliefs about separatism, left Nation of Islam, more willing to work with other civil rights campaigners.
What happened to Malcolm X in February 1965?
Assassinated by gunmen from Nation of Islam
Which issues did Black Power focus on that was different from the Civil Rights Movement? (3)
- Pride in black heritage and culture
- Community control – improvements to schools, housing etc achieved by black people controlling them
- Self-defence
When did Black Power begin to emerge as a movement?
1966
Who was seen as a spokesperson for Black Power?
Stokely Carmichael
How did Carmichael change SNCC?
Expelled white members in 1966
When and where were the Olympics where two runners staged a Black Power salute?
1968, Mexico Olympics
How did the crowd react to the salute at the Mexico Olympics?
Booing
How did Black Panthers address police brutality towards black Americans?
Patrol the Pigs – patrolled black areas and monitored any arrests of black people
Name three ways the Black Panthers supported black people living in ghettos.
- Set up free breakfasts for school children.
- Set up clinics to advise on health, welfare, and legal rights
- Set up Liberation Schools to teach self-respect and black pride
When were the Watts riots in Los Angeles?
August 1965
How many were:
• Killed
• Arrested
• Value of property destroyed
In the Watts riots.
- Killed - 34
- Arrested - 4000
- Value of property destroyed - $40 million
What was the name of the report published in 1968 which blamed white racism for the riots?
Kerner Report
Martin Luther King turned his attention to the North after 1965 – what was the main issue facing black people in northern cities?
Poverty/housing
Which northern city did Martin Luther King try to campaign to address economic problems in employment and housing after 1965?
Chicago
What was the name of the mayor of Chicago in 1966?
Richard Daley
What did the mayor of chicago do that led to major riots in 1966 during the summer heatwave?
Turned off the water supplies that were used to cool down in ghettos.
Give two reasons why the Chicago campaign was a failure (3)
- Chicago was 10 x bigger than cities in the south
- Church attendance was lower – King’s Christian message did not reach the target audience
- Changes to the law (i.e. ending segregation) are much less expensive than solving problems in the north
How did the Chicago campaign end?
Mayor Daley agreed to provide fairer housing for black residents. Once the SCLC had left, Mayor Daley ignored the agreement.
Where and when was Martin Luther King assassinated?
Memphis, April 1968
Name two consequences of MLK’s assassination
- Riots across 29 states
- Sped up passing of Civil Rights Act 1968
Name three things President Richard Nixon did for civil rights?
- Tax cuts for white-owned businesses that set up branches in black neighbourhoods
- Pressed for ‘affirmative action’ – (deliberately choosing a black person for a job over a white person in order to increase representation)
- Made sure there were more black officials in the White House – James Farmer, who had been a CORE official, was given a high-level job in the Department of Health, Welfare and Education
Give one example that shows how progress on integration had been made by 1974
Only 8% of black children in the South attended segregated schools
