Civil Rights 1941-1970 Flashcards
Were the US armed forces segregated at the beginning of WW2?
yes
How many black americans were serving in the armed forces by 1945?
750,000
At the beginning of lWW2 what roles could black americans take in the army?
supporting roles
(working in kitchens, carrying messages)
Why were black americans allowed on to the front lines?
black Americans were needed to fill positions in the forces as troop numbers fell when white Americans were wounded or killed
Who was Dwight D Eisenhower?
supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe
What did Dwight D Eisenhower support?
idea of integrating black and white soldiers to fight together
What is Executive order 8802?
banned discrimination against black Americans in work
issued by ROOSEVELT
How many Black Americans worked in war industries?
roughly 2 million
How many people died/injured in the race riot in Detroit 1943?
34 died
700 injured
How much damage was caused in the Detroit race riots 1943?
2 million USD worth of damage
How many Black americans were stationed in Britain in 1942?
150,000
Were black soldiers treated better in the UK or US?
UK
For many (outside the bases) it was the first time where they didn’t experience segregation
Inside the bases they were still segregated
What is the NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People
When was the NAACP set up
1909, its works to bring out racial inequality
Why did NAACP membership increase significantly after WW2?
due to black peoples experiences in the war
How many NAACP members in 1945?
rose from 50,000 to 450,000 (by 1945)
What is CORE
Congress Of Racial Equality
set up in 1942 by Gandhi
What protest methods did CORE use
non violent
(sit ins at segregated cinemas and restaurants)
Why was Trumans fair deal not passed?
southern senators in Congress stopped his proposal
Brown V Topeka
1951
Linda Brown was denied access to school as her local one was White only
Her Parents asked the NAACP for help and the case went to Supreme Court
Brown VS Topeka SC RESULT
May 1954
Justice Earl Warren stated that segregation in education went against the CONSITUTION
Little Rock 9
9 black students attending Little Rock High School
Governor Faubus ordered state troopers to stop students attending the school.
Eisenhower was shocked and sent 1,200 federal troops to protect the children
James Meredith
Attended University of Mississipi
SC demanded the Uni to allow him to study there
Kennedy sent 300 US marshals to protect Meredith (these troops stayed until he graduated)
Later 2,000 troops sent in due to riots
Freedom rides
May 1961 CORE organised Freedom rides
Protestors would break segregation laws
In Anniston Alabama, one bus had its windows smashed and a petrol bomb thrown in to it
Freedom rides RESULT
Kennedy sent US marshals to protect them
How many black pilots were there by 1945?
600
Why was MLK succesful?
charasmatic popular leader who gained worldwide media coverage
When was Rosa Parks arrested?
December 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on the bus
Why did MLK target Birmingham Alabama?
large black population
notorious racist chief of police (Bull Connor)
When was March on Washington
august 1963
How many people attended March on Washington
250,000
What did MLK’s ‘I have a dream speech’ do?
televised across the USA
put pressure on JFK to pass civil rights bill
When was Civil Rights act passed?
1964 by Johnson
What did the Civil Rights act enable?
Segregation in hotels, motels, restaurants,
lunch counters & theatres was banned
Responsibility of federal gov to bring cases
to court to tackle discrimination
Black students given equal rights
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
set up
