Civil Rights - 1945-55 & MLK Flashcards
What were the Jim Crow laws?
Legal segregation in the South, denying black Americans access to facilities used by white Americans
What was ‘Segregation of the heart?’
Unspoken racial étiquette, segregating blacks and whites
What were the Voting Rights in the South?
‘grandfather clause’ - only voting if their grandfathers had been able to
literacy tests - not applied fairly to all citizens
What was Plessy v. Ferguson?
Homer Plessy claimed that segregation was unlawful because all citizens were guaranteed equal rights under the 14th Amendment - he had been arrested for sitting in a white-only area of a train.
What were the consequences of Plessy v. Ferguson?
Legalised segregation, saying it was legal to treat people in a way that was ‘separate but equal’. Resulted in Jim Crow laws being enforced all through the South
How many black Americans fought in the second world war?
1.2 million
How were blacks segregated during the war?
Different canteens
Different transport
Many employed as cleaners/cooks
Given less training & worse equipment
Explain the experience of Black soldiers in Europe
Experience of European society during their stays in Britain and France, where there was no formal segregation and they were treated as heroes
What were the 4 basic freedoms?
Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
Freedom from want
Freedom from fear
What was the ‘Double V’ sign?
Fighting for 2 victories:
victory overseas
victory over racism
What were the effect of the war on the black’s views?
Boosted their self-esteem: after risking their lives for their country they expected recognition for their achievements.
They returned to America to challenge injustice
What was the change in number of blacks in the North before and after the war?
Before the war: 1/4 of blacks
After the war: almost 1/3 of blacks
What was the economic effect of the war on black Americans?
Allowed them to play a major role in the country's war effort. 48% of the black population was urban (higher paid jobs) Campaigning activists (e.g A. Philip Randolph) showed that putting pressure on the government could enforce racial equality.
How many blacks in the south could vote before the war?
2%
How many blacks in the south could votes after the war?
15%
What was the effect of the war on lynchings in the south?
They increased
Name an African American elected to Congress and say when
William Dawson (1943)
Name an African American appointed to federal judge and say when
William Haist (1949)
How many blacks migrated to the North during the war and why did they go?
500,000
In search for better conditions and work in industrial cities, e.g Chicago
What were the Detroit Riots?
3 day long conflict between blacks and whites in Detroit. Blacks believed it to be a response to radical discrimination in terms of jobs and housing as well as ongoing police brutality towards innocent blacks.
What are the Detroit Riots and example of?
How even in the North, blacks were subject to discrimination and violence
What percentage of black housing after the war was found to be substandard compared to the percentage of white housing in Washington (south)?
40% compared to 12%
What were the social conditions in the north after the war?
Most facilities were not segregated, so blacks and whites were more likely to mix.
However, because blacks were poorer they were divided in regards to accommodation.
When did Harry Truman become President?
1945