Civil Rights 1960-74

Question 1

NAACP

Answer 1

National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People. The NAACP waged legislative battles, gathered and published crucial statistics, organised mass protests, and produced artistic material

Question 2

CORE

Answer 2

Congress of Racial Equality. Organised sit ins and Freedom Rides.

Question 3

SCLC

Answer 3

Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Led by MLK. Key roles in the March on Washington 1963, Selma Voting Rights campaign, and march to Montgomery.

Question 4

SNCC

Answer 4

Student Non-violent coordinating committee. coordinated youth led non-violent direct action campaigns against racism and segregation. Played a large part in sit ins, freedom rides, March on Washington, and Freedom Summer(voter education).

Question 5

Sit ins events

Answer 5

events in which black americans would sit at segregated lunch counters and refuse to leave even when they were met with rudeness and violence. This brought about attention and sometimes even the media reported on it. many students got involved and the SCLC(southern christian leadership conference), SNCC(Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee) and CORE(congress of racial equality). Because students were part of it it gained a lot of attention and there were over 70,000 people who took part. They also used the tactic of jail not bail to make jails overcrowded and cause more problems

Question 6

Freedom Rides events

Answer 6

1961 protesting segregated bus terminals. also tried to use segregated bathrooms and lunch counters. met with arresting police officers and extreme violence from white racists. mainly organised by CORE

Question 7

Freedom Rides impact and significance

Answer 7

brought international attention to what was happening

Question 8

Meredith Case causes and events

Answer 8

James Meredith applied for a place in Mississippi University but was rejected for being black. Mississippi University refused an order from the supreme court to integrate. Led to on campus violence leading to 2 deaths. Because of this Meredith was admitted with protection of federal marshals.

Question 9

Meredith Case Impact and significance

Answer 9

forced the federal government to enforce a supreme court ruling, meaning black students were rarely stopped from attending integrated universities

Question 10

MLK background and views

Answer 10

middle class family PhD from Boston University. Montgomery Bus Boycott made him famous. Baptist minister and leader of the SCLC mainly based in Montgomery. Believed in Non-violent direct action organised boycotts and marches which prompted confrontation. he was a great orator and constantly showed support for the govt and constitution which won him support. After 1965 he went to the north and was frustrated at methods showing slow progress. He became more socialist and lost some support, looked at tackling poverty, unemployment and housing. assassinated 4th April 1968 Memphis Tennessee

Question 11

Birmingham 1963

Answer 11

April 13th. Challenge continued segregation in Birmingham by attracting media attention and fed govt intervention. SCLC led campaign mass involvement including children. Boycotts of segregated stores, non-violent marches and demonstrations. international media attention. Used method of “fill the jails”. MLK writes “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in response to christian leaders in Birmingham that say he was disturbing their peace. President Kennedy sent mediators to Birmingham to reach an agreement and spoke nationally for civil rights. desegregation and employment in Birmingham stores, some riots ended by federal involvement. 50 other cities desegregated to avoid the same thing. Some jobs were desegregated. Contributed to JFK support for Civil Rights Bill

Question 12

March on Washington

Answer 12

28th August 1963.
Raise Awareness and support for freedom and equality form black Americans. Pressure to pass Civil Rights Bill
NAACP, SCLC, SNCC, CORE, etc. 250,000 attend.
March through central part of Washington ending at Lincoln Memorial. Speeches given include Dream Speech MLK.MLK wins Nobel Peace Prize the next year.
Federal Govt authorised the march and speeches
inspirational publicity shows the extent of support for Civil Rights Bill. didn’t directly bring about ‘freedom and jobs’ as the bill still wasn’t passed by the time of JFK assassination. Showed MLK as the leader of the Civil Rights Movement

Question 13

Mississippi Freedom Summer causes and events

Answer 13

1964. wanted to increase number of black voters. Mississippi black voting rate 5.3%. Hundreds of university/ college students help black americans pass unfair and rigged voting tests. The students were met with extreme violence from racists and KKK. Set up freedom schools, freedom housing, and protests

Question 14

Mississippi Freedom Summer impact and significance

Answer 14

although voter registration and success rate was not greatly improved, 40 freedom schools set up and 3000 students. gave even more pressure to president Lyndon B Johnson to pass civil rights act and voting rights act

Question 15

Selma Causes and Events

Answer 15

Selma march to Montgomery March 1965. Even after the Civil Rights Act people in alabama were still being discriminated against in voting because of their governor did not want to. Lyndon B Johnson went on national television to share his support for the Selma protesters and to call for the passage of the voting rights act. The voting rights act was passed in august of that year

Question 16

Selma impact

Answer 16

led to the passing of the voting rights act which abolished the unfair voting literacy tests

Question 17

Civil Rights Act 1964 and Voting Rights Act 1965 causes and clauses

Answer 17

Civil Rights Act ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, or national origin. It was first proposed by JFK surviving many attempts of takedown from southern congressmen, however, it was signed into law by Lyndon B Johnson. It led to the voting rights act which abolished unfair literacy tests that you needed to pass to be able to vote

Question 18

Civil Rights Act 1964 and Voting Rights Act 1965 impact and significance

Answer 18

put an end to segregation and jim crow laws. It made it so that everyone in law and in theory should be treated equally. Voting Rights Act allowed african americans to vote without hindrances allowing them to have more of a say in how the nation is run.

Question 19

Nation of Islam (NOI)

Answer 19

Black nationalist Islamic movement founded in 1930 and led by Elijah Poole. sought to achieve “Black Nationalism” the desire by certain African Americans to form an independent country. Thought that integration wouldn’t bring about equality or end discrimination. Black Supremacy. Used teachings of Islam but significantly adapted to American context. Saw the civil rights movement as too passive and not doing enough for economic issues eg poverty, unemployment, poor housing. taught members to not engage in politics and voting. thought violence was necessary. not big until malcolm x

Question 20

Malcolm X

Answer 20

A minister of NOI and a charismatic preacher. Critical of Civil Rights Movement saw it as an attempt to please white people. For violence if it shows results. grew disilusioned with NOI in 1964 as his mentor was accused of hypocrisy, corruption, and sexual impropriety. Religious ideas morphed into more traditional Islam and went on a pilgrimage to Mecca seeing that integration can work, causing him to soften views on working with other civil rights organisations after getting back. Sets up Organisation of Afro-American Unity as a civil rights group promoting links with people in Africa. Freedom by any means necessary. Assassinated by Nation of Islam 1965.
Influential ideas of: black pride, violence in self defence, rejection of non-violent civil rights movement
Inspired Black Power and Black Panthers. Highlights huge economic and social problems facing black americans

Question 21

Black Power

Answer 21

Idea of Black Self Respect
a more radical group after civil rights act and voting rights act as focus shifts to vietnam war
Anger in the ghettos.
Stokely Carmichael 1966 coins Black Power
attracted young poor black americans
encouraged pride in race culture and heritage
projects to improve living conditions in ghettos
1968 Olympic Black Power Salute
scared non radical civil rights supporters
Scapegoat for race riots

Question 22

Stokely Carmichael

Answer 22

coins black power during the March Against Fear during his speech
led SNCC from 1966
turned SNCC in radical direction stopping the non-violent aspect of the protests and disallowing white membership of SNCC
frustrated by slow progress of non-violent direct action.

Question 23

1968 Olympics

Answer 23

Black Power Salute Mexico Olympics
Tommie Smith, John Carlos
Gained world Wide Publicity.
banned from competing by US Olympic Committee
Received death threats
Australian Runner Peter Norman also faced similar treatment

Question 24

Black Panthers

Answer 24

Bobby Seale Huey Newton October 1966 Oakland, California
Radical. Inspired by Malcolm X. police treatment, housing, education, health care
self defence against police. One of the best known and feared.
uniforms. millitant
10 point plan for fair treatment, jobs, decent housing, education of origins, healthcare, end wars of agression, fair trials, clothing, people’s community control on new technologies, justice and peace.
“patrolling the pigs” armed members following police officers to prevent abuse of black americans
made life better in ghettos, vaccination and testing for disease, breakfast clubs for children, free shoes, black history classes, encouraged cooperation between black american gangs.
government see them as a socialist threat
disband in 1982 due to tensions in the group

Question 25

Black Panthers Impact

Answer 25

improved life in ghettos
proactive means of ensuring fair police treatment
helped impoverished people

Question 26

Watts Race Riots

Answer 26

August 11 1965 lasted for 6 days California
34 dead 1000+ injured buildings burned $40 million in damages costliest urban rebellion of civil rights era
clashes between LAPD and Black Americans because police arrested Marquette Frye on suspicion of drunk driving
peace eventually restored by California lieutenant governor
causes:
social issues within community
general lawlessness of area
uneasy relationship between police and community
Agitation from south

Question 27

causes of race riots

Answer 27

often sparked by disagreement between black americans and white police officers
racism, socio-economic inequality slow progress.
White racism, discrimination, poverty (Kerner Report)
white people felt threatened by black people gaining more power and wanted to assert dominance

Question 28

impacts of race riots

Answer 28

Lyndon B Johnson sets up Kerner reports to investigate
property damage and lowering of property prices in predominantly black american areas
many killed injured or jailed
increased ‘white flight’ as more fled from cities to avoid future riots

Question 29

Reasons for Growth of Protest Movement in 1960s

Answer 29

Impact of Civil Rights Movement: used experience to protest for other things. inspire new protest movements
Emergence of the Teenager: young people rebelled against parents, and questioned values and beliefs. new culture. changing traditional values
Media: most homes had a TV by 1960s people saw what was happening around the world. inspire Americans to take action
Increasing Role of Government: Since the 1930s and FDR new deal the Government gained more power and people believed the government should intervene to ask the government for change