civil rights 2.1: progress 1960-2 Flashcards
when were the greensboro sitins
1960
greensboro, north carolina
how did the greensboro sit ins start
4 black college students sat at an all-white lunch counter in woolworths and refused to leave
how many students had joined the greensboro sit ins by the 5th day
300
black and white
how were the greensboro protestors treated by counter-protestors
sworn at
insulted
spat at
had food thrown on them
how did woolsworths react to the protests
initially closed the store but was eventually forced to desegregate
which organisation was founded after the success of the greensboro sit ins
student non-violent co-ordinating committee
(SNCC)
what was the wider response for the sit-ins in the us
sympathy for the protestors
- many americans were horrified at the violent response they were met with
what were the achievements of greensboro
- showed power of nonviolence
- within 6 months, restaurants were desegregated in 16 southern cities
- student sit-ins become popular mthod of protest
what was the significance of the greensboro
- highlights economic power of black americans
- led to set up of sncc
- led to unity of civil rights groups
- help from whites too
when were the freedom rides
1961
who were the freedom riders
people who challenged segregation on interstate buses
organised by james farmer
which organisation was behind the freedom rides
congress of racial equality (core)
how did the freedom riders challenge segregation
black and white students sat on the wrong sides of segregated buses
why did the freedom riders do this
to test the 1946 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Morgan v. Virginia that found segregated bus seating was unconstitutional
to test if it was covered in all states they rode through
what was the reaction to the freedom riders
violence:
- beatings
- firebombs
- mob attacks
what happened when the bus reached aniston, alabama
may 1961
surrounded by 100 armed kkk members
what did eugene ‘bull’ conners order police to do whe the freedom riders were attacked in birmingham
not to intervene to help the protestors
what was the fbis reaction to the kkk attacks on the freedom riders
decided not to arrest any kkk members
how did jfk support the freedom riders
promised to enforce desegregation of interstate buses and bus facilities
what were the achievements of the freedom rides
- gained a lot of white support
- over 1,000 people took part
- all signs enforcing segregation were removed on interstate transport by 1961
what was the significance of the freedom rides
- rides demonstrated unity btw different civil rights organisations
- rides showed importance of publicity
- other public facilities remained segregated
what university did james meridith reapply to in 1962
university of mississippi
how did james meridith get into mississippi
rejected twice but filed a case and the supreme court ruled that the university of mississippi had to accept him
who accompanied james meredith to campus
340 federal marshals
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)
