Civil Rights Flashcards
Plessy vs Ferguson
1896-“seperate but equal”
Jim Crow laws
These were racist laws used to segregate black and whites
Discrimination in Southern states
Many police, judges and officials were members of the KKK. They rarely convicted white people who had attacked a black person.
What was Brown vs Topeka 1954
The NAACP took 5 segregation cases in schools which showed unequality and proved it broke the 14th ammendment. WCC set up to use violence to prevent this. 1957 723 schools were desegregated.
Short term significance of Brown vs Topeka 1954
Some schools got shut down
Most southern states found ways around compyling with court rulings
Members of KKK increased and hostility shown towards black families
The little rock nine
Following Brown vs Topeka Little Rock was one of the schools who had to become segregated. 75 black people applied however only 25 were accepted. A lot of the 25’s families were intimidated with violence so only 9 ended up actually registering.
Major events of Little Rock 1957
Faubus(state governer) sent in 250 state troops to ‘keep the peace’ however they ended up blocking the way in the school for the children.
Elizabeth Eckford didn’t arrive to the school with the other students and was spat on and racially abused by white families and protestors.
Give three in which Little Rock was important in the campaign for desegregation
Hundreds of world wide reporters were reporting in this and it shocked the world but also spread awarenss.
It forced president Eisenhower to get involved on 24 September 1957
It showed that no matter what the fighters for desegragation would stay strong
Long term significance of Brown vs Topeka 1954
Inspired other campaigns
Awarness of the civil rights issue increased
The KKK
Operated mostly in Southern states and terrorised black american families through extreme violence and intimidation. They often lynched black people.
Political opposition to desegregation
Some state officials opposed desegregation so much that they completely closed down schools. Some state official made admission tests specifically hard for black students to prevent them getting in.
Dixiecrats
They were a political party who had strong views against intergration.
5 methods WCC used to prevent desegregation
- Make tests to get into intergrated schools deliberately hard for black people
- Make black people take a very hard literacy test before coting
- Use violent protests
- Threat violence
- Firing blacks from jobs who have anything to do with the civil right movement
