Civil Rights early Campaigns 1955-62

Question 1

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Answer 1

Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955-1956 - Segregated Busses, Rosa Parks (1955) refused to give up seat. Direct action, refused to use service. Hit companies hard, main revenue. King fined put into prison, gained media attention.

Question 2

Browder Vs. Gayle

Answer 2

Browder Vs. Gayle, 1956 - Boycott didn’t change segregation, NAACP ended with a court case making the segregation illegal.

Question 3

Significance of BvsG and MBB

Answer 3

Significance of BvsG and MBB, Power of black citizens ($). Direct action and legal, Media the injustice. MLK national attention, length to defend segregation, overturn Plessy vs Ferguson. Led to the establishment of the Sothern Christian Leader.. Conference

Question 4

Little Rock Campaign

Answer 4

Little Rock Campaign, 1957 - De facto segregation little progress, enrolling 9 students. National guard to prevent, Eisenhower orders to withdraw them. Racists prevented enrolling.

Question 5

Significance of Little Rock

Answer 5

Significance of Little Rock, NAACP Cooper Vs. Aaron 1958, illegal to prevent desegregation. Testing Court Rulings ensuring De facto change. Eisenhower forced to intervene, support desegregation, authority of President. Showed the extent to oppose integration.

Question 6

Greensboro Sit-ins

Answer 6

Greensboro Sit-ins, 1960 - Sitting in white only areas, escalated protest. 1 week six states, spread wade-in read-ins ect. 1961 70,000 people has engaged in the sit-ins. MLK and SNCC involvement Student Non violent Coordinating Committee.

Question 7

Significance of Sit-ins

Answer 7

Significance of Sit-ins, Increased CivRig organisations, Cooperate. Campaigns spread quickly. Media, increasing support for civil rights. Attacked all aspects of segregation. Showed the economic power. 1961 810 towns had desegregated public spaces 6 month after.

Question 8

The Freedom Rides 1961

Answer 8

The Freedom Rides, 1961 - To test Morgan vs Virginia, organised by CORE/SNCC. Use media attention, Bull Connor, gave no protection and gave police day off, racists to attack. Montgomery refused to protect. King gave a speech, enforced desegregation on the bus services Robert Kennedy.

Question 9

Significance of Freedom Rides

Answer 9

Significance of Freedom Rides, Cooperative between the civil rights groups. New Kennedy administration was sympathetic to civil rights.

Question 10

Albany Campaign

Answer 10

Albany Campaign, 1961-1962 - Laurie Pritchett new approach not giving media attention. King arrested then released.

Question 11

Significance of Albany

Answer 11

Significance of Albany, Peaceful protests didn’t always work. Splits in the organisations, some wanting more violent measures

Question 12

James Meredith University

Answer 12

James Meredith University, 1962 - James first black student at Uni of Mississ… Ross Barnett refused entry. Protestors on enrolment day, Rob Kennedy sent national Guard to protect, riot 2 died.

Question 13

Conclusion of the Early Movement

Answer 13

1955-62 - The power of the civil rights movement, although the government were reactive to the individual case rather than the fully committing to the cause