Civil Rights Extent Of Change By 1955 Flashcards
What was the significance of the Brown v. Board of Education case?
It declared that school desegregation should take place with all deliberate speed.
This case was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, challenging legal segregation.
What was the Southern Manifesto?
A declaration signed by 100 congressmen in 1955 that opposed the Brown v. Board decision.
It claimed that the Brown case was an abuse of judicial power.
What was the outcome of the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
The US Supreme Court declared segregated public transport unconstitutional in December 1956.
The boycott lasted from 1955 to 1956 and was sparked by Rosa Parks’ arrest.
Who was Rosa Parks?
A black American woman whose refusal to give up her bus seat sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Her act of civil disobedience became a symbol of the fight against racial segregation.
Who emerged as a prominent leader during the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
He became a central figure in the civil rights movement until his assassination in 1968.
What was the role of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA)?
The MIA organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
It aimed to achieve desegregation of public transport in Montgomery.
What was the Congress of Racial Equality?
A multiracial organization created in 1942 that advocated for non-violent campaigning for racial equality.
Founded by James Farmer in Chicago, it drew inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi.
Fill in the blank: The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted from _______ to _______.
1955 to 1956
True or False: No schools in the Deep South were integrated by the end of 1956.
True
What was the impact of legal segregation opposition on civil rights progress?
It proved to be a major obstacle to change.
Many groups and individuals actively defended segregation through various means.
What did the desegregation of the armed forces in 1948 represent?
An immediate step towards racial equality.
This was one of the early actions taken to challenge segregation in the US.
What is the poverty line?
A measurement of the income needed to maintain a certain standard of living.
What is residual discrimination?
Even though black Americans saw an improvement in their civil rights, they still suffered discrimination in housing and employment.
Where did many black Americans live in the north?
In black ghettos such as Harlem, New York City and the south side of Chicago.
What was the impact of the poll tax on black Americans?
It prevented poor blacks (and whites) from voting.
What role did white supremacist groups play in the status of black Americans?
Groups like the Ku Klux Klan helped maintain black Americans’ second-class status.
What challenges did Hispanic Americans face in gaining rights?
They made very limited headway, with many Mexican Americans deported during WWII.
What happened to Mexican American migrants after WWII?
Many were attracted to seasonal agricultural work in the southwest, but one-third lived below the poverty line.
What was the significance of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)?
It was created in 1944 to include all Native American tribes and sought legal redress for their problems.
What did House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 108 do in 1953?
It ended Native American status as wards of the USA and called for the end of the reservation system.
What was the Federal Voluntary Relocation Program?
It attempted to remove Native Americans from their reservations with aid for moving costs and assistance in finding jobs and housing.
What was the state of minority activism in the USA by 1955?
Minorities were on the cusp of a great awakening into an organized campaign for equality, aided by an activist US Supreme Court.
What resistance did minorities face in their quest for equality?
They faced resistance from whites in the Old South, politicians in Congress, and state governments in the South.
