Civil Rights in 50s Flashcards
What laws enforced racial segregation in the South after the Civil War?
Jim Crow laws
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What was the ‘separate but equal’ doctrine?
A legal doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) that upheld segregation as constitutional
What organization was co-founded by W.E.B. du Bois in 1906?
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
What campaign emerged during World War II advocating for both victory abroad and at home?
Double V Campaign
What was the outcome of the Brown v. Topeka case?
The Supreme Court ruled that the ‘separate but equal’ doctrine was unconstitutional- made schools desegregate
What was the reaction in the South to the Brown v. Topeka ruling?
Formation of White Citizens’ Councils (WCC) and resistance to desegregation
What event highlighted violent racial discrimination in 1955?
The murder of Emmett Till
What significant action did Rosa Parks take on December 1, 1955?
Refused to give up her seat to a white passenger- sparked Montgomery Bus Boycott
How long did the Montgomery Bus Boycott last?
381 days
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1957 aim to establish?
A US Commission of Civil Rights to investigate voting rights violations
What was the significance of the Little Rock case in 1957?
President Eisenhower sent federal troops to protect black students at Little Rock High School.
Fill in the blank: The South resisted the desegregation ruling by creating _______.
White Citizens’ Councils
True or False: The Brown v. Topeka decision led to immediate desegregation across all schools in the South.
False- it was slow and met with a lot of resistance
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What did the NAACP’s legal challenges focus on in the early 20th century?
Combating lynching and racial discrimination
What was the role of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) during the bus boycott?
Organized the boycott and led efforts to demand equal treatment on buses. MLK was its chairman.
What was the outcome of the Browder v. Gayle case?
Buses in Montgomery were ruled to be desegregated
What did the 13th Amendment 1865 do?
Abolish Slavery
What did the 14th Amedment 1868 do?
Grant citizenship
What did the 15th Amendment do?
Establish voting rights
What were the 2 main impacts of the Brown v Topeka case.
- Segregation was made illegal
- White Resistance
What were the 2 main impacts of the Emmett Till case?
- Highlighted violent racial discrimination
- Motivated people to join the Civil Rights movement
What did Emmett Till’s mother insist upon?
Having an open casket funeral
5 consequences of the Montgomery Bus Boycott
- Desegregation of buses at Montgomery and other places.
- Confirmed the power of unity
- Validated non-violent direction action as an effective method
- Other facilities at Montgomery remained segregated, e.g., cafes, restaurants, cinemas
- The KKK attacked African Americans on the streets or in their homes.
