Civil Rights Movement Flashcards
Who was Earl Warren?
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1954
Why was Earl Warren significant?
He was crucial in the unanimous Brown V Board ruling
When was Brown V Board?
1954
What did Brown V Board rule?
Separate but equal school facilities were unconstituional
When and what was Brown II?
In 1955 the Supreme Court issued Brown II, which demanded speedy integration of all public schools
Why was school integration slow despite the Brown rulings?
No official date by which schools had be integrated was set, and Southern powers were not in any hurry to integrate schools
Little Rock, Arkansas
In Little Rock, Arkansas, a white mob attempted to exclude 9 black pupils going to school; in response Eisenhower deployed federal troops to ensure their safety and study
Browder V Gayle ruling
1956- upheld the decision that segregated seating on public transport was unconstitutional
Backlash to Montgomery Bus Boycott/Browder V Gayle
In 1957, four black churches were bombed by the KKK in Montgomery
Albany, Georgia
1961-62- SCLC protest was effectively handled without violence; resulted in little media attention or change
Birmingham, Alabama
1963- SCLC protest that was handled violently and gained national media attention
Who was Bull Conner?
Birmingham chief of police, who used police dogs and water cannons in response to the SCLC protest in Birmingham
When was the march on Washington?
1963
How many people were at the march on Washington?
250,000 people gathered on the step of Lincoln Memorial to see MLK deliver his ‘I have a dream’ speech
Sit in participation
In 1960, 70,000 students participated in sit ins across the South, where they refused to leave their seats at segregated lunch counters
Impact of sit ins
Woolworth’s desegregated their lunch counters in 1961
Mississippi Freedom Summer
A campaign (that SNCC was highly involved in) to help boost black votings numbers in Mississippi
When did CORE rise to prominence and why?
In 1961 due to the Freedom Rides
Purpose of Freedom Rides
Hoped to bring federal enforcement to the 1960 declaration that segregated public transport was unconstitutional
Were the Freedom Rides successful?
Yes; Freedom Riders were attacked by white mobs in Birmingham and the federal interstate commerce commission issued orders to enforce racial integration
When was the first Civil Rights bill of the 1960s?
1964 Civil Rights Act
When was the second Civil Rights bill of the 1960s?
1965 Voting Rights Act
When was the final Civil Rights bill of the 1960s?
1968 Fair Housing Act
Why was the 1964 Civil Rights Act passed?
- White opinion was changing
- Tribute to Kennedy
- Black activism had exposed white racism
What percentage of white people favoured the 1964 Civil Rights Act?
68%
Impact of 1964 Civil Rights Act?
- Outlawed racial segregation for all public facilities
- First major Civil Rights bill since Reconstruction
- Age of Jim Crow was over
What helped the 1965 Voting Rights Act to be passed?
The murder of civil rights marchers during Selma to Montgomery March provided sufficient pressure on Congress for the bill to pass
Impact of 1965 Voting Rights Act on voting numbers
By the end of 1965, there were 250,000 new black voters
Malcolm X (positives)
- Inspired black Americans to demand more
- Gave rise to ideas of Black Power and separatism
- Inspired a new generation of black activists (e.g. Stokely Carmichael)
Malcolm X (negatives)
- Alienated whites with ideas of black separatism
- Divided the civil rights movement
- Many whites believed he incited violence
Leadership change SNCC
Stokely Carmichael, a strong believer in black power, took over as leader of SNCC in 1966
Leadership change CORE
Floyd McKissick, also a strong believer in black power, took over from James Farmer in 1966
Impact of leadership change in SNCC and CORE
- Radicalisation of the groups led to the expulsion of whites
- Expulsion of whites = organisations support and annual income dropped sharply
Reasons for the rise of black power
- Not seeing change
- Poor quality of life
- Continued to face regular violence; sought to fight back
Example of lack of change from the movement
10 years after the Brown V Board ruling, the US commissioner of education reported the majority of US children still attended segregated schools
Example of poor quality of life
In 1966, 40% of black families were living in poverty, and black unemployment was double white unemployment
Impact of King’s stance of Vietnam
- Alienated those who believed he should only focus on civil rights
- Important black civil rights leaders condemned his position
- Alienated Johnson and his administration; MLK lost influence with them
When was MLK assassinated?
April 1968 in Memphis
