Civil Rights Movement In The 1950's Flashcards
What was the Little Rock nine
9 African American students who attended a white school (still after the supreme courts ruling ) with the support of the NAACP
In what year did Little Rock nine enrol in the school
September 1957
Why were they unable to enter the school on the 4th of September 1957
Governor of Arkansas, Faubus, was against desegregated schools. He sent in State troops to prevent them entering
What happened to the students on the 24th of September 1957
The students returned but with the support of 1000 national troops sent by president Eisenhower.
How long did the troops stay for
6 weeks
In what year did Ernest green become the first African American to graduate
1958
Who was Linda brown
The girl that the court case Brown VS the board of education was about
Why did the court case get to the Supreme Court
Linda brown had to walk 200 metres to get to a black school, when there was a white school half a mile away from her house.
Argued that education should be desegregated
Who did Oliver brown have support from (the father)
The NAACP
What did the argue at the Supreme Court
That segregated schools were unequal and therefore went against ‘separate but equal’
Which Chief Justice usually supported the NAACP
Earl Warren
Positives of the brown VS the board of education
- encouraged others to fight for their rights in the American society
- supreme court have voted in favour of NAACP, showed that the government was ready for change
Negatives of the brown VS the board of education case
- the Supreme Court DID NOT put a time frame on the legislation, meaning many states postponed the new law
- only 12% of school sin the south were desegregated
- KKK became revitalised (murders,bombing)
- didn’t end segregation in other sectors
Positives of Little Rock nine
- Eisenhower had shown his support for the civil rights movement
- NAACP had challenged segregated states
- desegregated education had finally been pushed into action
- challenged other schools that weren’t desegregated
Negative of Little Rock nine
- students faced physical and verbal abuse
- only 1 of the 9 students graduated
- in 1959 headteacher closed down the school instead of becoming desegregated
When did the Montgomery bus boycott occur
1955
When was Rosa parks asked to give up her seat on a bus for a white person, yet refused and was arrested
1st December 1955
What did the NAACP arrange
A boycott of the public buses
What did the bus boycotts cause for the bus companies
Bus companies lost money
61% of its income
How long did the bus boycott last
381 days
When did the Supreme Court vote that segregation on buses was illegal
21st December 1956
Positives of the bus boycott
- Law applied to the whole of America
- Martin Luther king Jr began to emerge as the leader of the civil rights movement
- meant the NAACP continued the civil rights movement
Negatives of the bus boycott
- local campaign that took ages to work
- black community experienced violence
Name two non violent protest
Freedom riders
Greensboro sit ins
What happened on February 1st 1960
Two black men were refused drunks in a Greensboro shop
The men were asked to leave but refused
What did the Greensboro sit ins lead to
It encouraged others to join in- Gained support across the country
When did woolworth become desegregated
July 1960
Because sales decreased
How many student participated in the Greensboro sit ins
50,000
What type of tactic were the sit ins
“Direct action” to challenger segregation peacefully
What does the term ‘freedom riders’ refer too
In May and June of 1961, groups of African Americans started to challenge te unfair laws that allowed segregated buses
What did the ‘freedom riders’ want to prove?
That any person should be able to travel anywhere in USA without the dearie racism
How did white people respond to their actions (freedom riders)
Violently-many were attacked and beaten
What was the KKK response to the actions of the ‘freedom riders’?
Organised attacks in them
In Alabama a bus was set alight and the bus doors held shut-just about escaped
How many freedom rides were there
60
How many individual were involved in the 60 freedom rides
450
Positives if the freedom rides
Gained high amounts of media coverage
Encouraged others to stand up for their rights
What happened in August 1963 in Washington
Martin Luther king staged his most high profile event
How many people attended Martin Luther king speech (I had a dream) and March
200,000 black people and 50,000 white people
What was the aim of the protest in August 1963
Put pressure on president Kennedy to introduce a civil rights bill
What does black nationalism mean
A belief that encourages pride in African heritage
What did black nationalists want?
- Wanted to create a homeland for black people
- use violence as a method of protest
- some wanted segregation rather than integration
Background info another Malcolm X
Born in 1925 as Malcolm Little
Grew up in poverty and crime
Became a Muslims whilst in prison(national Islam)
Criticised Martin Luther king’s non violent methods
Successes of Black nationalism
- National attention
- black panthers had 2000 members
- responsible for race riots
- inspired others to join the movement
- prompted pride in African heritage
Failures of black nationalism
- Many white people saw their violence-not deserving of the vote or respect
- gave the authorities the excuse to be violent back
- watt’s riots in LA 1965 (gained media)30000 rioters and 34 activists
- killed 9 police officers
What did the civil rights act of the 2nd of July 1964 address
All forms of segregation was illegal
Lawsuits against state governments who didn’t respond to law
What were the limitations of the civil rights act in 1964
DIDN’T STOP police brutality
Still struggled to vote due to restrictions
When was the first planned March in selma supposed to take place
Early 1965 for ‘voting rights’
How many possible black p voters were there in Selma
15,000
How many black people were registered to vote in Selma
335 (2.4%)
Why was the town notorious for racism
Brutal racist sheriff called, jim Clark
What happened on the 7th of March in Selma
After the authorities banning the planned march
600 people still marched
They were brutally attacked
What did the media call the events in Selma on the 7th of March
‘Bloody Sunday’
The events were caught by the media and it horrified the whole of America
What was king’s proposal after the events at ‘Bloody Sunday ‘
Keep the pressure on the authorities
Rearranged the March on the 11th of March
But compromised and turned around after a bit
What did the voting act of 1965 address
Allowed government agents to inspect voting procedures
It ended the literacy
What did the civil rights act of 1968 address
Dealt with discrimination: housing coul not be sold or rented on basis of race,religion , national origin or sex
When was Martin Luther king assassinated
4th of April 1968
What did king’s death mark the end of
The civil rights movement
Kennedy and Johnson’s reforms
- The extension of unemployment benefit
- more aid to poor cities to improve housing and transportation
- increases in social security
- aid to economically distressed areas
- providing help to rural farming
What was Johnson’s great society
His ideas to tackle of unemployment p, bad housing and inadequate medical care
And importantly civil rights
What was the economic opportunity act of 1964
This provided training to disadvantaged youths aged 16-21, recruited volunteers to work and teach in low income slum areas
What was the Medicare and Medicaid in 1965
Provided medical insurance for the over 65’s and hospital care for the poor
What was the development act of 1964
Money was provided for replacing inner city slums with new homes
What effect did these reforms have
Positive effect yet many still lived in slums
Reforms were overshadowed by his actions in the Vietnam war
When had women gained the right to vote
After the First World War
How had the lives of women changed during the Second World War
During the war millions of women took on new roles to support the war effort
What happened to women’s role in the 1950’s
It reversed and women were once again expected to stay in the house
What was the symbolic starting point for the fight for women’s rights
The publication of feminine mystique’ by Betty friedan in 1963
Wat did Betty friedan do?
She argued that for middle class women the home become a concentration camp and that most women wished to break out of the limited environment
When was the national organisation for women set up
In 1966
What was the fight for equal pay
Women petitioning and going on strike to persuade employers to provide equal opportunity and wages
What was roe vs wade in 1973
Made abortion legal
Abortion was declared as a fundamental right for women under the US constitution
Overturned laws of individual states
What was the Supreme Court ruling on equal rights in 1972
That contraception should be legally available to unmarried couples
Caused religious and moral debate within society
Opposition to the equal rights amendment 1972
Many women were happy with their status in society and dint want change
- some women though it encouraged pre marital sex
- many working class women were not interested in feminism just equal pay as it effected them the most
- many religious groups, used the bible to justify male domination in the home
What else did feminists fight against
-Protested against male sexism
-men’s clubs were criticised
-sexist magazines
-traditional women magazines that limited women’s role in society
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