civil rights movement USA Flashcards
What were the Jim Crow laws?
Laws that introduced segregation in the southern states of USA. black and white people were kept separate.
Examples of where black and white people were segregated?
Transport
Schools
Black and white communities for housing and accommodation
Why did black people struggle to receive voting rights?
Literary and reading tests were very difficult
Black Americans had to pay a poll tax to vote and they received lower wages then white Americans
What was Brown vs Topeka
Argued against the “separate but equal” system
Desegregation of schools
What was the federal government?
The central government in USA including the president, supreme courts and Congress
What did the NAACP do?
Help more black peoples get the chance to vote by challenging rules and procedures which made voting registration difficult
Achieve desegregation
campaigned for civil rights in court and set up legal defence funds to help wrongly convicted black people
What did CORE do?
Took part in sit-ins in places that had segregated seating such as cinemas, cafes
Bus rides to show segregation on buses was illegal
What was the SCLC?
1957- established by martin luther king
- religious , non-violent resistance and protest for change
LITTLE ROCK HIGH EVENT (1957)
. 25 students were accepted a place at Little Rock High school but after intimidation and violence only 9 registered
. Governor Faunus sent state troops to keep the peace
. NAACP arranged for all 9 students to arrive together but ELIZEBETH ECKFORD
did not get the message
. President Eisenhower sent in troops to escort children - first presidential intervention
MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT (1955)
. black passengers had to sit at the back of the bus and were expected to give their seat up for a white person
. Rosa Parks refused
. Black Americans would refuse to use the buses until the situation had changed -most bus uses were black americans so this damaged the buses financially
. car share involving 300 cars
. Kings home was bombed but was publicised sympathetically
Why was the bus boycott successful? (1957)
. Well organised - campaign was done well
. Committed success- black community continued to not use the buses and lost jobs
. Well publicised- local newspaper, church meetings, media
. Bus company hurt financially- passengers were mainly black Americans
Browder vs Gayle Supreme Court ruling 156
. Against bus segregation
. buses should be desegregated it’s uncounconstitutional
. racially integrated bus services began on 21st September 56
importance of Martin Luther King
. non violent approaches
. appealed to all races
. powerful speeches
. associated with other civ rights activists
KKK
. wore masks to show anonymity and intimidation
. religious - burned crosses, face and body covered (uniformed)
. blew up home, murdered people
. many policemen and judges in the deep south states were members
WHITE CITIZENS COUNCIL (WCC)
. opposed desegregation like the KKK
. bombed schools, threatened families of children who went to integrated schools
. we’re not anonymous or disguised- seen as individuals rather then a cult (KKK)
