Civil Rights (Nixon) Flashcards
“Law and Order”
Nixon favored “law and order” policies that were widely seen as directed against black militancy.
A step back?
During his terms in office Nixon reversed some of the social and economic welfare policies of predecessor Lyndon B. Johnson, vetoing new health, education, and welfare legislation.
Alexander v. Holmes County (1969)
After the delay of Brown v Board to actually desegregate schools, Alexander v. Holmes County was the court case “to terminate dual school systems at once and to operate now and hereafter unitary schools.”
It was following this, that schools were actually desegregated en masse.
The issue of busing
Favored desegregation on the basis where children without taking in account race, would attend schools closest to their homes. Nixon dislike the alternative of busing.
Nixon’s affirmative action/Philadelphia Plan
The Nixon administration ended discrimination in companies and labor unions that received federal contracts.
Nixon also set guidelines and goals for affirmative action (the Philadelphia Plan) hiring for African Americans. The policy initially included government contracts of $500,000 in the construction trade, and expanded to include contracts of $50,000 or more in all areas of industry, and quotas for women.
(1970) Voting Rights Act
Nationalized the 1965 legislation and expanding its reach to northern states.
Blaxploitation (1970)
May 27, 1970, the film Watermelon Man was released, directed by Melvin Van Peebles and starring Godfrey Cambridge. The first blaxploitation films were released.
(1972) Equal Employment Opportunity Act
EEOC increased the power to enforce against workplace discrimination. Between 1969 and 1972, the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) staff had increased from 359 to 1,640 and budget from 13.2 million to $29 million.
Funding under Nixon
A policy pillar of the Nixon administration was expanding education and economic opportunities for African Americans. The President appointed Robert J. Brown, an African American business leader, as a White House special assistant. Arranged by Brown, Nixon promised more than $100 million in federal funds for black colleges. - New Federalism
