civil rights test Flashcards
What treatment did black Americans face?
Across the USA, black Americans faced negative treatment such as racial segregation and discrimination. While discrimination and inequality was widespread in the North, in the South it was often in law. Jim Crow laws enforced segregation in public parks, cinemas, restaurants, schools, universities and on public transport.
What were attitudes like in the ‘Deep south’?
The deep south is those states in the USA’s South-East with history of slavery and who formed Confederacy during US civil war. Many people in these states help vary traditional and conservative views. These states: Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Florida.
Why do many laws vary between states?
US has federal system of government. Means while constitution gives federal government (president, houses of congress and supreme court) some powers, also gives states right to pass many of own laws.
What was the civil rights movment?
Civil rights moment refers to campaigns for equal rights. Civil rights activist was someone who tried to persude others to do same.
Why was it so difficult for black people to receive fair treatment and justice?
Institutions including police and law courts in south were full of racist white officials who didn’t support complaints by black people. Police often beat up and murder black people and crimes against black people were rarely investigated. Black people couldn’t sit on juries, largely because wouldn’t be registered to vote, white official made extremely difficult to do.
What was the Ku Klux Klan?
Group who persecuted Jews, Catholics, communists and any non-white person, especially African Americans. put burning crosses in front of houses, blew up homes and murdered people. Many policemen and judges in south were member or sympathetic to organisation.
How did ww2 affect campaign for civil rights?
Over million black Americans fought in ww2 in segregated units, or supported war efforts through work at home. After war some white were more sympathetic to civil rights. Moreover, federal government was embarrassed by cold war propaganda that expressed denial of rights to black.
How many black Americans could vote in south?
Before war around 3%, in 1956 about 20%.
Why were so few black Americans registered to vote?
White could stop black from voting using variety of official and unofficial methods: employers threatening to sack black employees, white gangs gathered outside registration and voting places, black campaigners and lawyers and activists who went to court to defend right to vote frequently faced beatings or murder. State set own rules for holding elections, unfair voting registration including literacy tests, that would be biased towards white. Had to prove forefathers voted.
What was integration?
When black andwhite share all facilities and public services.
What factors contributed to growth of civil rights movement in 1950s?
better education for black-especially in north led to more black professionals, migration meant that many poor black moved north and liberal white moving south, southern towns grew giving black new jobs opportunities in industry, cold war made US government sensitive to international criticism, new ideas disproved idea that some races were genetically inferior-inequality down to education and other social circumstances, ww2 many white worked with black saw integration abroad, TV brought events to homes-racism couldn’t be ignored across USA
What nationwide civil rights organisations were there in the 1950s?
National association for the advancement of colored people (NAACP est. 1909). congress of racial equality (CORE est.1942). Groups had members in north particularly because had white supporters.
What groups campaigned for rights in the south?
local groups often church-based. Often more success in south. Some local groups didn’t oppose segregation but wanted equal standards, groups were important in helping develop tactics of non-violent direct action.
How did the NAACP campaign for civil rights?
Focused on campaigning through courts. Set up legal defence fund (LDF) in 1940 to help black they believed to be wrongly sent to jail. In 1950 LDF started fighting against segregation.
What was Plessy v. Ferguson?
Decision by US government in 1896 declared segregation allowed under constitution, as was ‘separate but equal’. Allowed for Jim Crow laws.
How did the NAACP campaign against Plessy?
NAACP used 2 approaches to overcome Plessy. Firstly provided evidence that facilities weren’t equal, secondly, argued that equal facilities weren’t same as equal opportunities because they reinforced racial inferiority.
How did CORE campaign against segregation?
CORE campaign used non-violent direct action protests such as boycotts, pickets and sit-ins of segregated places e.g. lunch counters, public transport.
How did church groups organisations campaign for civil rights?
Black churches important centres of most black communities in south. Black clergymen were often community leaders and organiseres, were involved in civil rights movement.
Why were black clergymen involved in civil rights?
Most paid by church so would not lose job if spoke out against white racism, educated and good public speakers, good negotiators, had own network of contacts in black community. persuade and gain support, sometimes used non-violent direct action, but stressed forgiving opponents.
What was the RCNL?
The regional council of negro leadership (set up i Mississippi in 1951) was example of organisation that campaigned for black rights within segregation. Led by T.R.M Howard, RCNL campaigned against police brutality and worked for voter registration. It held rallies and speeches.
What opposition did the civil rights movement face?
faced violence opposition from KKK as well as from white Southern churches who used bible to justify segregation.
Name 2 men who were murdered for registering to vote?
Reverend George Lee and Lamar Smith.
When and where was Emmett Till murdered?
14 year old from Chicago was murdered on 18 August 1955 in Mississippi.
What happened to Till’s killers?
Trial reported across country. Jury cleared defendants after about hour. Defendants later sold story (admitting murder) to magazine for $3,500.
What was the impact of Till’s murder?
Till’s mother, Mamie Bradly, insisted open casket with open viewing of son’s battered body in funeral home. Led to huge publicity. NAACP produced pamphlet called M if for Mississippi and Murder, linking cases of Till, Lee and Smith.
Who were the Dixiecrats?
Democrats were dominant political party of south. Politicians opposed integration. Most significant opponents were named ‘dixiecrats’ after southern democrats who had formed own breakaway party rather than support civil rights bill put forward by President Harry Truman in 1948.
What was the Brown V. Topeka case?
NAACP lawyers brought several schools desegregation and took them to US supreme court as Brown V. the Board of education of Topeka, Kansas in 1952. 17th May 1954 Supreme court ruled Plessy ruling no longer apply, so ‘separate but equal’ could no longer be used to justify segregated education. Met with backlash from KKK. Black students and teachers faced threats and hostility in desegregated schools. States found ways to keep segregation. Gained publicity
What was impact of brown?
Brown case reversed Plessy, sparking off many more desegregation campaigns, supreme court set no timetable for desegregation but in 1 other supreme court case ruled that desegregation should be carried out by states ‘with all deliberate speed’. Vague that gave southern states flexibility.
What were other impacts of Brown?
In deep south progress slower. Governors of some states, e.g. Kansas and Mississippi didn’t accept desegregation. Senator Harry F. Bryd of Virginia demanded ‘massive resistance’ by states using tactics such as closing schools that tried to desegregate.
What are final impacts of Brown?
White backlash began as can be seen from Southern Manifesto, declaration signed by 11 southern states that claimed desegregation was ‘contrary to the Constitution’ and would destroy system of pubic education.
What were difficulties in desegregating schools?
Especially in deep south, many students, parents and teachers opposed. Black students often faced intimidation and violence by racist mobs. Many black teachers lost jobs or faced trouble from whit students in integrated schools.
What happened in Little Rock High school in 1957? (Desegregation started on 3rd September 1957 NAACP arranged for black students to arrive there on 4th September.)
Little Rock, Arkansas, was desegregating Centrel high School in 1957. Due to threats and discrimination only 9 students were willing to go at start of school year. Governor Orval Faubus sent 250 state troopers to ‘keep the peace’ by stopping black student from entering on first day of school. On second day, Elizabeth Eckford, one of Little Rock Nine students shouted at by mob of white as she walked into school. 24th September Eisenhower sent in federal troops NAACP used courts to challenge governor. More publicity. Some schools shut instead of desegregation.
What was the significance of Little Rock?
photograph of Eckford and white mob were in newspapers worldwide with Little Rock Nine becoming famous. Federal government became embarrassed by publicity.
What was the federal government embarrassed by publicity?
President Eisenhower, who didn’t initially agree with legal enforcing integration, sent 1000 federal troops to enforce Kansas to obey law. Governor Faubus’ state troops put under federal control using presidential order. Eisenhower explained his actions on TV saying how states had to respect law. At end of school year, Governor Faubus closed every Little Rock school for next school year in order to avoid integration. Parents forces schools to re-open as integrated in September 1959.
What were the WCC?
White Citizens’ Councils (WCC) set up after Brown ruling, grew rapidly in late 1950s. Campaigned against desegregation and, like KKK, carried out threats and violent actions against black families and civil rights activists.
Were there ways for Southern states to avoid total integration?
Yes, many. States drew up plans for gradual desegregation, a school year at a time; segregated within schools; desegregated only one or two in an area and introduced ‘testing’ that skewed against black pupils.
How did civil rights organisations cope with opposition to desegregation in schools?
NAACP and CORE sent representatives to work with families for children involved in school desegregation. CORE produces a leaflet advising how students should behave during integration and warning them about the hostility they would face.
What was the WPC?
Women’s political council set up in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1946 to fight discrimination. WPC were asking for changes to issues of bus drivers and seating.
Who was secretary of the Montgomery NAACP and leader of its youth council?
Rosa Parks.
Why did she become the figurehead of the bus boycott on 1st December 1955?
Parks was respectable, middle-aged, married woman who was well regarded in black community. There was nothing disreputable about her that opponents could use to make her look bad.
When was Parks arrested?
1st December 1955
What action was taken due to parks’ arrest?
WPC called for one-day bus boycott on 5th December. 90% black passengers boycotted bus company.
Who was Montgomery’s mayor?
Mayor Gayle.
What were the aims of the MIA?
The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) set up at meeting at Holt street baptist church on 5th December 1955. Aimed to support bus boycott and campaign for improvements demanded by WPC (black drivers, fair seating polite drivers).
Who was chosen leader of the MIA?
Martin Luther King
Why was king chosen?
New to Montgomery so had no friends or enemies among white officials. Moreover, well-educated and respected clergyman who supported non-violent direct action in order to achieve civil rights. Commited to success. Some told would loose job.
When did the Montgomery bus boycott take place?
5th December 1955- 20th December 1956.
How did authorities respond to boycott?
Many white in Montgomery (from Mayor Gayle, to bus company owners, to KKK and WCC) opposed boycott. WCC membership rose sharply and even Mayor Gayle joined. White officials harassed MIA officials and arrested them on minor charges such as speeding. On 22nd February 89 MIA members, including King, were arrested for disrupting lawful business. Their trial increased publicity although King found guilty and made to pay fine of $500.
What system was introduced to help boycott?
MIA met church groups and other organisations to set up car pools, which began on 12th December.
Why was the boycott successful?
Overall was combination of organisation, commitment, publicity and leadership of King, Jo Ann Robinson (president of WPC and English teacher who had been writing to Mayor Gayle since 1954), E.D. Nixon (NAACP member helped organise boycott and went on fundraising tours) and Ralph David Abernathy (NAACP member and a clergyman who worked closely with King).
Why was the boycott important?
showed black could organise mass resistance, attracted widespread support and publicity, made King well known figure, showed how non-violent direct action could work. Introduced Browser v Gayle argued unconstitutional. 5th June ordered desegregation. Tried to appeal on 17tj December but was rejected. 20th December MIA called off boycott.