CRM Flashcards
Truman and position of Blacks in 1948
Served 4 terms, elected in 1948, he was racist and tried to join the KKK.
Police abuse, lynching, unequal pay, poor medical care, legal ossicles against blacks voting
NAACP, 5 cases they won up to 1950
Smith V Allwright 1944- black citizens had a right to vote in primary elections
Morgan V Virginia 1946- segregation on interstate transport was illegal
Sweat V Painter 1950- graduate education must be desegregated
The Brown Case 1954- education to be desegregated
Brown Case II 1955- the desegregation in education to be done ‘with all deliberate speed’
What did Truman do?
1950- desegregated Washington canteen airport
1948- ended discrimination in the armed forces
1948- supported NAACP in Shelly V Kraemer
1948- established fair employment board gave minorities equal treatment
Fair deal programme to build large numbers of new homes, underfunded more demolished than built
To Secure These Rights
1947-to examine the condition of civil rights set up by Truman
5 biggest inequalities:
Lynching, blacks get less pay, police brutality, legal obstacles agains blacks voting, poor health care for blacks
Eisenhower
1953-61 Wanted to support blacks, republican, part of the Brown Case, faced increase in KKK,
Emmett Till
Authene Lucy
1955-
Till: whistled at a White woman was attacked and killed, defence said that he was alive plot by NAACP, first time white man was charged for murdering a black man found not guilty, Eissenhower made no comment, many blacks became civil rights activists
Lucy: accepted to Alabama university, took university to court supported by NAACP they succeeded, she was expelled for her own safety
Montgomery Bus Boycott
1955-
Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a white man on a bus. Arrested and fined $14. NAACP campaigned and began a bus boycott, 85% of black community boycotted the buses, they lost 65% of their profit. Lead to BrowderVGayle 1956, ruled segregation on buses is illegal
Showed economic power of blacks
Highlighted significance of media coverage
Demonstrated MLKs leadership qualities
Showed lengths to which whites would defend segregation
Showed court willing to over turn Plessy V Furguson 1896
Little Rock High School
1957- attempted to speed up school desegregation, little rock in Arkansas the first to accept black people. Governor or Arkansas ordered national guards to stop students attending. Armed guards were soon joined by a white mob. Lead to Cooper V Aaron 1958, ruled that it’s illegal for federal court to stop desegregation. Eissenhower supported blacks realised they could use white reaction in their favour
Showed effectiveness of testing rulings
Forced Eisenhower to intervene
Greensboro sit ins
February 1960-
4 black students refused to leave all white woolworths and sat in white only seats. Happened day after day, 27 second day, 300 on fourth day, woolworths closed and 70,000 students done sit ins. Stores and resturants were desegregated, woolworths lost $200,000, activist groups grew, challenged segregation in many ways
Increased number of civil rights organisations
Demonstrated campaigns can spread quickly
Attacked all aspects of segregation
Showed economic power
By the end of 1961 810 towns desegregated public places
Freedom rides
1961-
Black and white people got on board public transport, Alabama racists attacked the buses with clubs, chains and burnt them. Police and KKK worked together. CORE AND SNCC.
Protests spread to trains and planes, MLK joined in, Robert Kennedy enforced desegregation of he buses, CORE, SNCC, SCLC achieve great change.
Albany
1961-
African American college in Georgia, November 61 SNCC mobilised students test segregation experience, no support from NAACP saw SNCC as trouble makers. Used public transport to protest.
Not all peaceful protests led to change, internal divisions, SNCC debated on whether to turn violent, MLK acknowledged that his campaigns weren’t successful
Peaceful protests weren’t always effective
Internal divisions
James Meredith
First Aftican American to attend the university of Mississippi, he was i. The Air Force 1951-60. He was rejected by the university twice, complaint rejected by court, 5th judicial circuit judge supported his appeal.
Threats aimed at Meredith and Bobby Kennedy, attorney general sent federal marshals to protect Meredith 160 marshals wounded.
7 Factors that account for success in the CRM 1955-1969
Publicity/media attention Support from Black people Sympathy Perseverance of individuals Organisation Federal government (has to be forced) Economic pressure
1957 civil rights act
Eissenhower praised first bill, shocked to see 7000 out of 900,000 blacks in Mississippi couldn’t vote, Bill was weaker than first thought,
1960 civil rights act
Eissenhower wanted to be moderate, southern democrats campaigned, added 3% to voter registration
Martin Luther King campaigns
Montgomery
Albany
Birmingham
Selma
Name campaigns
Montgomery Little rock Greensboro Freedom Rides Albany James Meredith
Significance of MLK before 1963
IMPORTANT- bought CORE SCLC together, good at public speaking, can attract people from a grass routes level, brings reputation, faith and media, he formed SCLC.
Other factors for the success of the movement of 1963
Legal rulings challenges by NAACP Bravery of individuals WWII Black consciousness Movement of conscience to activism More economic bargaining power Emmet Till Journey of reconciliation Support of Federal Government Civil rights act of 1957 and 1960 Thurgood Marshall education Positive black role models Growing external pressures White support
Birmingham, Alabama
Most racist place in America, head of police Bull Connor, MLk arranged for black demonstrators to march through the town. Met by police brutality, so SCLC changed tactics to use children and women, police still beat them. MLK was arrested JFK got MLK out.
Protesters released without charge
Department stores desegregated
Racial discrimination in employment to end
What were the consequences of Birmingham
Media reported on it, many white sympathised, JFK intervened showed support from Federal Government, Johnson tried reaching agreement with KKK but they bombed MLK’s hotel room, Soviet Union devoted 1/5 I its news to cover the protest, Kennedy and Johnson released all protestors with no charge, department stores desegregated, JFK announced that discrimination in employment to end
Birmingham ‘Free by 63!’
Lessons learnt from Albany 1961-1962:
Black divisions with in the movement had to be removed, MLK learned SCLC shouldn’t intervene in areas with little SCLC support, needed to tackle one issue not all of segregation, mobilisation was essential
March on Washington- who was involved, what were the achievements?
SCLC SNCC CORE and NAACP
100 year of 13th amendment
250,000 people marched at least 50,000 were white
ACHIEVEMENTS:
100% peaceful
Forced JFK to begin work on civil rights bill
Positive media coverage
Civil rights leaders began work with Federal Government
March demonstrated unity
MLK- ‘I had a dream’
Aims of March on Washington: August 1963 and significance
Aimed to pass civil rights bill
Get executive action to increase black employment
MLK not supportive- ‘may become violent’
Worried MLK, felt the March would maintain black morale and advertise effectiveness of non-violent protests
MLK feared non-violence was decreasingly effective
Kennedy 1961-62
Assassinated November 22nd 1963
Unable to pass the draft of Civil Rights bill
Fell to Johnson
Assassination was a factor behind passing of the bill- public sympathy
People knew JFK was supportive
Civil Rights Act 1964
Desegregation of public places and facilities
Established commison on civil rights, empowered to enforce desegregation
Outlawed racial discrimination in employment
First act gave federal government power to enforce desegregation of the South.
JFK, how helpful?
1960 election- realised he needed black vote
Supported blacks in Birmingham and Washington
Sent national guard to support James Meredith 1963
Mississippi freedom summer 1964
800 volunteers from the north many were white and escorted blacks to registration offices CORE SNCC established 30 freedom schools Educated black people about civil rights KKK and police opposed this 30 black homes 37 black churches bombed
Was Mississippi freedom summer successful?
17,000 tried to vote 1,600 succeeded
During primary elections 1964 blacks turned away from voting
Activists set up Mississippi freedom Democratic Party held own election
2 primary elections, ‘lilly white’ Democratic Party primary and MFDP primary
Johnson compromised ‘lilly white’ chose president MFDP are honoured guests
Selma 1965
SCLC for black vote 1% registered to vote MLK thought there would be violence SCLC and SNCC held a series of demonstrations with violent response Police murdered man protecting his mum and grandmother 50 mile March from Selma March stopped by police 21st March 8000 people 5 day March Number increased to 25,000
Splintered civil rights movement
Lack of presidential support MLK asked to backed down by Johnson Violent- more young people using non-violent Vietnam war- racists draft CORE rejects white people Issues with MLK and celebrity status MLK won Nobel peace prize 1964
Black experience in the northern states
Ghettos Police brutality Racism Poverty Gang culture Diseases Poor education
The Moynihan report 1965
Study of economic position of black Americans
Drew attention to high levels of crime and poor living conditions
Patrick Moynihan argued to Johnson that without access to jobs, no means to support family, black men systematically alienated as fathers/ husbands
Johnson published to promote his black support:
Back fired
Black leaders horrified, blamed black people for own problems
Further tension Johnson- black leaders
Used by some whites to argue against government help for black people to
Chicago freedom movement 1966
Represents alliance of SCLC and coordinating council of community organisations. MLK first northern campaign, aimed to challenge segregation of Chicago’s education
Anticipated 100,000 turnout only 30,000
Violence broke out
Chicago’s whites fought back
Mayor got court injunction to prevent further matches
Poor people campaign PPC 1968
Create a valuation made of blacks, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Indians and poor whites.
Campaigned for better standard of living
Strategy- civil disobedience, boycotts, March on Washington
Federal Government $30billion a year combat poverty
1/2 million houses a year demanded built
Johnson didn’t support plans
I’m the man- Memphis sanitation strike 1968
Memphis city authorities didn’t recognise the workers union they campaigned to increase income and were non violent
March lasted less than an hour, marchers began looting shops and police responded with tear gas.
Tried to arrange another March but MLK was assassinated
Significance of voting rights campaigns (Selma, Mississippi freedom summer)
Highlighted problems faced by black people in voting- led to the Voting Rights Act 1965
Good media coverage
High degree of cooperation CORE, SNCC, SCLC
Significance of The Chicago Freedom Movement 1966
Led to more MLK criticisms- he’d misjudged the position of blacks in the north
Revealed the size of problems faced by blacks
Chicago was 10 times bigger than Birmingham, 100 times bigger than Selma
