Development of the Civil Rights movement 1954-60

Question 1

What were the KKK responisble for?

Answer 1

Lynchings, and its members could be found in the state polics, juiciary and the government.

Question 2

What percantage of Southern African Americans were registered to vote?

Answer 2

20% although many could not vote due to threats to their employement or violent intimidation.

Question 3

The 1896 supreme court ruling was…and it meant that…

Answer 3

Plessey vs Fergusson, ruled that segregation was constitutional and legalised having segregated schools.

Question 4

Brown vs Board 1954 claimed that…

Answer 4

Seperate did not mean equal, meaning that segregation was inherently unequal and psychologically damaging.

Question 5

More than 100 Southern Congessmen signed…

Answer 5

‘The Southern Manifesto’ which wanted to reverse the Supreme Court decision.

Question 6

By 1957 how many AA children were still in segregated schools?

Answer 6

2.4 million

Question 7

By 1957, how many AA children began attending schools that were formerly segregated?

Answer 7

300,000

Question 8

What happened at Little Rock Arkansas 1957?

Answer 8

• 9 students applied for Little Rock
• Orval Faubus, the governer of Arkansas, sent 250 state troops to surround the school and prevent them from going in.
• The students were told to skip the first day but one of them forgot and got attacked by angry mobs.
• 250 reporters were there and little rock gained publicitiy -Eisenhower ordered Faubus to remove them
• On 24th September, Eisenhower sent 1100 paratroopers to escort the students.
• The troops stayed until te end of the year

Question 9

How long did the Montgomery Bus Boycott last?

Answer 9

381 days

Question 10

How many people particioated in the first day of boycott?

Answer 10

20 thousand

Question 11

How did the city of Montgomery prevent the boycotters from using taxis?

Answer 11

Forced taxis to charge 45 cents for tax which was too expensive for most people.

Question 12

How did churches help during the bus boycott?

Answer 12

Brought cars to help people get to work

Question 13

How did white people try to stop the boycott?

Answer 13

• Bombed MLK’s house
• Firebombed the homes of other leaders
• 90 leading figures were arrested

Question 14

The boycott came to an end on…

Answer 14

20th December 1956 with the Supreme Court ruling against bus segregation.

Question 15

Who were dixiecrats and what did they do?

Answer 15

• Southern Democrats
• Filibuster: Prolonged debate to delay discussion

Question 16

Reasons for the boycott’s success

Answer 16

• Well organised: The MIA coordinated the campaign effectively
• Committed to success: The boycott continued despite the threats the boycotters recieved
• Well publicised: Was publicised through church meetings and local newspapers.
• The bus company was hurt financially: The vast majority of its customers were black Americans.

Question 17

Supreme Court Ruling 1956

Answer 17

• Set out that segregation in buses was unconstitutional - buses should be desegregated.

Question 18

Significance of MLK leadership

Answer 18

• Always advocated for nonviolent approach
• Was a pastor and preached Christian values of love and humility
• He appealed to people’s shared humanity
• Played an important role in thr bus boycott, helped boost morale

Question 19

SCLC (The Southern Christian Leadership Conference)

Answer 19

• Set up in 1957 to coordinate church-based protest across the south
• Led by MLK and Ralph Abernathy
• Campaigned against segregation, used nonviolent direct action and secured black and white members

Question 20

The 1957 Civil Rights Movement

Answer 20

• Aimed to increase black voter registration, make it illegal to obstruct voter registration and allow federal courts to prosecute states that did not guarentee citizen’s voting rights.

Question 21

Emmett Till

Answer 21

• 14 year old in Mississipi to visit his family
• A white woman said that he made advances towards her, the next night her husband and brother abducted him, beat him, shot him and threw him into the river with weight around his neck. His body was found 3 days later.
• Had an open viewing of the body which fueled widespread shock and outrage
• The murder trial was reported nationwide but the defendant were found not guilty.

Question 22

White Citizens Council (WCC)

Answer 22

• Set up from 1954 onwards to stop desegregation.
• Had around 60,000 members in the mid 1950s
• Used violent protest but also economic means such as sacking black employees who were involved in the civil rights movement