Difficulties For Equality 1954-63

Question 1

How many states had segregated education in 1954?

Answer 1

20

Question 2

Describe the Brown vs Topeka case.

Answer 2

Linda Browm had to walk 20 blocks to her nearest black school instead of 2 to her nearest white school. With the help of the NAACP, the Topeka Board of Education were taken to the Supreme Court.

Question 3

What was the conclusion of Brown vs Topeka?

Answer 3

“The ruling of separate but equal has no place in the field of education.” This meant that all schools were to be desegregated.

Question 4

Why do many cite Browm vs Topeka as a landmark case?

Answer 4

It was the first ruling against Plessy vs Ferguson and started the momentum for the NAACP to go on to win the Civil Rights Act.

Question 5

Describe the actions of Rosa Parks that lead to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Answer 5

Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man. She had been sitting in a black seat but all the white seats were full so she was legally obliged to surrender her seat to any white patrons. She was arrested and fined $10.

Question 6

When was the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

Answer 6

1955-56

Question 7

How did Rosa Parks respond to her arrest and fine?

Answer 7

She was the secretary for the local chapter of the Women’s Political Council with whom she organised a 24 hour boycott of public transport. However, the NAACP quickly got involved and insisted that the boycott would continue until the buses were desegregated.

Question 8

Which famous activist spearheaded the NAACP’s campaign during the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

Answer 8

Martin Luther King Jr

Question 9

How did the white community react to the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

Answer 9

They turned nasty and took to destroying the homes of leading black activists.

Question 10

How long did the Montgomery Bus Boycott last? Why?

Answer 10

13 months. The bus company were initially indignant however the black community made up 75% of their business so they eventually had to give in or face going bankrupt.

Question 11

What was the result of the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

Answer 11

The Supreme Court ruled that segregation on buses was unconstitutional.

Question 12

What happened at Little Rock in September 1957?

Answer 12

9 black students enrolled to Little Rock Central High School but were prevented from entering the building by the National Guard and the state government.

Question 13

How did the courts react to the use of the National Guard at Little Rock?

Answer 13

They prosecuted the state governor so he withdrew them. However, white protestors continued to block the Little Rock 9’s access.

Question 14

How did President Eisenhower react to the events at Little Rock?

Answer 14

He sent in 1000 paratroopers to protect the black students for the duration of their time there.

Question 15

Why were the events at Little Rock significant?

Answer 15

• Media coverage

* First example of federal intervention

Question 16

Describe the case of James Meredith.

Answer 16

James Meredith won a place at Mississippi University in September 1962. When he arrived he was turned away by the state government. This sparked riots with 400 casualties. In response, JFK dispatched soldiers to escort Meredith around the campus throughout his course.

Question 17

Who organised the freedom rides?

Answer 17

The Congress Of Racial Equality.

Question 18

What did the freedom riders do?

Answer 18

They travelled across the country and sat in the white only sections of bus and railway stations to make the point that they were meant to be desegregated. They were often attacked by white protestors.

Question 19

How did the Attorney General react to the violence towards the freedom riders?

Answer 19

Robert Kennedy sent 500 marshals to protect them and made sure that any stations highlighted by the riders were desegregated.

Question 20

What were lunch counter sit ins?

Answer 20

Protests organised by CORE and the SNCC during which black customers at Woolworth’s would sit at white seats and demand service.

Question 21

What are three examples of freedom marches?

Answer 21

Birmingham, Selma and the March on Washington

Question 22

How many people attended the March on Washington? How many were white?

Answer 22

250,000, of which 50,000 were white.

Question 23

What did Martin Luther King Jr do at the climax of the March on Washington?

Answer 23

He made his “I Have A Dream” speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

Question 24

Who was Martin Luther King’s inspiration?

Answer 24

Gandhi

Question 25

What organisations was MLK the figurehead of?

Answer 25

The Southern Leadership Christian Conference (SCLC) and the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP).

Question 26

During what event did Martin Luther King Jr rise to prominence?

Answer 26

The Montgomery Bus Boycott

Question 27

What two matches did MLK organise in 1963?

Answer 27

Birmingham and the March on Washington.

Question 28

What was MLK given in 1964?

Answer 28

The Nobel Peace Prize

Question 29

When and where was MLK assassinated?

Answer 29

1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Question 30

Why was Martin Luther King Jr able to cooperate with the whites?

Answer 30

He used non-violent methods so the white racists couldn’t accuse them of being uncivilised. He also won respect from overseas parties which made the whites look worse for resisting.

Question 31

What was the Black Power movement?

Answer 31

It was a movement of black Americans who saw that non-violence wasn’t progressing quickly enough so moved towards using “justified violence.”

Question 32

What was the black power slogan?

Answer 32

Black is beautiful

Question 33

Who lead the Black Power movement?

Answer 33

Stokely Carmichael

Question 34

Who did the Black Power movement appeal to?

Answer 34

People on ghettoes who were designated with the rate of change.

Question 35

What are two key events linked to the Black Power Movement?

Answer 35

• The publication of the book Black Power

* The Mexico City Olympics

Question 36

Why was the Black Power Movement important?

Answer 36

• The olympic demonstration made the issue global

* Provided an alternative to the MLK

Question 37

What were the Black Panthers?

Answer 37

The Black Panther Party for Self Defense was an organisation that wanted full employment, good housing and adequate education for all regardless of race or any other barriers. As such they allowed white people into their ranks.

Question 38

Who did the blank panthers appeal to?

Answer 38

Frustrated young blacks

Question 39

What two main events are linked to the Black Panthers?

Answer 39

Shootout leaves Bobby Hutton dead

Shootout kills leader

Question 40

Why were the Black Panthers so important for the Civil Rights Movement?

Answer 40

Because they introduced an opposition to MLK’s slow and measured approach but weren’t as racist as some Black Power divisions

Question 41

To what organisation did Malcolm X originally belong to?

Answer 41

The Nation of Islam

Question 42

What did Malcolm X think of Martin Luther King Jr?

Answer 42

He thought that he was being controlled by the whites. he referred to the March on Washington as “the Farce on Washington.”

Question 43

Why was Malcolm X important?

Answer 43

Because his ideas formed the basis for other movements and he raised the self esteem of the Black Americans.

Question 44

When did Malcolm X die? How?

Answer 44

He died in 1965 when he was assassinated by the Nation of Islam.