Education and Early Campaigning Flashcards
What inequality was seen in schools?
In South Carolina $43 was spent annually to educate a black child compared to $179 for a white child. NAACP exploited inequality.
What was the Sweatt v Painter case?
Sweatt v Painter 1950 – Heman Sweatt wanted to attend University of Texas Law School, Texas built a new all-black law school, NAACP highlighted its inferiority so Supreme Court allowed Sweatt to attend on 19.9.1950.
What was the Brown v Topeka case?
Brown v Topeka – Linda Brown made to walk 20 blocks to all-black school, white school closer. Oliver Brown and NAACP took case to Supreme Court. Southern authorities couldn’t afford to improve black schools and rise of middle class African Americans meant more assertion for civil rights. Chief Justice Earl Warren was appointed 1953, very sympathetic to civil rights. Desegregation in schools ruled 1954
What were results of Brown v Topeka?
Results: Rise in local NAACP+CORE activity, White Citizens’ Councils set in South with 250,000 members by 1956, supported politicians who wouldn’t desegregate and set private schools for white children. 1955 Emmett Till lynched while visiting uncle in Mississippi from Chicago, accused of flirting to white woman.
What hostility was seen in the South after Brown v Topeka?
NAACP banned in Alabama and Louisiana intimidation led to 48/50 NAACP branches closing. In 1956 Senator Harry Byrd called for Massive Resistance and 1/5 of Congress signed Southern Manifesto demanding schools be segregated. Eisenhower regretted appointment of Earl Warren and didn’t believe desegregation should be forced.
What was Brown II?
1955 Brown II – little de facto change accomplished. NAACP requested Supreme Court give time frame for desegregating schools but they ruled for segregation with all deliberate speed which was very vague.
How many schools desegregated by 1957? In 1968 how many black children were still at segregated schools?
1957 750/6300 Southern schools desegregated, 1968 58% of black children still at segregated schools.
Outline Montgomery.
Montgomery – 1st Dec 1955 Rosa Parks arrested + fined $14 for refusal to give seat to white man on bus. ED Nixon, local NAACP leader, and MLK formed the Montgomery Improvement Association that night and organised the bus boycott. 85% of AAs partook in carpooling and bus company lost 65% of its revenue. MLK was inspired by Gandhi and advocated direct action and civil disobedience. Arrested with 156 others but only imprisoned for 2 weeks due to media attention.
What were results of Montgomery?
Results: Dec 20 1956 Browder v Gale bans bus segregation. Aurelia Browder was arrested in April 1955 giving NAACP a case to present to the Supreme Court. Southern Christian Leadership Conference formed, case saw rise of MLK and use of media, alongside highlighting reluctance of racist Southern authorities to desegregate. Supreme Court went against Plessy v Ferguson ruling.
What was the Little Rock campaign?
1957 Little Rock Campaign – attempt to send 9 students to Little Rock Central High School, Arkansas. Governor Orval Faubus sent National Guard and white mob on 3 Sept to prevent enrolment. Court injunction forced withdrawal of guard and Eisenhower deployed it to protect students. They enrolled on Sept 25th. Orval Faubus closed schools to prevent desegregation leading to 1958 Cooper v Aaron ruling making it illegal to attempt to stop desegregation.
What was the Greensboro campaign?
Greensboro 1960 – Feb 1960 4 black students sit at Woolworths lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, refusing to leave until served. On second day 27 joined, rising to 300 sitters by end of week when counter closed. By end of week protest spread to 6 towns, rising to 6 states within a month. Led to rise of SNCC, demonstrated effectiveness of media, Woolworths lunch counter desegregated in 6 months and by 1961 810 towns had desegregated.
What were 1961 Freedom Rides?
Set to test Morgan v Virginia and Boynton v Virginia which desegregated interstate bus lines. On May 4 1961 7 black and 6 white riders attended Greyhound and Trailways buses. Police didn’t intervene when they were firebombed at Anniston, police chief Bull Connor turned blind eye at Birmingham and in Montgomery police let white mob attack the riders with baseball bats. Attorney General Robert Kennedy made to enforce desegregation. Highlighted how SCLC, SNCC, and CORE worked together and Kennedy administration’s sympathy to civil rights.
What was Albany Movement?
Albany, Georgia targeted with SNCC wanting protest. Police Chief Laurie Pritchett didn’t use police violence and requested release of MLK alongside making vague concession promises, showing limitations of nonviolence. SNCC radicals wanted to use more aggression.
What was Meredith’s campaign?
James Meredith in 1962 attempted to be first black student at University of Mississippi. Governor Ross Barnett refused enrolment so Kennedy placed pressure and sent federal troops to protect Meredith from violent white protesters. Led to riots where 2 were killed. Meredith successful enrolled and graduated with Political Science degree, 1963.
