How Far Did The Civil Rights Of Minorities Improve 1945-55 Flashcards
What was the percentage increase of black Americans in defense-related employment from 1945?
Increased from three to eight percent.
Who were the Tuskegee airmen?
A group of black American pilots who achieved national recognition for their role in the 15th Air Force.
How many black Americans joined the NAACP by 1945?
Almost half a million.
Who was elected to the House of Representatives in 1944?
Adam Clayton Powell, a black American.
What happened to black Americans when the war ended?
They suffered disproportionately, losing jobs as wartime production shifted to a peacetime economy.
Fill in the blank: The Civil Rights of minorities improved in the period _______.
[1945-55]
True or False: The position of black Americans was worse in 1945 than before the Second World War.
False.
What was the impact of returning servicemen on black Americans’ employment?
They were often the first to lose their jobs as servicemen returned to their previous positions.
What does the term ‘popular culture’ include?
- Film
- Television
- Popular music
What is required to support a claim about the revolution in popular culture?
Evidence.
What was the context of racial tensions in the USA from 1920-1955?
Returning black servicemen faced attacks and discrimination upon their return to the USA.
The NACP leader Walter White urged President Truman to take action to end racial inequality.
What was Executive Order 9981?
Issued by President Truman in July 1948, it ended the segregation of the US armed forces.
This order aimed to ensure equal treatment for black Americans in the military.
What challenges did Truman face regarding civil rights?
Initially, Truman did little to aid black Americans and faced opposition from southern white voters.
He refused to enforce the hiring of black workers in Washington DC’s transit system.
How did Truman’s policies affect the 1948 election?
Truman’s issuance of Executive Order 9981 was seen as a strategic move to gain black American votes in the election.
He received two-thirds of the black American vote in 1948.
What was the significance of the report ‘To Secure These Rights’?
Commissioned by the Truman administration in October 1947, it advocated for civil rights reforms, including desegregation of the armed forces.
It called for anti-lynching laws and the abolition of the poll tax.
What was the role of the Fair Employment Board?
Created by Truman in Executive Order 9980, it aimed to ensure equal treatment in hiring for federal jobs.
This had a significant impact on job opportunities for black Americans.
Who was Harry S. Truman?
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the USA, serving from 1945 to 1953, and was known for his role in World War II and the Cold War.
He authorized the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan and proclaimed the Truman Doctrine.
What was a poll tax?
A tax required by some states for voting, which often disenfranchised poor people, particularly black Americans.
It was declared unconstitutional in 1964.
What did President Truman attempt to advance by the end of his presidency?
The cause of black American civil rights.
What was significant about the Korean War (1950-53) regarding racial integration?
It was the first conflict where black and whites fought together.
What was Executive Order 9981?
An order by President Truman that desegregated the US armed forces.
What did Executive Order 9981 establish?
The President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Forces.
What was the policy declared by Executive Order 9981?
Equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin.
When was Executive Order 9981 signed?
July 26, 1948.
Who was the first black professional in Major League Baseball?
Jackie Robinson.
What did Jackie Robinson face when he joined Major League Baseball?
Considerable prejudice.
What happened to Jackie Robinson’s number after he retired?
His number, 42, was withdrawn by all MLB teams in his honour.
What challenges did black Americans face in sports after 1945?
Racial segregation, difficulty in acquiring jobs, and unequal pay and conditions compared to whites.
Who was Joe Louis?
The World Heavyweight champion known as the Brown Bomber, who won more titles than any other heavyweight.
What did Jesse Owens achieve in the 1936 Olympics?
He won the 100 metres and long jump.
How did President Roosevelt respond to Jesse Owens’ triumph?
He refused to welcome him at the White House.
What time period does ‘The USA, c1920-55: boom, bust and recovery’ cover?
The period covers the years from around 1920 to 1955.
What was the significance of the 1930 NAACP lobbying?
The lobbying prevented President Hoover from appointing arch-segregationist John Parker to the US Supreme Court.
Who was the leading black American in the NAACP’s leadership?
W. E. B. Dubois.
What was the NAACP’s membership growth during World War II?
Membership grew from 50,000 to 450,000.
What was the NAACP’s main aim?
To gain full civil rights for black Americans through legal means.
What was the outcome of the Brown v Board of Education case in 1954?
The case ended school segregation.
What did Executive Order 9981 achieve in 1948?
It ended segregation in the US armed forces.
What was the Southern Manifesto?
A document opposing the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v Board of Education.
What was the purpose of the Montgomery Bus Boycott that began in 1955?
To protest racial segregation on public buses.
What was the NAACP’s strategy in the South?
To support voter registration and campaign for the abolition of the poll tax.
What was the significance of the Smith v Allwright Supreme Court case in 1944?
It ruled that white primaries were unconstitutional, thus expanding voting rights.
What was the role of Charles H. Houston in the NAACP?
He supported organizing southern blacks who faced discrimination.
What was the NAACP magazine edited by W. E. B. Dubois?
The Crisis.
What was the NAACP’s involvement with other organizations after 1945?
It worked closely with other civil rights groups to fight for black American rights.
What was the report ‘To Secure These Rights’ about?
It was a report by the President’s Committee on Civil Rights that included NAACP evidence.
What was the significance of the Brown case of 1954?
The Brown case of 1954 marked the end of school segregation in the United States, as the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional.
What was the Supreme Court’s decision on 17 May 1954?
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously (9-0) that school segregation contravened the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.
What does the 14th Amendment guarantee?
The 14th Amendment guarantees US citizens equal protection of the law.
When was the 14th Amendment passed?
The 14th Amendment was passed in 1868 after the Civil War.
What was the outcome of the Plessy v Ferguson case in 1896?
The Supreme Court upheld legal segregation, proclaiming that ‘separate but equal’ facilities were legal.
What was the reality of ‘separate but equal’ facilities for black Americans?
In practice, separate facilities for black Americans were far from equal, with less funding and poorer education.
Who led the case to end legal racial segregation in schools?
The case was led by black Americans, with the NAACP legal team playing a crucial role.
Who was the main lawyer defending the ‘separate but equal’ position?
The main lawyer was John W. Davis, who had been the Democratic candidate for the presidency in 1924.
What significant case did the NAACP bring against segregated education?
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas was the first significant case.
It was significant because Kansas was not a former Confederate state and had opposed slavery during the Civil War.
Who led the NAACP legal team in the Brown case?
Thurgood Marshall led the NAACP legal team in the Brown case.
What was the Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education?
The Supreme Court declared all racially segregated school systems were unequal.
What psychological impact did the Supreme Court believe segregation had?
The Supreme Court believed segregation bred a feeling of inferiority in black American children.
Who was appointed as Chief Justice in 1953, influencing the Supreme Court’s view on segregation?
Earl Warren was appointed as Chief Justice in 1953.
What was the role of the Supreme Court during Earl Warren’s leadership?
The Supreme Court played a key role in improving minority rights during Earl Warren’s leadership.
What challenges did the Brown decision face in implementation?
White-dominated state governments in the Old South showed reluctance to implement the decision.
What was the significance of the Brown decision for the NAACP and civil rights?
The Brown decision was regarded as a great triumph for the NAACP and black American civil rights.
What did the NAACP declare in ‘The Atlanta Declaration’ after the Brown judgment?
The NAACP declared that ‘separate but equal’ has no place in public education and that segregation in public education is now unlawful.
What did the NAACP express readiness to do following the Brown decision?
The NAACP expressed readiness to work with law-abiding citizens to eradicate racial segregation in public education.
