Key Successes of the Civil Rights Movement, 1964-5 Flashcards
Civil Rights Act
Date
July 1964
Civil Rights Act (July 1964)
Introduction + Passing
Nov 1963, Kennedy’s Bill due to come before Congress, he was assassinated
Johnson strongly supported the bill - agianst many friends + colleagues (SD)
Attempts to block via a filibuster
Passed House of Representatives + Senate
HoR - 152 D in favour, 96 (mainly SD) against, 138 R in favour, 34 against
Senate - 73 to 27 for
Civil Rights Act (July 1964)
Provisions
Ban on exclusion from restaurants, stores, other public places
Attorney-General could file law suits to speed up integration
Fair Employment Practices Commission est on permanent legal basis - no racial, sexual, religious discrimination lawful
No discrimination on federal programmes
Civil Rights Act (July 1964)
Limitations
Political + legal reforms didn’t need large financial outlay - positive
Voting rights not protected
De facto discrimination remained (housing, education, employment)
Riots in many states followng clashes with police
Civil Rights Act (July 1964)
How Significant?
Highly significant
Legal basis + power to enforce change
Clear federal support for civil rights
Although limited change to attitudes
Mississippi Freedom Summer (1964)
Why
Civil Rights Act passed, but not established if it would be implemented in the South, needed to be tested
Mississippi Freedom Summer (1964)
What Happened
SNCC member Robert Moses organised movement
Lowest proportion of black voters (under 5%) - campaign to encourage black Americans to register
Attacked + intimidated by police + KKK
30 homes and 37 black churches firebombed
1600 of 17000 who tried to register were successful
Mississippi Freedom Summer (1964)
Why Was It Significant?
Cooperation between SNCC, CORE, and the NAACP
Exposed lack of political representation for black Americans, led to creation of Mississippi Freedom Democrat Party
Many saw as proof the American system was fundamentally racist, need to use militant methods, and stop compromising
Selma Campaign (1965)
Choice of Selma
57% of pop were black, only 1% registered to vote
Sheriff Jim Clark threatened black voters, ensured strict voting qualifications were put in place
Assumption Clark would react similarly to Police Chief ‘Bull’ Connor
Selma Campaign (1965)
Campaign Before the March
Series of demonstrations
Clark seen attacking students queuing to vote, local police responded violently - electric cattle prods
King jailed, wrote letter in New York Times
Selma Campaign (1965)
March
50 mile march from Selma to Montgomery - 10 year bus boycott anniversary
Attempt 1 (7th March) - Police attacked, christened ‘Bloody Sunday
**Attempt 2 (9th March) **- Police blocked route, unclear legality of the march, King compromised
Attempt 3 (26th March) - Federal Courts ruled it was legal, 8000 people began the 50 mile march, end 4 days later 25,000
Selma Campaign (1965)
Why Was It Significant?
Highlighted problems, asserted black people’s right to vote (led to Voting Rights Act)
Media images of opposition increased support for movement
Cooperation between SCLC and SNCC
Criticism of King for cooperation with Johnson
Some impatience with non-violence
Voting Rights Act
Date
1965
Voting Rights Act (1965)
Illegal
Need to demonstrate educational achievement, knowledge of any subject, ability to interpret any material, or prove moral character
Voting Rights Act (1965)
Impact
Highly successful
1968 - Mississippi had 59% of black population registered to vote
Number of black Americans in office increased sixfold 1965 to 1969, doubled 1969 to 1980
1969 - Charles Evers first black man to be elected mayor of Fayette Mississippi
Remaining Problems
Riots
More riots in August 1965
Watts ghetto in Los Angeles
Black mobs crying ‘Long live Malcolm X’ set fire to stores
Remaining Problems
Issues Faced by Ghetto Residents
Poor housing + white prejudice made it hard to move elsewhere
Poor-quality education, hard to break poverty cycle, early 1960s, 32% black students graduated high school (56% white), 11% of Americans, 46% of unemployed
Most policemen white and racist
Remaining Problems
Why Was Socio-Economic Change Harder
Require a lot of money to solve properly
Deep rooted - take a lot of time to solve
Often as acute in north and south, sometimes worse
Involved hidden/informal racism
