Late Campaigning Flashcards
Outline events in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963.
Targeted as Bull Connor had been violent during Freedom rides and city was highly segregated, NAACP banned and no black police/bankers/firefighters. Bull Connor, police chief released Al Hibbler, a jazz musician, and ordered court injunctions to limit protest. MLK was arrested and wrote a Letter From Birmingham Jail ordering change with civil disobedience. Protest was calm, James Bevel of SCLC suggested using children to protest. 3 May, children used and police protested with hoses and 1300 were imprisoned. John F Kennedy was horrified and committed to passing an act.
What were results of Birmingham?
Results… negotiations between SCLC and city authorities on 5th May ended segregation of department stores and discrimination in employment, schools still segregated and 4 months after Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombed by KKK killing 4 girls. MLK criticised for putting kids in danger.
What was the 1963 March on Washington?
1963 March on Washington, 100th anniversary of Emancipation Proclamation. King wanted march but Kennedy feared violence and risk to legislation. March proceeded and 20% of marchers white with attendance of 250,000.
Outline Freedom Summer 1964.
Freedom Summer 1964 – Greenwood Mississippi picked as only 6.2% of African Americans registered to vote. 800 volunteers from North helped African Americans register to vote and SNCC and CORE set 30 freedom schools. In June 1964 KKK men killed 2 white volunteers and one black, and 37 Churches were bombed, 17,000 AAs attempted to vote but only 1600 succeeded.
What was the MFDP and what did it show?
In the Democratic primary African Americans were prevented from entering polling stations, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party set, MFDP. Ran for primaries alongside lily white delegates and Johnson said they wouldn’t be elected but could attend informal conference as honoured guests. Fannie Lou Hamer went to Atlanta Congress and insisted MFDP elect delegates. Highlighted racism in voting.
What happened in Selma, 1965?
Selma, Alabama, 1965 – only 1% of AAs registered to vote. SNCC and SCLC believed that local sheriff Jim Clark was racist, and protests followed with police using cattle rods and Jimmie Lee Jackson killed for defending his mother and grandmother. 7 March 50 mile march attempted, police forced turnaround at Edmund Pettus Bridge with tear gas and bull whips, MLK pressured by Johnson to turn around on 9 March, on 21st March 8000 began march and at Montgomery 4 days after arrived with 25,000.
What were the 1957-60 civil rights acts?
1957 Civil Rights Act – Eisenhower, set bi-partisan Civil Rights Commission and new section of Justice Department to oversee civil rights abuses.
1960 Civil Rights Act – pertained to voting, attempts to resist African Americans voting would be penalised. Southern democrats tried and failed to filibuster.
What was the 1964 Civil Rights Act?
1964 Civil Rights Act – banned discrimination on grounds of race, colour, national origin, sex etc, with public funds withdrawn for discrimination in employment and accommodation. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission set and 24th Amendment to ban poll tax. Passed by Johnson, inspired by Freedom Summer.
What was the 1965 Voting Rights Act?
1965 Voting Rights Act – banned discrimination in voting and literacy tests, with federal government scrutinising voter registration in regions where less than half of the minority population voted. More AAs voted in next 5 years in South than 100 years before and AA voting in Mississippi climbed to 60% from 7% by 1968.
What was the 1968 Fair Housing Act?
1968 Fair Housing Act – banned discrimination in sale, renting, and financing of housing, spurred by MLK’s death a week prior.
