MLK Flashcards
NAACP
Smith vs Allright 1944 which increased black registered votes in US - 2% 1940 to 15% 1947
A few African Americans were elected in state legislatures but none in Deep South
Brown v Board of Education 1954 Supreme Court decision - racial segregation in schools not allowed - didn’t fully desegregate but powerful
Little Rock 1957
Rosa Parks NAACP - Montgomery Alabama
Bus boy cot was a year. US Supreme Court decision of Browder vs Gayle 1956 ordered Montgomery to interstate bus system
March on Washington
MLK jr - what did he stand for
Christian messages
And ghandian non violence
What did MLK form
SCLC after Montogomery
NAACP closely aligned themselves with it
Successes of MLK
Powerful speaker
1963 I have a dream speech
Involved in Bham and the march on Washington which contributed to JFK issuing the 1963 civil rights bill
Birmingham 1963- Conner - violently opposes it
1964 civil rights act
Civil rights act/Voting rights act 1965-following MLK and SCLC making Selma Alabama an example of voting rights needing being addressed. 57% pop black 1/50 registered to vote
Highlighted 64&65 civil rights act didn’t address de facto
Encouraged LBJ to adopt affirmative action - commitment to it 1966. Nixon develops it into a policy called The Philadelphia Plan
LBJ does vomit to the 1968 Housing Act, which is also referred to as a Civil Rights Act. However this had limited success
Highlighter poverty and encouraged great society
Highlighter the many forms of racism that future legislation was needed to address
Failures of MLK
From 1966 onwards MLK took civil rights movement north
He met significant opp from groups that felt he had no place there and from FBI. Hoover disliked him
Kings movement shifted his ideology left. After getting Nobel peace prize and achieving successes in reversing de jure segregation. Leftist ideology promoted a solution to de facto racism. This lost him support and gained him CIA interest
The poor people’s campaign of 1968 was poorly co-ordinated and eventually led to Alvernathy King’s deputy. R Kennedy killed. Nixon cored in and SNCC, Black Panther and CORE radicalised. Movement lost white sympathy
A Protest march turned violent
4 April 1968 assassinated
Alienated many youth groups who thought he controlled the movement
Alienated many northern blacks who could not connect with his southerners and their problems
SCLC- southern Christian
Grassroots activism
Greensboro Sit-ins. SNCC Greensboro Sit in: 1960- 4 black college students sat down and ordered food at whites only food counter
Others joined these 4 students so that the scale of the protest grew rapidly and eventually the store was forced to close
Idea of protest spread quick
student non violent coordinating committee (SNCC) formed out of this. Worked w MLK SCLC to extend movement eg segregated swooping pools
Even when attacked did not retaliate. Televising - reinforced white sympathies
Texas and Tennessee some desegregation of public facilities X Deep South
Protesters were students - critical of Kings attempt to control
SNCC successful in harming profits, tasing publicity but X south
65- SCLC and SNCC .org 50 mile march from Selma to Montgomery. Shortly- marchers attacked by state troopers. Prompted more demo strayers to match
However, split occurred between SCLC and SNCC. Students accused King and SCLC of making compromise w governor Wallace to allow March w out trouble. Whether true or not - more ‘radical’ black Americans starting to turn to black power
Baker ‘the movement made Martin, Martin did not make the movement’
Why was SLCC seen as better then NAACP in some ways
NAACP- dominated by middle class Men
SNCC- lifeleycand bigger impact
Freedom Rides CORE
CORE formed 1942 to challenge defacto in north
Entered Birmingham, Conner failed to provide protection for them and they were subject to viscous attacks
R Kennedy issued INJUNCTIONS against KKK and ordered desegregation of interstate travel
NAACP supported freedom riders and contributed to legal decisions: Morgan v Virginia (1957) Boyton V Virginia (1960)
Large scale tensions between SNCC and SCLC
Many upset 64∧65 civil rights act didn’t help them
Not long after MLK assassination - series of riots broke out - first Watts LA- 35 dead
Cone pointed out black People can ride same bus etc in theory but don’t have enough money to do so
X dead- no role model
LBJ sent investigations in areas and found riots not due to lack of rights but poverty and thus MLK memorial hospital built and Firestone rubber company moved into area and created 100 jobs - after this forgotten again
Freedom summer
March on Washington
SNCC CORE
McKissick replaced Farmers as CORE’s leader
Carmichael joined SNCC and using his eloquence and natural leadership skills
Managed to raise number of blacks not registered to vote.
In 1 year, Carmichael raised number of black voters 70-2600 (300 more than white voters in country)
He formed his own party - Lowndes County Freedom Organisation - logo black panther
SNCC fell victim to internal disputes as decade went on and divisions between black power and traditional movement became apparent
Black panthers
Brown replaced Carmichael as SNCC leader and he organised a conference on Black Poeer 1967
Newton and Seale led Black Panthers who wanted to end police brutality, white capitalism and extend economic opportunities.
Newton was shot 1967, and Seale was inprisoned and Cleaver took over
1969- 30 panthers killed in police shoot outs
At this point membership was 2000 but due to infiltration and splits it later disbanded in the 80s
Considered by FBI to be biggest threat to national secure
Other civil rights groups
NAACP MLK SNCC FREEDOM RIDERS CORE BLACK PANTHERS X
Rivalry among civil rights groups during late 60s- cooperation and mutual support 63 March on Washington
Problem of leadership and 64&65 civil rights act took wind out of the movement
Tried to address issue in north and fought civil rights injustices but were eventually forced in 70s to broader its scope by committing strictly for equal rights across world
Malcom X successes
Successful minister for the Nation of Islam and a prominent speaker
Galvanised blacks in the city who felt King and the grass rotes movement was neglecting them or even doing them disservice- he attracted Muslims and the north
In 60s invited to participate in numerous debates including forums on radio, television and universities like Harvard Law School
1963 let the United Rally in Harlem. It was one of the nations largest civil rights events- NYT said he was the second most sought out speaker in US
Mohammed Ali became member of NOI
1964 split from NOI and formed Muslim mosque
Few months later - organised the OAAU- wanted to heighten political consciousness or black Americans. Freedom summer
King became more militant and socialist. His move to the left and X move out of NOI brought them together
Malcolm X failures
Rejected accomodationalism
‘Who wants to sit on the toilet next to a white’
JFK assisinated ‘chickens had come home to roost’ lost support and white sympathy
Hated king to begin with - criticised king’s march on Washington
Advocated violence
Assassinated 1965
success/failure of the civil rights movement on voting
1966- 6 b members in congress
1973- 16 b members in congress
Gallup poll 1971- 40% black People dissatisfied with community life compared to 8% white
60% of black people registered to vote 1976
50% voted
Success/failure of civil rights movement forming n segregation
Mid 1970s Boston was a major battle ground for equal education in public schools. Boston inner city worse facilities then white neighbourhoods in Boston
ROAR- racist group organised protests racist slogans (thru protests argued against black students being bused from their segregated neighbourhoods to white schools)
From 1950 until 1980 black population in urban cities doubled.
During this period, white Americans moved out of urban to suburbs
Even tho segregation illegal - south still has segregated neighbourhoods - even today
Success/failure of civil rights movement - poverty
New deal - minimum wage hours and eliminated incentive of employers to hire low wage black workers - dampened industrial development in region
WW2- great migration lasted through mid 60s- found wages so high 1953 average income for black family almost double that or south
1960 1/6 black men still laboured on land
1940-70 black men cut income gap by about 1/3
What were the white citizens councils
1956 had 80,000 members
Aim was to use every possible means to lawfully resist desegregation.
Explain freedom summer
1964 - 700 volunteers who tried to get African Americans to register to vote
Mainly college student
3 young students missing for 6 months
Found dead
Led to the voting rights act 1965
Opposition to civil rights in USA
1954-65
Senators such as Thurmond launched a frontal assault on desegregation 1956
Their southern manifesto accused Supreme Court of a clear abuse of judicial power
1954 Bowles formed National association for the advancement of white people - meeting attended my 2,000 People Bowles declared he would not let his daughter go to school w blacks
Desegregation in Milford was postponed until 1962
1954 white citizen councils - “respectable”
1957 Little Rock
4 AA girls lost lives due to KKK member Chambliss in the bombing of Baptist church Alabama 1963
Southern moderates - state governors who used their position organise legal resistance to desegregation
Governor Hodges of North Carolina (54-61) influential and tried to persuade AA to maintain segregation voluntarily by offering incentives such as extra funding to improve facilities in black schools
- appointed by Johnson as secretary of commerce
A return to conservatism
Free speech movement begun California 1964 after uni tried to restrict student political activity. 1968 LBJ could hardly leave White House w out severe protest
Calls for peace in Vietnam made stronger by journalists after My Lai Massacre and other messiness in Vietnam revealed
Black revolt occurred late 60s when radicalised blacks felt that leaders like king were not helping them. North black unemployment and poverty twice as high
NOI tasing more awareness
In wake of King assassination radical groups like Black Panthers.- lost white sympathy and riots and looting increased
After LBJ said not reflection - Wallace - right wing democrat governor of Mississippi created a third party
Positive women made my 1945
19th Amendment
WCTU
Work
Flappers
EPA
Caddy
Mary Bethune
Francis Perkins - 1st woman in cabinet
Rosie the riveter
Betty Friedan 1960s ‘women yearning to leave concentration camps’
Grisworld v Connecticut - outlawed ban of birth control
Planned parenthood 1920s- 1970 80% married women in childbearing years using contraceptives
1966 National organisation of women - Friedan involved in repeal of abortion laws
Roe v Wade 1973 legalised status of abortion
College education created intellectual equality and freedom
Women studies formed to learn women history
1972 Equal Rights Payment
Word ‘sex’ added to 1964 civil rights act - opened way for lawsuits against discrimination. In employment. 1970 45% women working and rising
Hinderances women made my 1945
Not all vote
Black women - literacy and poll
Flappers - not all women
Older no like
Tradition
Depression - women not priority
CCC not for women
1950 back to family values
JFK no hire women to cabinet
Significant reaction against Roe v Wade
ERA not fully accepted by all states
1960-36% women working
‘Pink collar jobs’- teachers, secretaries
1960s Native American progress
1956 vocational training act aided those who favoured assimilation
1961 National Indian youth council - protest against injustices
JFK pledged to help reservations
LBJ ‘forgotten Americans’ 1968 set out programme of self help. Ended termination. Proposed national council on Indian opportunity
Benefited from Affirmative Action started under LBJ extended under Nixon
1970 pledge to return Indian land began w a number of laws. 1972 land returned to Yakama Indians
NARF founded 1970 defend rights, 1975 Onieda v NY sue for return of lands upheld
1972 education law - increased federal funding for Indian schools continued under ford
1975 American Indian policy review set up review the relationship between federal and Indian
1960s native hinderances
1953 termination - aggressive assimilation
1960- 25% classes poor
1968 unemployment 50%
1972 Oklahoma study 20,000 Indian - 10,000 benefits
Few found place among urban popc
Counterculture
What was the political protest
SNCC founded 1960
Worked in several stages and became a large organisation.
Members protested about segregation in public spaces —> sit ins helped register black voters in southern states and took part in protest marches
Pressure of SNCC and other civil rights groups contributed to 64 Civil Rights Act
Counterculture
What was the cultural protest
Early party of decade = rise in more cultural expression of youth’s dissatisfaction with status quo
Some young people = inspired by novels, poetry and non conformist ways of living of the writers so called Beat Generation of the late 1950s and early 1960s which included Ginsberg
They were called Beatnicks by news and rebelled against traditional norms and values
1960s —> psychedelic movement —> finding spiritual meaning thru hallucinogenic drugs —> began with experiments of Dr Leary.
He initially experimented to improve psychological state of prisoners. FIRED 1963 -> set up Foundation ‘The International Federation for Internal Freedom’ —> attracted young people eager to try experience through drugs like LSD
Counter culture
How significant was counterculture initially
Mid-late part of decade —> counterculture grew and began to attract significant number of young people
The counterculture never inv more than a small proportion of society - there were always more people who believed strongly in traditional, conservative values in this era
Counterculture
Why did more people connect with counterculture in late 60s
Anti-Vietnam war movement
From 1965- LBJ’s gov sent increased US troops to fight and die in Vietnam
Footage of war seen in television and lack of US progress led to many questioning morality of it
Protests= widespread + took many forms. Biggest protest Oct 1967 —> 100,000 people inc student radicals, hippies and other groups held rally in Washington DC and marched on the Pentagon
Counterculture
What problems did the counterculture attract
Violence
1964 CRA not far enough —> more militant approach needed
New groups —> Black Panther Party
1966–> organised community support programmes in towns and cities but also carried guns and engaged in shootouts with the police who felt they were attacking their communities
SNCC- 1969- changed name to Student National Coordinating Committee (no longer non violent)
Counterculture
How did the counterculture affect ideology on race and gender
Women’s movement partly few out of experience of women in organisations where too often, men were the leaders and women the secretaries
Women’s movement had huge impact on attitudes in US throughout 70s and 80s. It won several changes to law in favour of women inc banning gender discrimination in education, fairer divorce laws and legalising abortion
Gay liberation movement - uprising at Stonewall Inn in NY June 1969, in which the gay community stood up against regular police raids that targeted them. Following this —> activist groups sprang up to fight for rights -> influenced public attitude and law
Black stud movement - consisted of artists writers etc who celebrated power to express themselves politically through art and challenge white mainstream.
Native Americans protesting racial discrimination and mistreatment in counterculture era. American Indian movement = National organisation from 1969-71. Protest highlighted ? Of rights of US citizens to ‘occupy’ land previously possessed by Native American tribes
How was there a return to nativism 1910-20s
Prohibition
Sacco and Vanzetti
X LON
Laissez faire
Monkey scopes trial
March
65
SCLC SNCC divide
