Paper 3: Civil Rights Flashcards
Situation of Black Americans in North
Segregation in the NORTH produced by discrimination. They had the worst paid jobs & so lived in poorest parts of town (ghettos) due to low income - ppl crowded together in buildings that were not well maintained & had poor facilities.
Situation of Black Americans in South
Racist state laws (Jim Crow Laws), enforced segregation in SOUTH. Black Americans couldnt eat in ‘white’ restaurants & arrested for not sitting in ‘coloured’ section of bus. ‘Black’ schools had far less state money spent on it.
Southern states could pass laws enforcing this as USA had 2 levels of government & law-making
Attitudes in the South
- Southern white ppl brought up to see black people as racially inferior.
- Politics & law courts in South full of racist white officials who did not support complaints by black ppl. Many police/judges members of Ku Klux Klan (group who persecuted Jews, Caths, communists & especially black ppl).
- Regularly beaten up to confess to crimes they didnt commit, imprisoned for no reason & represented in court by white lawyers who made no effort to defend them.
Effect of WWII on attitudes
- Over million black Americans fought in WWII in segregated units, million more worked in factories, making weapons or doing jobs of those who had gone to fight –> hope for more equality when war ended & some white ppl, even in the South, were more open to civil rights (first time working together).
- Racial inequality was a political embarassment for USA. In conflicts such as Cold War, opponents of USA used example of black Americans to show that they did not give freedom to their citizens. This put pressure on federal government to improve situation of black Americans, esp in South.
Voting rights situation
- Right to vote gave ppl power to express own opinions towards elections of politicians.
- White ppl stopped them from voting by both official & unofficial methods:
- White employers threatened to sack black employees if they registered to vote
- On voting & registration days, white gangs gathered outside & physically stopped BAs from voting, beating them up for trying
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People - set up in 1909 focused on fighting for CR in courts
Set up Legal Defense Fund (LDF) in 1940 to help wrongly-convicted black ppl against false accusations
If BAs to have equality in South, vital for NAACP to get PvsF overthrown
What was Plessy vs. Ferguson
Enforced idea of ‘separate but equal’ in Supreme court, 1896 (had to be followed as was Supreme Court ruling)
Southern states could use this to legally separate facilities & oppose attempts at desegregation
What were Jim Crow Laws
Stated segregation was acceptable as long as facilities provided were equal:
- legalised segregation
- suppressed BA right to vote & share public space
What was CORE
Congress of Racial Equality - set up in 1942:
- worked mainly in North
- non-voilent protests (boycotts, pickets, sit-ins)
- trained members in non-violent methods (not reacting)
Overcoming Plessey vs. Ferguson
NAACP went on to provide evidence that showed facilities were not equal & argued they didnt have same opportunities - won case at Supreme Court in 1950s.
What were Church Organisations
BA churches were centre of most black Southern communities. Black clergymen often community leaders (educated, negotiate bc of status).
Black churches used as meetings & gathering points for marches/protests. Non-violent, forgave opponents
Key events of murder of Emmett Till
- August 1955, ET (14yo from Chicago) didnt understand attitudes in South - dared to enter Roy Bryant’s store & talk to Carolyn (Roy’s wife).
- He allegedly harassed/wolf-whistled at her.
- Roy & half-brother kidnapped ET from uncle’s house. Beat, shot & threw into river attached to heavy weight - mutilated body found 3 days later
- Till’s mother insisted on open casket funeral –> huge publicity, widespread shock/outrage, support for CR
- ET did not get justice
Key events of Brown vs. Topeka case
- In 1952, NAACP gathered 5 school desegregation cases & took them to Supreme Court as Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas.
- Argued separate was NOT equal in education
- Eventually, in 1954, SC ruled a good education was vital to progress, segregated schls unconstitutional, MUST DESEGREGATE “w all deliberate speed” (no time frame, deliberately vague)
Immediate consequence of Brown vs. Board
- sparked off many more desegregation campaigns
- by end of 1957, 723 schl districts desegregated
- however, in South, extreme white backlash - anyone who spoke up for integration attacked
Long-term consequence of Brown vs. Board
- Black students faced racism
- Education as well as home life suffered
