Presidents (1865-1992) Flashcards
What measures did Nixon implement in order to help African Americans?
- ‘Affirmative action’/positive discrimination: encouraged AAs to get involved
- Equal Employment Opportunity Act: enforced prosecution for employers who discriminated against AAs
When was the Equal Employment Opportunity Act introduced?
1972
What were the benefits of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act?
It increased African American employment as employers were less likely to discriminate against them.
Which Nixon measures hindered civil rights progress?
- Enforced integration by bussing which was unpopular
- There was limited funding for higher education institutions for AAs
- He attempted to reverse the Voting Rights Act in order to gain Southern votes
- He was privately racist and refused to meet with black civil rights leaders
Which Carter measures were beneficial for African Americans?
- He backed ‘affirmative action’
2. He renewed the Voting Rights Act
How did Carter hinder the civil rights movement?
- He was criticised for his limited measures
- This was because he was focused on the economic problems America was facing
- These economic problems disadvantaged AAs, similar to the 1930s
How did Reagan help the civil rights movement?
- Introduced the Voting Rights Act of 1982 which strengthened penalties against discrimination
- Introduced the Civil Rights Restoration Act
How did Reagan hinder the civil rights movement?
- Reduced welfare benefits which disadvantaged many AAs
How did Andrew Johnson benefit the civil rights movement?
- Aimed to integrate AAs into society
- Declared that all states must ratify the 13th amendment
- All slaves were given land.
How did Johnson hinder the civil rights movement?
- Not all states ratified the 13th amendment because it was not properly enforced
- He appointed advisors who were unsympathetic the AA civil rights.
- Sharecropping developed
How did Roosevelt help the civil rights movement?
- The New Deal
- Set up the Congress of Industrial Organisations which prohibited unions from discriminating based on the grounds of race
How did Roosevelt hinder the civil rights movement?
- Most of the Alphabet Agencies were indifferent to meeting the needs of AAs and some, such as the National Housing Act, purposely excluded them.
How did Truman help the civil rights movement?
- Desegregated the armed forces in 1948
2. Openly supported civil rights
How did Truman hinder the civil rights movement?
He did not implement any comprehensive civil rights legislation
How did Eisenhower help the civil rights movement?
- Supported integration of schools
2. Intervened in Little Rock