Section 1: Flashcards
Plessy vs. Ferguson:
In the landmark 1896 case Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court upheld Louisiana’s “separate but equal” doctrine, allowing racial segregation as long as facilities for different races were deemed equal, effectively legitimizing Jim Crow laws.
Brown vs. Board:
In the landmark 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, the Court unanimously ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the “separate but equal” doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson.
Montgomery bus Boycott:
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a pivotal civil rights protest in 1955-1956 where African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama, refused to ride city buses to protest segregated seating, sparked by Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to give up her seat. The boycott led to the desegregation of public transportation and brought Martin Luther King Jr. into the national spotlight as a civil rights leader.
SCLC:
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), founded in 1957 by Martin Luther King Jr. and other Black ministers, aimed to achieve civil rights through nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience, playing a key role in the Civil Rights Movement.
Why did school desegregation go so slow?
School desegregation was slow due to resistance from individuals and local authorities, a lack of strong federal enforcement, and the persistence of discriminatory housing patterns, which created de facto segregation even after legal segregation was outlawed.
Did Eisenhower agree with Brown v Board- why or why not? How did he respond and why?
While President Eisenhower acknowledged his duty to uphold the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling, he was not enthusiastic about it and avoided endorsing the decision, viewing it as a matter of federal law rather than a moral imperative.
Crisis in little rock:
The Little Rock Crisis, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement, involved the forced integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957, where nine African American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, faced intense resistance and violence from segregationists and the state government.
