Situation Before Civil Rights Movement Flashcards
How America was governed and it’s problems
2 types of Govenment: Federal- covers the whole country; State- each of the 50 states had it’s own government.
The USA is large and has many social differences between each state. People in some states didn’t like being controlled by the federal government.
There are different bodies of government so that the president can’t become too powerful.
Federal government
Consists of Congress, the Supreme court and the President.
State Governments
Consist of State Congress, State Supreme Court and a Governor
Congress
Passes laws. Laws must be passed by both houses (the senate and the house of representatives).
Supreme court
Can overall state laws if they’re unconstitutional.
President
Controls federal troops. Can issue executive orders (laws not passed by congress).
State congress
Two-house system, like the federal one.
State supreme court
Highest court of appeal in a state
Governor
Controls state troops
Plessy Vs Ferguson
1896, Homer Plessy entered a “white” carriage on a train; he wanted to test the 14th amendment. Supreme Court decision legalised segregation because the facilities were supposedly seperate but equal. 21 States had segregation laws. Segregation on transport was now enforced and was generally accepted
Jim crow laws
Nickname for segregation laws in the south. ‘Jim Crow’ was a derogitory comedy character.
Discrimination in Northern states
Segregation not legally enforced but caused by discrimination. Black people generally had worse jobs and lived in poor areas called ghettos(had poorly maintained facilities). Workers in poorly funded schools and hospitals had to deal with old buildings and equipment shortages.
Discrimination in Southern states
Segregation caused by racist state laws. Black Americans couldn’t eat in “white” resturants. Could be thrown off of buses or arrested if they didn’t sit in the coloured section. Black Schools had worse funding and state law allowed this.
Black Americans and voting
They were allowed to vote, but by 1956 only 20% of them had registered to do so. This is because: many were intimidated by gangs if they tried to register, employers might’ve sacked them, unfair literacy tests made it harder for black people (they’d be given harder questions)
How did southern attitudes make change unlikely
Many southerners saw black people as inferior, unintelligent and lazy. Police and law courts were filled with racists (many in the KKK). Black Americans had the right to vote but only 20% of them had been registered by 1956.
How did changes in education help the civil rights movement grow in the 1950s
Better education became avaliable to black people (mainly in the North) meant more black professionals. This allowed them to use their influence and prove that they’re as intelligent as white people.
How did new ideas help the civil rights movement grow in the 1950s
Research had disproved that races could be genetically inferior and showed that segregation made black people feel inferior.
How did the second world war help the civil rights movement grow in the 1950s
Black Americans had seen integration in other countries and had fought for the US. This made them push for civil rights as they felt they’d earned to be treated better. Some white people had fought alongside black people.
How did television help the civil rights movement grow in the 1950s
Made people more aware of racial injustice
How did the cold war help the civil rights movement grow in the 1950s
It made the US government sensitive to international criticism about how black people are treated in their country
How did growth in southern cities help the civil rights movement grow in the 1950s
New industries grew giving black people more job opportunities.
How did migration help the civil rights movement grow in the 1950s
Poor black people moved north and liberal white people moved south, changing southern communities.
NAACP
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Set up in 1909 and campaigned for equality to overthrow plessy. Focused on fighting for civil rights in the court. Provided evidence that facilities weren’t equal.
CORE
Congress Of Racial Equality set up in 1942. Had many white-middle-class members. Targeted segregation and used non-violent direct action such as strikes, boycotts ect which gained sympathy and attention. Members trained not to react to being spat on or sworn at and the best position to lie in if being beaten.
Church organisations
Centre of Southern Black communities. Black Church leaders were good speakers and could negotiate. They weren’t at risk of losing their jobs and were educated. Churches were used as meeting points for marches or protests. Black churches often targeted by white communities and the KKK
White opinions on black southern churches…
…were mixed. White political leaders were wilking to talk to the Church leaders. Some white people were suspicious of the Churches because it showed that black people could be organised- intimidating. Many were scared of the Black churches’ power.
RCNL
Regional Council of Negro Leadership. Set up in 1951 and campaigned for voter registration and against police brutallity
Murder of Emmit Till
14 year old from Chicago visiting family in Mississippi. Accused of wolf whisteling Carolyn Bryant in a shop. Kidnapped August 1955 then beaten and killed by Rob Bryant and Rob’s half brother. His mother insisted that his body was brought home and held an open casket funeral to show the world what had been done; created publicity even though this was normal in Mississippi.
Emmit Till trial and consequence
Trial was reported across the country. Jury had cleared the defendants after an hour and they sold the story to the magazine where they admitted to the murder. Caused outrage; no justice. Controversial open casket funeral shows the world what had happened.
George Lee and Lamar Smith
Mississippi 1955, both murdered for registering to vote. No arrest made for either. Lee’s shooting written off as a car accident
Opposition to civil rights: state governments
Attempts at civil rights often blocked by Southern members of the house of representitives and the senate congress
Opposition to civil rights: dixiecrats
Southern democrats who formed their own breakaway party to not follow a civil rights bill passed by Truman in 1948. Rejoined the democrats in 1954 but kept strong veiws on segregation. Enough of them in congress to have a big impact.
Opposition to civil rights: state governors
Governors and other local authorities could favour segregation. No black judges and black juries could be banned.
Opposition to civil rights: Southern (white) Churches
Claimed integration was a sin.
Many memebers in the KKK
KKK
Organised demonstrations against civil rights and were involved in violent attacks
