SNCC and FREEDOM SUMMER Flashcards
Group- What does SNCC stand for?
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Group- Why did they act upon their beliefs
The need for racial equality become an astronomical situation, which wasn’t going to reduce anytime soon without some form of dramatic intervention. Thus the SNCC acted upon their beliefs to gain a say and impact on how the affairs of society and the economy played out. They strongly urged and campaigned for change within the federal system fighting for social equality and justice for blacks. The young adults aiming to bring in new values and attitudes, hoping to replace the white supremacy mindset of the older generations
Plan- what did the SNCC want to achieve and why
As Blacks had no federal protection and were distinctly inferior educated, despite greatly outnumbering the white population. SNCC members saw the urgent need in Mississippi for blacks to gain their own civil rights and social equality.
Plan- what did SNCC establish and why?
The Freedom Summer was established as a result of no other alternate to pressure the Justice Department to do what most whites would not want.
Plan- short term goals and long terms goals of freedom Summer
S-To register African Americans, as well as raise awareness and federal attention of the inequalities faced by African Americans in Mississippi through the SNCC. Educating the oppressed blacks in how to change the system and to counter the obvious inequalities and insidious political messages inherent in the system.
L-To gain the vote as to have access to political powers and decision making, as well as establishing a democratic political party that will challenge exclusions of the congressional elections.
Action- What happened to motivate group?
Group motivation heightened as segregation continued to increase, preventing African Americans in Mississippi from gaining the vote and upholding public office by violence, abuse and discrimination.
Actions- The preparations of the freedom summer
Obstacles of securing sites, recruiting volunteers, securing lawyers, federal protection and finding $200000 to begin the project.
Volunteers Attended 2 weeks of training sessions (at the Western Collage for women in Oxford, Ohio.) The first week training was to prepare the volunteers to work in the COFO, establishing the voter registration projects. The following week sessions was for the purpose of the volunteers whom were going to teach in freedom schools. Training for volunteers to work alongside SNCC field staff included nonviolent self-defence and how to work courageously in a nonviolent movement.
Actions- How did events fold out
the first successful comprehensive educational program for large numbers of black students. Black students in the community were encouraged to help and in doing so they attended job programs, equal employment opportunities, participation in programs that encourage elimination of poll tax and other reforms. All helping in the process of the Civil Rights Movement giving the black population a fair and equal chance in political establishments.
Response- immediate and long term of FS
The short term response of the Mississippian blacks to freedom schools was an encouraging aspect of the summer project, but the innovative educational program still only partially removed the barriers of distrust and fear. The summer project was only the first step in a long process of political developments of the Mississippians blacks. SNCC activists stated that they weren’t able to register as many blacks as they had originally wanted in the of summer 1964, the movement never the less made a difference in educating and bringing fourth new ideologies and progress in making a difference for the lives of the black Mississippians. A key turning point in the Civil Right Movement helped lead to a passage of the 1965 voting votes and the slow progress of equal treatment of African Americans in the deep South.
Response- how did the southern whites viewed event.
W- negative attitude towards the summer program volunteers working within Mississippi, determined to resist the ‘invaders’ and their ‘dastardly schemes’, firstly dehumanising them referring to them as ‘aliens’, and treating these volunteers with the same respect as they would blacks. Over the summer there were 67 bombings and arson fires against the movement, 1000 arrest, 80 beatings and 8 people critically wounded or killed. The murders of the three activists gave immediate National attention to the Summer Project provoking an outpouring of national support for the Civil Rights Movement.
Response- how did the sour then blacks view the event
generally accepted by black Mississippians which was a huge step forward in itself towards the interracial movement.
White volunteers housed by the African Americans formed and created close relationships and friendships.
felt a shift in mentality towards whites “blacks learnt white folks are human” -Famiel Lou Harmer.
The mentality between blacks and whites was changing dramatically, breaking down the social and racial barriers that had been built up over the years by the white supreme mentally. but the innovative educational program still only partially removed the barriers of distrust and fear.
Response- How historians view actions
“that a summer’s effect could not undo the psychological consequences of generations of racial oppression.” The summer project was only the first step in a long process of political developments of the Mississippians blacks. It being very overall a success for the start of a long and gradual progression.
Effect- what extent did the SNCC achieve their goals
to the extent of registering African American voters and educating the black Mississippian students of the inequalities of the current political system, of their rights, and with the appearances of the white volunteers, helped breakdown the psychological barriers to self-development and racial segregation of blacks. The SNCC brought between 3000 to 3500 rural, poorly educated Mississippians into the Freedom Schools.
Effect- what worked well and what didn’t
Activists say they weren’t able to register as many blacks as they had originally wanted in that summer, and despite in the midst of violence, the Freedom Summer movement yielded many positive gains.
The Summer Project gained an enormous amount of national press coverage which was one of the aims that enabled the project to receive federal intervention in the Civil Rights Movement especially by the murders as It provided the exposure of the iniquities of white supremacy in the deepest of Deep Southern States to see harsh treatment and conditions of blacks, this created sympathy all over the nation and motivation for the federal Government to do something.
Effect- how did the FS contribute to CRM
first step in a long process of political development of black Mississippians, it was a key turning point in the Civil Rights Movement which brought national attention to the subject of black disenfranchisement and this lead to the passage of the “1965 voting rights,” by President Lyndon Kennedy. An Act to enforce the 15th Amendment to the constitution, outlawing literacy tests and other bureaucratic restrictions to deny African Americans to vote.
Contributing also to the erosion of the racial and social barriers, slowing shaping a shift in mentality towards one another establishing relationships and friendships.
