the quest for civil rights Flashcards
slavery
oppressed - no rights whatsoever
17th century first slaves
american revolution brought independeence and rights (not to Black Americans)
19th century abolished in north
civil war - 13th amendment abolished slavery
reconstruction
25 years following civil war attempted to improve and make fairer society
14th amendment - citizenship rights
15th amenment - voting rights for all
racism in the south - Jim crow laws
1810-1910 southern states introduced legal segregation
passing local laws denying rights to black community
segregated heart
segregation matter of mind
socialised into minds of younger generations
rules followed e.g., never inviting black into dining room
white supremacy
racism in the south ‘the good old-time n**’
black communities stereotyped as happy to serve whites and satisfied with place in society
whites relied on blacks for domestic tasks
racism in the south - voting rights
15th amendment gave voting rights to all
ways around the law
grandfather clause - could only vote if grandfather did (slavery meant many couldnt)
literacy test - had to pass test, set to give black disadvantage
racism in the south - Ku Klux Klan
terrorist black communities in the south
extremist white supremacists
the birth of a nation - grossed $10 million (viewed as heroes)
held power as senior justice members (injustice for blacks)
impact of the great migration 1917-32 (northern cities)
by 1920 - 40% of African Americans in north living in 5 cities (e.g., chicago and Detroit)
mostly industrial towns - drawn for work and escape (offered housing, better wages and free transport during WW1)
cities e.g., New York - black population evenly spread gaining less political power compared to cities designed with voting wards (still had separate communities)
great migration 1917-32 (African Americans in the north)
most migrant’s poor, even skilled workers made to take unskilled, low paying jobs
mostly lived in crowded and run down in poorer side of city
could vote and were elected to federal and local governments
gained significant political power in cities that coincided with voting wards (e.g., Chicago)
great migration 1917-32 (African Americans in southern cities)
tendancy for those who stayed to accept Jim crow laws
some trapped due to debt (new form of slavery)
great migration 1917-32 (southern cities)
poorest farmers suffered most (mostly black)
labour force shrank and farming areas ran into economic issues
push factors of great migration
Jim crow laws
literacy tests and grandfather clause - difficult to vote
KKK terrorised south - 1918 11 lynched in Georgia
excessive dependency of economy on cottom crop and overproduction meant slump in cotton prices (e.g., 1913-15 and 20) - lower wages
pull factors of great migration
better jobs and pay (still 50% less than white pay)
little legal segregation
easier to vote
during WW1 factory worker could earn much more than in south ($3 vs 75 cents)
north offered more opportunities for economic advances
impact of New deal on civil rights - progress
black americans more actively involved in government (about 50 in various branches ‘the black cabinet’)
Mary McLeod - member of black cabineet (prominent figure)
number of blacks employed by government rose (50,000 in 1933 - 200,000 in 1945)
provided 1 million jobs and training for 500,000
impact of new deal - deterioration
CCC - forced segregated camps and paid black people lower
AAA - also named ‘negro removal act’ - federal cuts to production meant landlords could evict many black farmers
2 million black farmers forced off land during agricultural reforms - often sacked to make room for white workers
impact of new deal - stagnation
roosevelt failed to support anti-lynching bills
did very little to eliminate unfair hiring practices and discriminatory job conditions
farm and domestic workesr left out of policies (60% black workers north and 75% south)
no minumum wage/ improved conditions
impact of new deal - African American protest
support from communists - north demanded relief funds be allocated equally (would take court cases when NNACP wouldnt)
black church organisations set up support groups (e.g., peace mission church group - shops selling goods at lower costs than white shops)
women organisations (housewives league of Detroit) - ‘dont buy where you cant work’ campaign
impact of WW2 - gains
need for soldiers meant that navy was one of 1st war institutions to desegregate
jobs created in north in defence industries - jobs created especially for black women
sped up movement already occuring
Roosevelt set up fair employment practice commission - helped prevent discrimination against African Americans in defence and government jobs
inspired native american movement (formed national congress of american indians)
bracero movement - gave mexican guarenteed employment in USA when they joined war
americans involvement in war questioned - hypocritical (HITLER)
WW2 - limitations
segregation enforced in army - e.g., red cross forced to segregate black and white blood when treating injuries
discrimination prevelent - blacks paid less, whites would walk out when blacks promoted to position of authority
places dominated by blacks tended to have worse facilities
native americans culture viewed with distaste
Bracero agreement carried on to benefit americans (cheap labour) - reappealed 1964
Impact of Truman on civil rights
proposed antilynching, anti-segregation, fair employment laws (failed to push to congress)
urged strong federal support on civil rights
1948 - desegregated military and businesses working for government (election year - wanted black vote)
shocked at racist outbreakes towards returning soldiers