the role of african american individuals in the development of civil rights Flashcards
1
Q
in the period after construction, which difficult choices did AA leaders face
A
- they could organise, resist white voilence/intimidation & hope to regain political influence of reconstruction (eg. coloured farmers’ association of 1880s, black panther movement)
- they could withdraw from all attempts at political/social equality, accept segregation, focus on improving education & try to make progress without challenging authority of white people
- they could work within accepted legal system & use courts to challenge denial of constitutional rights established in reconstruction (eg. view of E.J. waring, thurdgood marshall/leaders of NAACP)
- they could attempt to establish separate state within a state (eg. separatism - edwin mccabe tried/failed but idea remained, underpinned organisations eg. nation of islam)
2
Q
how did ida b. wells support the AA civil rights movement
A
- influential & ground-breaking journalist/campaigner who revealed conditions in south during jim crow era
- anticipated later protest about segregated transport by suing a railroad company for being thrown off a first class train for white people despite having a valid ticket (initially successful court ruling was overturned by federal court)
- focused on exposing horrors of lunching & active in promoting women’s rights
- founded alpha suffrage club in 1913 in chicago = encourage AA women to register to vote & participate in political activity
- major figure in calling for urban reform in the north
3
Q
name other notable early civil rights pioneers
A
- charlotte ray = 1st AA woman to qualify as lawyer (1911)
- crystal faucet = 1st AA woman to be elected to state legislatures (1938)
4
Q
what did booker t. washington (1856-1915) do to help the civil rights movement movement
A
- educator
- gained confidence of white americans
- believed hard work, education & seriousness of purpose would lead to AA showing their true worht = increasing their prosperity & gaining white confidence
- he was convinced that political civil rights should be abandoned in favour of personal improvement (due to hostility show by white people during reconstruction & their obvious fear of domination by poorly educated under-class)
- invited to white house by roosevelt in 1901 & became an informal adviser to roosevelt & president thaft
5
Q
consider the impact of washington on civil rights
A
- education was key to emergence of other leaders eg. martin luther king jr
- cooperation with white leaders ultimately yielded progress in the 1960s
- the stress on economic improvement anticipated the post-1964 direction of the civil rights movement, bringing more economic opportunity & saw the key to progress as reducing poverty
- promoted some opposition to jim crow laws behind scene/in secret, but was too concerned about antagonising white south & ending long-term progress in education/economic opportunity
- criticised by those who sought more radical aims & hugely respected by white community (1st AA to achieve this fame/respect)
6
Q
describe how w.e.b dubois (1868-1963) helped the civil rights movement
A
- believed there should be an elite (the talented tenth) = lead AAs to equality, social/political equality & integration
- appalled by lynchings & spoke with passion that anticipated rhetoric of king
- leading inspiration of niagra movement formed in 1905 (pressed for more radical change & laid foundation for NAACP in 1909)
- accepted alliance with white supporters & director of research/publicity (only AA to hold office in organisation)
- published influential journal ‘the crisis’ –> condemned wave of racial voilence in 1919 ‘red summer’
- recognised there had been gains
- organised protest in new york after 1917 race riots (anticipated later civil rights marches)
7
Q
how many lynchings were there 1885-94
A
1700 deaths
8
Q
gains for AA by 1913
A
- owned 550,000 homes, 937,000 farms & 40,000 businesses
- 70% literacy rate
- 40,000 churches
- 35,000 teachers
- 1.7 million pupils in public schools
9
Q
wilson’s presidency
A
- against AA civil rights
- introduced segregation in federal bureaus
- lynchings & voilence continued unabated
- movement of AA northwards = race riots in 1917 (worst in st louis)
10
Q
consider the impact of w.e.b dubois on civil rights
A
- shifted attention to need to publisice civil rights through press & organise (but his radicalism led him down different paths)
- interest in pan-africanism shared by marcus garvey & his belief in organising was shared by philip randolph (shows wide variation of individual leadership)
11
Q
what ideas/actions did marcus garvey (1887-1940) contribute to the civil rights movement
A
- set up universal negro improvement association (UNIA) in 1912 in jamaica
- corresponded with booker t. washington
- wanted to set up industrial institute in jamaica
- set up shipping company ‘black star line’ in USA to trae with africans worldwide
- strong believer in pan-africanism & separate african state
- (like washington) saw importance of economic development & set up ‘negro factories corporation to promote manufacture/trade among africans
- opposed by du bois = believed effort should focus on equal rights within USA & attempt to integrate AA/secure justice & equality for them
12
Q
consider the impact of marcus garvey on civil rights
A
- slogan ‘africa for the africans at home and abroad’ & his glorification of africanism partially prefigured black power (but eccentricity made him a lone figure)
- claimed god/jesus were black & set himself up as president of the republic of africa
- collected considerable sum of $10 million & attracted large amounts of support
- as economic ventures failed & due to imprisonement/later schemes = seen as isolated/strange
- scale of organisation was not matched by anything before 1917 & not again till mass movements of 1960s
13
Q
what ideas/actions did philip randolph (1890-1979) contribute to the civil rights movement
A
- integrationist politics
- influenced by du bois’ writings & moved to new york (active as union organiser for AA workers)
- pressured roosevelt to end discrimination in war industries in 1941 by threatening mass march on washington
14
Q
consider the impact of philip randolph on civil rights
A
- understood power of non-violent mass demonstration
- used economic power of organised labour
- put considerable pressure on truman to end segregation in armed forces in 1948
- use of marches, demonstrations/effective organisations, working with white sympathisers & putting pressure on administrations paid of in long term (also, these key tactics moved civil rights movement on more than other leaders & laid basis for kings success)
15
Q
what ideas/actions did martin luther king jr (1929-68) contribute to civil rights movement
A
- religious background showed him importance of organisation & provided moral vocabulary
- taught about organisation/tactics by randolph
- organising in an era more eager for change (compared to other leaders)
- faced similar criticism to washington when working with white supporters
- leadership prompted growth of more radical leaders (eg. malcom x)
- without work form predecessors, king would not have made such significant impact
- became baptist minister in dexter street baptist church (montgomery, alabama 1954)
- king supported other groups in montgomery in boycotting buses (1955) after NAACP activist rosa parks arrested
- formed alongside others the southern church leadership conference (SCLC) in 1957
- saw power of non-voilence, organisation & mass demonstration
- aimed at links with white supporters
- aims = integration & equality with white cooperation
- aware of importance of modern media
- understood power of rhetoric & the telling phrase (eg. ‘i have a dream’ speech in washington 1963)
- major role in marches & demonstrations (eg. arrested 29 times, eugene ‘bull’ connor)
- peaceful marches allowed white sympathisers to join
16
Q
describe eugene ‘bull’ connor (martin luther king jr)
A
- birmingham 1963
- harsh treatment eg. water hoses, beating, arrests
- king’s ‘letter from birmingham jail’ = added emotional appeal
17
Q
consider the impact of martin luther king jr on the civil rights movement
A
- scale of activity made it possible for civil rights legislation to be passed as matter of urgency
- randolph had succeeded in achieving law changes, but not as fundamentally as king
- no reform emerged from other leaders
- both garvey & malcom may have achieved higher level of awareness among AA but not positive outcomes of 1964/65
- engendered criticism & disapproval in similar way to washington as worked too closely with white supporters & presidents
- criticised by some of fellow activists for inconsistent & hesitant leadership
- found (like reconstruction leader) achieving constitutional rights didn’t solve fundamental economic & social problems
- often credited with achievements which were more result of hard work by local AA activitists
18
Q
why were king’s campaigns for economic equality/withdrawal from vietnam met with less success after 1965
A
- aims were wider & less achievable
- he was assassinated in memphis in april 1968
19
Q
what dilemma did king face (similar to other AA leaders prior)
A
- achieving political reform was dependent on support for US government
- the only effective action had occurred with this support = reconstruction
- however, no guarantee political equality would lead to economic equality (continued poverty imposed own segregation)
20
Q
what ideas/actions did malcolm x (1925-65) contribute to civil rights movement
A
- became professional criminal in boston = arrested in 1947 & 1952
- underwent conversion to islam & joined small radical group NOI
- skilled in speaking & writing
- responsible for rapid growth in membership of NOI from 400 (1952) to ~40,000 (1960)
- preached violent revolution & urged AA not to reject any means for change
- broke from NOI in 1964 & was becoming less committed to voilence/more to force of spiritual values
21
Q
consider the impact of malcolm x on the civil rights movement
A
- influence he had was considerable (eg. emergence of black power)
- considerable influence in promoting sense of pride & identity among AA which didn’t depend on integration or accepting white values
- given the aims, it wasn’t possible for him to claim the sort of success king could claim over civil rights legislation
- less popular support than garvey at his height & perhaps less coherent strategy
