The role of African Americans in gaining civil rights

Question 1

Essay Examples

Answer 1

• ‘Progress in obtaining AA CRs was dependent on the activities of individual AA leaders throughout the period 1865-1992’ TWEDYA?
• ‘The most significant contribution by an individual AA leader to the development of civil rights was made by Martin Luther King’ Assess this view in relation to the period 1865-1992

Question 2

Booker T. Washington 1865-1915

Par. B 2, Par. W 2, E&S 1

Answer 2

Encouraging Participation black American:

• Founder of Tuskgee University - ‘black ivy league’
• Told AA’s ‘dip your bucket’ to take responsibility for own progress

Encouraging participation white American:

• Atlanta 1895 - talks to white American audiences
• Argues AA’s should stay out of politics

Economic & Social:
- Encourages AA economic gain

Question 3

W.E.B. Du Bois 1868-1913

Legislation 1, Par. B2, E&S 1

Answer 3

Civil Rights Legislation
- Shifted attention to need to publicise civil rights -> but radicalism led him along diff paths

Encouraging participation black American

• Said there should be a ‘Talented Tenth’ who would lead AA’s to equality
• The Niagara Movement -> set forth foundation for NAACP in 1909

Solving economic & social issues
- By 1913: 1.7 million pupils in public schools & AA’s owned 550,000 homes

Question 4

Marcus Garvey 1887-1940

Par. B 2, E&S 3

Answer 4

Encouraging participation black American:

• Believed in pan-Africanism -> stressed proud African traditions
• ‘Africa for the Africans home and abroad’

Solving economic and social issues:

• Set up a shipping company - The Black Star Line to trade with Africans worldwide
• Set up ‘Negro Factories Corporation’ to promote manufacture & trade among Africans
• His commercial schemes failed + he was imprisoned for fraud

Question 5

Phillip Randolph 1890-1979

Legislation 2, Par. B 2, Par. W 1

Answer 5

Gaining effective civil rights legislation

• Pressured Roosevelt to end discrimination in the war industries in 1941
• Pressured Truman to end segregation in armed forced in 1948

Encouraging participation black American

• Organised March on Washington
• Linked aspirations & ideals of previous leaders

Encouraging support white American
- Worked with white sympathisers + put pressure on administrations

Question 6

Martin Luther King 1929-1968

Legislation 2, Par. B 3, Par. W 2, E&S 2

Answer 6

Gaining effective civil rights legislation

• Helps get Browder v Gayle 1956
• Civil Rights Act 1964 + Voting Rights Act 1965

Encouraging participation black American

• Involving + encouraging community at Birmingham using media
• Was arrested 29 times
• Leads Albama-Montgomery bus boycott 55-56

Encouraging support white American

• America = highly religious + being encouraged by a Christian helps
• Was aware of the importance of modern media

Solving economic & social issues

• Failure at Marquette Park 1966 Chicago - spat on
• Organizes Poor People’s Campaign 1968 -> killed before he could

Question 7

Malcom X 1925-1965

Legislation 1, Par. B 3, Par W 1, E&S 1

Answer 7

Civil rights legislation
- Goes to congress: threatens he’s alternative to King

Encouraging participation black American

• Speaks to young Northern AA’s - better at motivating the North
• Led to Black Power movement
• Had less popular support than Garvey at his height

Solving economic & social issues
- Argued for black control of their own community e.g. black politicians & businesses -> similar to Booker T

Question 8

Jesse Jackson

Answer 8

Rainbow/PUSH
Democratic Presidential Candidate
1984, 1988

Question 9

Stokely Carmicheal [3]

Answer 9

• Supported the pan-African movement
• Became President of Black Panthers 1967
• Raised African American voters from 70 -> 2600 in 1965 in Lowndes County