The USA Flashcards
What did the Jim Crow law do?
Stopped interracial marriage, segregated all public places, segregated transport, segregated education
What did discrimination do?
It ensured that blacks got the worst jobs and therefore could not afford good housing or luxuries
What did the idea of ‘separate but equal’ state?
Segregation was constitutional as long as facilities for each race were equally well equipped
What did southern states do to stop blacks voting?
They imposed poll tax which blacks could not afford, they imposed literacy tests which were full of impossible questions like ‘how many bubble are there in a bar of soap’
Explain CORE
Congress of racial equality, founded by black activist, followed peaceful protest style from Ghandi
Explain the NAACP
National association for the advancement of coloured people, founded in 1909 by black intellectuals, worked inside the law, helped in lots of civil cases to keep blacks out of prison
What progress was there in the 1940’s?
There was very little progress and discrimination and segregation remained the way of life
Explain the Brown vs Topeka case
Linda Browns parents wanted her to attend the local school rater than the school for blacks, NAACP lawyers worked to approve the decision, facilities weren’t equal
What were the results of the Brown Topeka case?
Schools had to be integrated at the earliest possible stage, many states ignored or delayed this
What happed to Autherine Lucy?
She was let into Alabama university after a court case, there were so many riots she was made to leave, 1956
What happened at Little Rock High?
In 1959, 9 black students were allowed to enrol at Little Rock High, there were massive riots and students were followed everywhere by guards, president sent in troops, all Arkansas schools closed until 1959
What did Little Rock achieve?
Proved the president would enforce segregation, embarrassed the US in front of the world, highlighted how bad the situation was in southern states
What caused the Montgomery bus boycott?
Public transport was segregated, blacks could not sit next to whites, if black section was full and white was not blacks still had to stand
Who was Claudette Colvin?
In 1955 she would not give up her seat for a white but was ignored by the NAACP because she had an illegitimate child
Why was Rosa Parks so successful?
1955, she was the local member of the NAACP, she was educated, she just took the abuse from citizens
How many people were involved in the boycott?
20,000
What were the original demands of the boycotters?
They wanted to be able to sit in white seats if they were empty, these demands were refused by the authorities
What were the final demands of the boycotters?
They wanted full desegregation on busses
How did blacks live without the busses?
They used black taxi services with super low fares, churched bought cars
How did authorities try to stop the boycott?
The black taxi service was stopped, church cars were stopped for minor traffic offences, churches had to go to Lloyds in London to get insurance
How did the white public try to stop the bus boycott?
They started a white council which harassed boycotters, even firebombed Kings house, and arrested the leaders of the boycott
How long did the boycott last?
Almost 1 year
What were the results of the boycott?
Busses were integrated although bus stops were still segregated, the KKK came to Montgomery and terrorised blacks
Why was MLK such a successful leader?
He was an educated minister, he had a PhD, he had a strong christian message which helped whites relate to him
What did the civil rights act state?
1957
Set up US commission on civil rights, emphasised everyone had the right to vote, allowed federal government to ensure everyone had the right to vote, stated all people could serve on juries
What did the second Civil Rights Act do?
1960
It ensured that you could be prosecuted for stopping someone registering to, or actually voting
What happened to Emmet Till?
1955
He was murdered by a Father and Brother in-law of a woman he apparently harassed. They beat him and threw him in a river but the all white jury found them innocent
Why was Till’s death significant?
It boosted the civil rights movement by drawing attention to the attitudes towards blacks in the South, it also shocked many white Americans into support of civil rights
What were white citizens councils set up to achieve?
They wanted to fight the Brown Topeka case and its outcomes, stop as many blacks as possible from voting
Why did the white citizens council want to distance themselves from the KKK?
They wanted to look reasonable and concerned not violent and wanted to make justifiable points
What is a Dixiecrat?
It is a southern democrat who would vote against reform in civil rights
What were the aims of the SCLC
Southern christian leadership council was set up by MLK and its aim was to ‘seek justice and reject injustice’
When were the first Greensboro sit-ins and what were their aims?
1960, four students wanted to be served at a white lunch bar in Woolworths but were rejected so did not move, by the 5th day there were over 300 students
What were the aims of the SNCC
1960 the student non-violent co-ordinating committee aimed to combat segregation at lunch counters but later expanded to all public places and played a major role in all civil rights key events
What were freedom rides?
Busses full of activists that came from the north and traveled south using segregated public services and peacefully making a stand across the south
What happened to the first freedom ride?
The bus was bombed and the activists were trapped inside, it was only at the last minute they got out before they burned
Was it typical that freedom riders were persecuted?
Yes, it happened almost everywhere they went and the authorities only imprisoned the activists and ignored the attackers
What was the significance of the freedom rides?
The government threatened US marshals would be sent so the governors of the segregated states decided it would just be easier to give in
What was the significance of James Meredith?
1962, he was accepted to university and had to be escorted, in riots 2 died and hundreds wounded, he had to have 300 soldiers follow him for his 3 year course
What did the authorities do in Birmingham do to avoid segregation?
They simply closed all public facilities
What did the police force do when they found that they would be children helping in the Birmingham Riots?
They allowed the use of police dogs and also got fire hoses from the fire department with which to shoot rioters
What caused the Birmingham riots?
To stop integration in public places Birmingham officials had just shut them all down
What did police do when children became involved in the riots?
They brought out police digs and hight power water guns
What were the results of the riot?
Kennedy introduced a civil rights bill, there would be desegregation in Birmingham within 90 days
Who was the Washington March organised by?
All of the major civil rights groups
What were the results of the Mississippi murders?
Civil rights gained much attention and momentum
What happened during the day?
Bands played speeches were read notably ‘I have a dream’ MLK
What effects were there from the march?
Rights leaders met with Kennedy to talk about civil rights
What was the purpose of the Freedom Summer?
It was to increase black voter numbers in Mississippi
How did organisation hope to achieve this goal?
There set up freedom schools and educated blacks in many subjects
Explain separatism?
Races should be separated as long as facilities were completely equal
What were the results of the Mississippi murders?
Civil rights gained much attention and momentum
What did President Kennedy do for civil rights?
He got many blacks into government office and passed a civil rights act
Explain what caused the Selma march?
Blacks could still not vote so it was to raise awareness
What were the results of the Selma march?
It prompted Johnson to make the Voting Rights Act
What did the Voting Rights Act do?
It ended literacy rests, federal agents would monitor registration to ensure that there was not discrimination
Explain separatism?
Races should be separated as long as facilities were completely equal
What happened at the 1968 Mexico olympics?
2 black US sprinters who can 1st and 3rd in the race did a black power salute on the podium
What were the results of the Mexico Olympics?
Black power was broadcast worldwide and the 2 athletes were removed from the US team
