USA chapter 3- civil rights 1941-1970 Flashcards
key dates
1948 – The Army was desegregated
1954 – Topeka V. Brown (legal decision to
desegregate schools)
1955 to 56 – The Montgomery Bus Boycott
1957 – Little Rock Nine
1963 – The Washington March
1964 – The Civil Rights Acts
1965 ‐ The Voting Act
black americans role in ww2
Black Americans who were stationed in Britain were treated far better. Many chose to stay permanently in Britain.Many Black Women served as nurses. But they only treated Black soldiers.At first they were not allowed to join the US Air Force and be trained as pilots.HOWEVER, by 1945 over 600 pilots were trained Many African Americans proved themselves to be brave, patriotic and heroic In The Battle of the Bulge 1944, the African American 761st Battalion helped win the war. They were nicknamed
the ‘Black Panthers’ By the end of the war more than 2 million Black Americans worked in industry African American employment was at an all‐time high!
WW2 and civil rights
In 1946 Truman ended Segregation in the Navy, in 1948 the army was de‐segregated. HOWEVER, discrimination remained a way of life in the South.
Also, racial tensions increased e.g. there were race riots in 47 cities in 1943 Truman wanted to ban poll taxes (pay to vote) and introduce an anti‐lynching law. Both were rejected.
The issue of education – Brown vs Topeka 1954
The case was organised by the NAACP, a group of Civil Rights lawyers led by Thurgood Marshall Linda Brown wanted to go to her closest school as the African American school was far away On the 17th May 1954 the Supreme Court announced segregation in schools was Unconstitutional HOWEVER, there was no indication of how and when schools should be desegregated Many schools in the South ignored the ruling and many people remained racist towards Black children
little rock high 1957
Nine Black students in Little Rock, Arkansas were stopped from going to school by the State Governor President Eisenhower was forced to act and send Federal troops in to protect the children The Governor closed all schools to prevent integration (re‐opened in 1959 when they were forced to integrate)
montgomery bus boycott 1955-1956
Triggered when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white person The Boycott lasted over a year – 5th December 1955 till the 21st December 1956 90% of Black Americans in Montgomery, Alabama took part This was a peaceful protest organised by the MIA – Montgomery Improvement Association. The leader of the MIA was Martin Luther King However, on the 13th November 1956 the Supreme Court ruled that segregation was unconstitutional
role of martin luther king
believed in non violence He organised the Birmingham March (1963) – during this march, children were arrested and dogs were used on
peaceful protestors – this gained the movement white sympathisers He worked closely with President John F. Kennedy to discuss A Civil Rights Bill (ending segregation) He organised the Washington March (1963) – 250,000 white and black marchers walked hand‐in‐hand to listen to his ‘’I have a Dream Speech’’. They demanded a Civil Rights Bill which would end segregation
the role of malcolm X
violent protest He converted to Islam and joined the Nation of Islam He inspired the Black Panther and the Black Power Movement In 1965 Malcolm X went on Hajj to Mecca. Here he saw many ethnicities and religions worshipping together. Malcolm X changed his radical views and believed discrimination between White and Black Americans could end Some Black Muslims disliked this change of heart and he was assassinated in 1965 by three Black Muslims
civil rights legalisation
John F. Kennedy was assassination in 1963 before he could end segregation Lyndon B. Johnson passed The Civil Rights Act in 1964 ending segregation across the whole of America Black people still couldnt vote in the south because of literacy tests and the poll tax President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the Voting Act in 1965 However, the number of Black Americans registering to vote remained far lower than the White population
