USA Civil Rights 2 Flashcards
When did Izell Blair, Franklin McCain, Joseph Richmond and Joseph McNeil first sit in?
1 Feb 1960
What happened on the second day of the greensboro sit in?
About 25 students arrived and sat at the lunch counter in shifts.
How many students were taking part in the sit in by Feb 4?
Over 300 working in shifts
How did non-violent protest work?
- Demonstrate peacefully and visibly
- Do not rise to provocation
- Show your opponent up as a violent oppressor
What support did SNCC provide to groups?
They trained students to cope with the hostility and harassment they faced during sit-ins and other demonstrations.
What was the significance of Greensboro?
- Young people were inspired to protest.
- Some white southerners joined CORE and SNCC.
- It was a visible form of protest that was hard to ignore.
- It was public and open to the media
- Showed the importance of publicity.
By mid-april 1960 how many protesters were taking part in the Greensboro sit-ins?
50,000
What was the aim of the freedom riders?
They aimed to spark a crisis and worldwide publicity so that the federal government would force states to desegregate.
When did the freedom rides start?
4 May 1961
What happened on the 15 May 1961?
The first bus reached Anniston, Alabama. Over 100 KKK members surrounded it, slashing the tyres and smashing the windows.
What was the role of ‘Bull’ Connor in opposition to the freedom rides?
He was the birmingham chief of police and he ordered police not to stop KKK members attacking the bus.
How many freedom rides were there?
Over 60 over the summer
What did the federal government say on 1 November after the freedom rides?
They said federal officers would enforce desegregation if states did not obey.
What was the result of the federal enforcement of desegregation?
The southern states began to desegregate bus facilities and the freedom rides ended.
Why did the NAACP challenge James Meredith’s rejection from Ole Miss?
They argued it was because he was black. The supreme court ordered the university to admit him.
What happened on 30 September 1962 in Mississippi?
Meredith returned to register, he was accompained by about 500 federal officials. A mob of over 3,000 attacked the federal officials. Kennedy spoke on television and radio calling for calm. He was ignored.
How many people were killed during the violence in protest to James Meredith’s admission to Ole Miss?
2 civilians were killed and somewhere between 245 and 375 civilians were injured.
How did they stop the rioting over James Meredith’s uni admission?
Kennedy sent in federal troops.
What was Campaign C?
A campaign in Birmingham to end segregation. It aimed to achieve publicity by provoking white people.
What did Campaign C include?
Sit-ins, mass meetings, peaceful protest marches and a boycott of shops.
How many people marched on 2 May in Birmingham?
About 6,000, most were students but some were as young as six years old. Over 900 people were arrested.
What happened on 3 May in Birmingham?
The jails were full so ‘Bull’ Connor ordered the police to use dogs and fire hoses on the protesters. Kennedy said the photos made him feel sick and ashamed.
What were the longer term effects of the events in Birmingham?
- Federal government feared widespread rioting.
- Protests in cities all over the USA
- A month later, 143 cities had some desegregation
- Many more americans saw civil rights as the most urgent issue for the USA.
- Government produced a tougher civil rights bill
When was the March on Washington?
28 August 1963
How many people took part in the March on Washington?
Over 250,000 people, about 40,000 were white
Why was the size of the March on Washington significant?
It showed huge support for civil rights across the USA. Neither federal or state governments could argue it was a minor issue.
Why were the people who saw the march on Washington significant?
It was broadcast live on television in the USA and other countries.
Why was King’s speech during the March on Washington significant?
It gained more support for civil rights and it meant many people saw King as the leader of the movement.
Why was the crowd during the March on Washington significant?
- Black and White people attened peacefully together.
- Showed support for civil rights from all classes.
How many black americans in the south registered to vote between 1962 and 1964?
700,000
What was freedom summer?
In 1964, SNCC and CORE set up ‘Freedom Summer’ in mississippi. The aim was for volunteers to work on projects in the black community and help with voter registration.
How many volunteers went to mississippi during freedom summer?
About 1,000
How many KKK members were there in mississipi?
Over 10,000
How many crosses were burned before the ‘invasion’ by the KKK?
61
How many black people tried to regsiter to vote during freedom summer?
17,000, only 1,600 succeeded
What were the consequences of freedom summer?
- People became aware of the problems of registering to vote.
- People were beaten up, murdered or lost their jobs.
- 1,600 black people registered however 17,000 tried to in total.
When did the SCLC and King arrive in Selma?
January 1965
What was happening at the time of King’s visit to Selma?
President Johnson was stressing the need for a voting rights act to make voting tests fair and help black americans qualify to vote.
What did people protest against in Selma?
Voter registration tests
What happened on Sunday 7 March in Selma?
About 600 protesters set out to march from Selma to Montgomery. State troopers stopped them and attacked them with tear gas, clubs and cattle prods.
What was the significance of the attacks on protesters in Selma?
The USA made world headlines for its abuse of black people.
What happened after bloody sunday?
Johnson used an executive order to federalise the state national guard, they then escorted the marchers from Selma to Montgomery on 21-24 March.
When was the 1964 Civil Rights Act signed?
2 July 1964
What did the 1964 Civil Rights Act do?
- Banned discrimination in voter registration tests
- Banned discrimination in public spaces and businesses with branches in more than one state.
- Banned job discrimination, set up Equal Opportunities Commission to enforce it.
- Gave the government the power to force school desegregation.
- Gave the government the right to remove federal funding from state projects that discriminated.
When was the 1965 Voting Rights Act signed?
6 August 1965
What did the 1965 Voting Rights Act do?
- One voting registration requirement, enforced by the federal government; states could set qualification rules with federal government approval.
- Federal officials to run voter registration in any state and in all states where under 50% of those qualified to vote were registered.
How many voters had federal registrars enrolled by the end of 1965?
79,593
When was Kennedy assassinated?
22 November 1963
When did Malcolm X join the Nation of Islam?
While he was in prison for burglary
How many members did the NOI have in 1952?
500
How many members did the NOI have by 1963?
30,000
What did Malcolm X believe?
He rejected non-violent direct action, he believed that white americans, no matter how well-intentioned, would always see black people as second class citizens
When did Malcolm X leave the NOI and start Muslim Mosque Inc. ?
1964
How did Malcolm X’s views change after his pilgramage to Mecca?
He was more willing to consider integration and accept white help.
When was Malcolm X assassinated?
21 February 1965, three members of the NOI rushed the stage and shot him 15 times.
How did Malcolm X’s death affect peoples beliefs?
Over 15,000 people went to his funeral and a rising number of people rejected non-violent direct action.
What were the key beliefs of Black Power?
- Encouraged black people to be proud of their heritage and culture.
- Rejected help from white people
- Argued against forced integration, saying it would not produce real equality.
- They were influenced by Malcolm X
- They used militant langauge and spoke about revolution.
Why did slow progress enocurage the growth of the black power movement?
- Non-violent direct action had gone as far as they could.
- The civil rights and voting rights acts did not solve the problems in the deep south.
- Many black Americans felt the price of integration was too high.
How did anger contribute to the growth of the Black Power movement?
- Discrimination in work and education continued.
- Ghetto conditions were worsening and being ignored.
How did pride and self-belief grow the black power movement?
They told people:
- To demand equality from white politicians
- To be proud of their race and their roots
- To defend themselves, not to accept violence
How did results help grow the black power movement?
Black power groups got results. For example, they occupied construction sites to force employers to hire more black workers
How did the shift in protest issues increase support for Black Power?
- The civil rights and voting acts meant many civil rights supporters protested about other issues, such as the Vietnam War.
- Civil rights campaigners shifted focus to poverty or employment.
What was the significance of Stokely Carmichael?
He was elected chairman of SNCC, he felt the fight for civil rights needed to change. He brought more people who believed in black power into SNCC and started more SNCC campaigns in the North.
What was the march against fear?
James meredith led a march against in fear in mississippi. They protested about the violence black americans in the south faced. He was shot on the second day. Carmichael and King took over, Carmichaels speeches were more militant and he urged to people to demand black power.
What was the significance of the Mexico Olympics in 1968?
Black americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos won the Gold and Bronze medals in the 200m. They raised their fists during the national anthem. They received racist abuse and death threats. But their action inspired many young black people.
When were the Black Panthers set up?
October 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale.
What did the Black Panthers do?
- They patrolled streets to keep them safe
- Worked to create ‘rainbow coalitions’ to encourage cooperation between gangs
- Controlled traffic around schools
- Pressed local white government officials
- Ran courses on black history and citizens’ rights.
- Carried guns for self defense and tape recs
- Organised medical clinics
- Ran breakfast clubs for poor black children before school,
What were the first 2 points of the 10 point program.
- We want freedom. We want the power to run our black community.
- We want full employment for our people.
What were the 3rd and 4th parts of the 10 point program?
- We want an end to the robbery by the capitalists of our black community.
- We want decent housing fit for the shelter of human beings.
What were the 5th and 6th parts of the 10 point program?
- We want education for our people that exposes the true nature of this decadent American society. We want our education that teaches us our true history and our role in present-day society.
- We want all black men to be from having to serve in the military.
What were the 7th and 8th points of the 10 point program?
- We want an immediate end to Police brutality and the murder of black people.
- We want freedom for all black men held in prisons, federal or state.
What were the 9th and 10th parts of the 10 part program?
- We want all black people who are brought to trial to be tried by a jury from their black community.
- We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace.
What did the panthers achieve?
- They helped to improve living conditions in ghetto communities.
- Many people saw their policing of the streets as trying to provoke the police.
When did California pass a law that made it illegal to carry guns in public spaces?
July 1967
By late 1968 how many cities had black panther groups?
25, however there were never more than about 2,000 panthers.
How many major riots were there between 1964 and 1968?
329 riots in 257 US cities.
How many people were killed, injured or arrested during the riots?
220 were killed
8,371 severe injuries
52,629 arrests
When was the first large scale riot?
July 1964 in New York City
In the 30 months before the Watts riots how many black people did the police shoot?
65 black people (27 were shot in the back and 25 were unarmed)
Why were there riots?
- Police discrimination
- Discrimination by white officials
- They were twice as likely to be unemployed
- They were more than twice as likely to be poor
- Poor quality education
What major riots were in 1964?
New York, Philadelphia, Rochester
What major riots were in 1965?
Los Angeles
What major riots were in 1966?
Chicago, Cleveland
What major riots were in 1967?
Newark, Detroit
What was the outcome of the riots?
- More black people died than white often shot by police or troops
- More people joined the Black Power groups
- Publicity drew attention to ghetto problems
- Johnson said the riots convinced him to put more money into improving ghettos.
What reasons for the riots did the 1968 Kerner report give?
- Result of ghetto conditions produced by segregation and discrimination
- White officials failed to fix problems
What suggestions did the Kerner report give?
- White officials should listen to the black community and involve black people
- The police should change their unfair treatment of black people
- The police should change their policing to provide more protection in the ghettos
What observations of the riots did the Kerner report give?
- The police had made the situation worse by using violence
- Federal money given was usually spent on weapons and training for the police
- There had been no serious attempt to improve the ghettos or gain the trust of black people.
- The media had sensationalised the riots.
Why did King start his campaign in the North?
He wanted to show that non-violent direct action could still work.
What were the features of King’s campaign in the North?
- Op breadbasket
- King called meetings and arranged demonstrations.
- The SCLC found it hard to connect with the ghetto gangs.
- James Bevel from the SCLC helped organise tentants associations to fight unfairly high rents.
In what way was the opposition different to King’s campaign in the North?
Chicago’s mayor, Richard Daley sounded reasonable and supporting of civil rights but did nothing.
How did they achieve publicity in the campaign in the North?
They marched through white neighbourhoods and provoked a violent response.
What was Op breadbasket?
Boycotts to pressure white businesses to employ more black people
Why was the campaign in the North seen as a failure?
- There had been violence on both sides. King had been unable to stop the riot.
- Daley ignored the agreement and the housing policies did not change.
- The government did not push Daley to carry out the agreement
Why were relations between Johnson and King strained?
King opposed the vietnam war more publicly.
When was MLK assassinated?
Just after 6pm of 4 April 1968
How many cities and towns had riots following King’s death?
172
What had happend by the day of King’s funeral?
32 black people were dead, over 3,500 had been seriously injured and 27,000 had been arrested. $45 million of damage had been caused.
What happened after King’s death?
- Riots
- The Poor People’s campaign that King had planned went ahead. It failed.
- The 1968 civil rights act was quickly passed.
What did the 1968 civil rights act do?
It included a section about fair housing, covering rental housing and housing sale made after the passing of the act. The act gave federal protection to civil rights workers, although it made the punishment for rioting more severe.
What was the long term impact of MLK’s death?
- National civil rights groups lost support from white people.
- SNCC changed the N in it’s name from non-violent to national. This meant they lost almost all of their original members.
- Increasing conflict
What did Nixon introduce?
- He set up funding and training for black people setting up businesses.
- Gave tax breaks to white-owned businesses with branches in black neighbourhoods.
- he pressed for affirmative action
- He made sure there were more black officials in the white house.
What was affirmative action?
The deliberate action of choosing a black person for a job over a white person.
What happened to the voting rights act in 1970?
It was revised to ban state literacy tests
What happened to the voting rights act in 1975?
It was revised to include Hispanic, American Indian and other races.
