Why did the Civil Rights Movement develop in the 1960s? Flashcards
Who were the ‘freedom riders’?
Protestors who were testing whether all bus facilities had been integrated.
They did this by riding buses around the Southern states.
Both black and white protestors rode the buses.
What were the effects of the Freedom Rides?
The protestors were met with extreme violence and some buses (Aniston) were even firebombed.
These images were seen all over the world which forced the government to enforce the law and make sure all bus facilities were integrated.
Why the protestors choose to organise a march in Birmingham, Alabama?
The state had refused to accept any of the desegregation laws.
What happened during the March on Birmingham?
Protestors, including Martin Luther King, were arrested and replaced with children and these children were also arrested.
Violence was used against the protestors including police dogs and fire hoses.
What were the effects of the March on Birmingham?
Images of the events were seen worldwide which forced President Kennedy to say he felt ashamed.
He sent troops to Birmingham and the mayor of Alabama was forced to pass desegregation laws.
Why the protestors choose to organise a march in Washington?
They wanted to prove that the Civil Rights Act had a lot of support so marched to Washington as that is where the government is based.
What happened during the March on Washington?
Over 250,000 protestors, black and white, joined the march.
It was televised live and showed how many people supported the Civil Rights Act.
Martin Luther King gave his famous ‘I have a dream’ speech which was heard by thousands.
What were the effects of the March on Washington?
it showed the government and the rest of the world how much support civil rights had.
It encouraged the government to eventually pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964.
What did the Civil Rights Act say?
The Civil Rights Act made it illegal to discriminate against people based on their race, religion or gender.
An Equal Opportunities Commission was set up to investigate discrimination in the work place.
What were the effects of the Civil Rights Act?
The lives of some black people improved however a law is only successful if it is enforced.
Many states in the South were slow to follow the law and still made it very difficult for black people to register to vote.
Protestors organised a march from Selma to Montgomery to highlight this issue. They were met with extreme violence including clubs and electric cattle prods.
What were the effects of the Selma to Montgomery march?
President Johnson was forced to pass the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
This said that both black and white people had to take the same literacy test which would allow them to register to vote and that inspectors would be sent to check this was happening.
What were the effects of the Voting Rights Act?
James Meredith organised a march through Mississippi to encouarge more black people to register to vote.
About 250,000 new black voters registered but still faced violent opposition.
