Why was race relations still a major issue in US 1945-89?

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

◍Answer Q- ingoing process to rectify inequalities
◍Changing legislation-didn’t mean equal rights for everyone
◍Constitution 1791 stated ‘all men are created equal’- however slavery allowed till 1865
◍Plessy vs. Ferguson- Jim crow laws passed in southern states: laws forced racial segregation :schools,bathrooms,buses+parks

Question 2

WW2 turning point

Answer 2

◍WW2 catalyst for change
◍message ppl can die for country but not have equal rights there: thousands-black soldiers+working in war industries: defence od democracy+freedom
◍The Military-1948 Executive order issued Truman- desegregated army.Officer profile remained prominently white
◍Rise of Liberalism- skin colour unsignificant
◍Us image- portrayed leader of free world against dangerous communism-large pop. treated second class citizens.
◍influence of mass media-insight to horrific treatment
◍Foundation NAACP-better organisation
◍NATION ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLOURED PEOPLE.

Question 3

Montgomery boycott background

Answer 3

◍major inequality despite Jim crow -was ‘separate but not equal’ exept busses Montogomery
◍Alabama bus company- only employed white drivers-black ppl at the back and were obliged to give up their seat
◍70% montogmery bus users were Black + often abused by bus drivers
◍If laws were not obeyed fined/jailed- Claudette Colvin

Question 4

The Montgomery bus boycott

Answer 4

◍1 Dec 1955-Rosa parks(NAACP) borded bus after work but refused to give up her seat to a white passenger
◍Parks was arrested
◍Edgar Daniel Nixon paid her bail
◍Parks due in court 5 Dec
◍Nixon wanted to use her case to fight segregation: contacted Rev ralph +MLK
◍ On the 5th, 40,000 black ppl boycotted public buses-boycott lasted 381 days
◍In 1956 segregation on public transport was deemed unconstitutional

Question 5

Rise of prominent leaders such as MLK

Answer 5

◍these leaders kept race relation at the forefront
◍he was awarded PhD at boston university-well educated lad
◍Leader of Boycott and later president of Montgomery Improvement
association (MIA)
◍MLK inspired by Gandi-non-violent protests
◍Founded SCLC-Southern Christian leadership conference-non-violent demonstrations
◍1963-March on washinton ‘i have a dream’
◍1964-Won noble peace prize + saw passing of the civil rights act

Question 6

Education

Answer 6

◍slow desegregation
◍1954-Brown vs. board case-segregation in education
◍NAACP won supreme court-white+black students in same school-‘separate education facilities are inherently unequal’
◍long struggle
◍1962-Governor Mississippi refused to let James Meredith enter University-Kennedy sent in troops
◍1969-Ruby bridges-1st black child enrol in a previous all white school
◍by 1969,20% of black children attended integrated school:indicationg other social +political conditions that hindred desegregation