Yellow Folder- 1950s and 1960s Civil Rights Flashcards
NAACP
National association for the advancement of coloured people
Founded in 1909- by a group of leading black intellectuals
They wanted to eliminate racial hatred and discrimination
Their main aim was to ensure the political education, social and economic quality of rights
CORE
Congress of racial equality
Founded in 1942 by James Farmer, a young black American activist
Was inspired by Ghandis non violent tactics and employed the idea of sit-ins at cinemas and restaurants to highlight the issue of segregation
SNCC
Student non-violent co-ordinating committee
Formed in 1960
Compromised more radical young people
Cause of Brown Vs Topeka
Parents wanted black daughter Linda to attend the neighbourhood white school, so that she wouldn’t have to walk all the way to the black school alone. NAACP and Thur good Marshall took the case to the Supreme Court.
Verdict of Brown vs Topeka
18 month case
17 may 1954- Justife Warren and Court decided that ‘Separate but equal has no place’
What were the positive results of the Brown vs Topeka incident?
Some areas began to desegregate and by 1957 300,000 black children were attending intergrated schools
What were the negative results of the Brown vs Topeka incident?
2.4 million children were still in ‘Jim Crow’ schools
Kkk began to re-emerge
Parents joined white citizens councils to maintain segregation
450 laws passed to sop integration in southern states
1956- white students rioted at uni of Alsame against student Autherine Lucy.
Even president Eisenhower did little to encourage integration until 1957
Key features of Little Rock
After the Brown decision, Little Rock high school, Arians decided to allow 9 black students to enrol there.
September 3rd 1957- nine students led by Elizabeth Eckford tried to enter but were prevented by he governor who ordered state national Guardsmen to block their entry
Next day they were allowed In but had to leave at lunch because they were at risk
The press publicised it worldwide and it was an embarrassment to the USA
President Eisenhower used the national guard and federal troops to protect the black students for the rest of the school year
What was the significance of the lil rock incident
It demonstrated that Little Rock could no longer be ignored, since the president got involved.
Also the involvement of the press meant that many US citizens saw, for the first time, the racial hatred that existed in the southern states. Black activists began to realise that reliance on federal troops was not enough to secure change.
James Meredith case
1962
James Meredith wanted to enter a white university and the students and teachers tried to stop him. But president Kennedy got involved, sending federal troops to ensure his safety. Two people died whilst rioting.
Why was the James Meredith case significant?
Because it was a big deal that the president got involved and showed that he supported integration.
It also encouraged lots of other black students to fight for integration and equality.
Montgomery bus boycott cause
There were rules that black ppl couldn’t do things like sit at the front or sit next to whites
On Thursday 1 December 1955 parks refused to give up her seat to a white man. She was arrested
The campaign of the Montgomery bus boycott
The day after Rosa’s arrest, Robinson and some students printed thousands of leaflets encouraging ppl to boycott buses. They only planned to boycott for a day, but MLK inspirational speech (to 7,000 ppl) made them prolong it. They started the boycott with s few demands but when the bus companies didn’t meet them, they demanded complete segregation.
Martins Mare
In January 1956, Mlk’s home was firebombed, leaving his wife and daughter only narrowly escaping injury. This happened to other leaders too. The press covered the events closely in the summer which helped raise awareness.
How did the Mbb come to an end?
On 13 November 1956, the Supreme Court upheld the federal courts decision (that segregation was unconstitutional) and the bkycott had been successful, coming to an end on December 20th 1956
Importance of the bus boycott
Showed that unity and solidarity could win and victory offered hope to those who were fighting for improved civil rights. It demonstrated the beliefs of a peaceful approach and showed that black Americans were able to organise themselves.
Role of MLK in Montgomery bus boycott
Helped organise carpools Energy and enthusiam When he was prevented from taking our local insurance for veiled he went as far as using loyds of London Inspired others Non violent tactics Religious belief/ faith Never intimidated
Impact of the civil rights act (positive)
1957
Congress passed a civil rights act which established the US commission on civil rights, emphasised the right of all people to vote, allowed the federal government to intervene if individuals were not allowed to vote, said all people had he right to vote in juries
Impact of the civil rights act (negative)
March on Washington
In 1957 MLK and the SCLC organised a pilgrimage called the ‘crusade for citizenship’ which marched to the Lincoln memorial in Washington DC to aim to increase the number of black voters and to get the president speaking out about civil rights, but Eisenhower refused to be drawn into the debate over civil rights
Sit ins
In the late 1950s sit ins were a popular way to protest silently and peacefully, but they often resulted in violence from whites which lost them support.
Greensbro sit-in
In greensbro branch of Woolworths
4 black students from a local collage demanded to be served at white only lunch counters. When they were refused they stayed there until it closed. As the days went on more people joined (300 by the 5th day) By April 1960 students in 78 communities held sit ins across the south and by 1961 2,000 prosecutors were arrested.
