1880’s-1950’s History and Start of Civil Rights

A Nation Divided Racial Segregation was a common and a forced way of life Blacks were told to believe that they were inferior to the white race They lived behind what W.E.B. Du Bois called “Living behind the veil” In Practice… Blacks were not allowed to look white people in the eye When they spoke blacks talked to the ground Did not touch or look at white women for too long Had to accept white insults “Girl”, “Boy”, “Auntie”, “Uncle”

Segregation in Public Areas In all common places Especially in the South Plessey vs. Ferguson 1896 “Separate but Equal” Ruling made it possible for several states to pass laws legalizing segregation in public areas Theaters, Restaurants, libraries, parks and transport services Jim Crow laws established separate facilities for whites and blacks across the South Usually no accommodations for blacks at all. Restaurants could refuse to serve blacks Some places didn’t have bathrooms for blacks only whites Jim Crow laws appear shortly after the Civil War ends

Segregation in Schools 1888 Schools are segregated Plessey vs. Ferguson said it had to be equal the reality of it was that facilities for blacks were always inferior to the buildings for whites.

Segregation in Housing Two different forms De Facto Segregation- Northern Areas Practices and customs De Jure Segregation- Southern Areas By law Blacks move North Restrictive covenant- agreement among neighbors not to rent to blacks

Marriage Southern States outlawed miscegenation Interracial marriage Prohibited marriage not only between Blacks and whites but also between Whites and Asians or Whites and American Indians.

Workplace Working conditions showed racial segregation at it’s worst. Few black held white collar jobs Not skilled laborers either Worked in agriculture or services Black men made half of what white men did in 1940 Poor schooling and lack of education trapped many blacks in lower level jobs

Politics Southern Whites found ways to disenfranchise or deny voting rights to blacks Poll taxes, literacy tests and white primary Gerrymandering Practice of redrawing the lines of a voting district to give one party or group of voters an advantage

Small Steps Jackie Robinson Black baseball player who would play for the Brooklyn Dodgers starting in Color line- barrier created by custom, law and economic differences Football 1946 Basketball 1950

Armed Forces Truman knew it had to be done How do you fight Nazi and anti-Semitism and have a color line at home? Segregation in the forces undermined the ideas of freedom and democracy July 26 th 1948 Executive order 9981 Desegregation in the Armed Forces

Civil Rights Groups Congress of the Racial Equality (CORE) Founded in Chicago 1942 Nonviolent direct action as a means of change Help in several northern cities desegregate many public areas Turned attention to the south in 1950 Nation Urban League Early 1900’s Helped people moving north Promoted education & employment National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Oldest civil rights organization.

NAACP Founded in established a legal arm for civil rights action NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Thurgood Marshall Focused on desegregation through the court system Equal Protection clause 14 th amendment prohibits states from denying any person equal protection of the laws.

Court System Helps 1930s and 1940s Courts strike against Jim Crow Laws 1935 University of Maryland had to admit a black Student White Primaries unconstitutional Shelley v Kraemer 1948 States couldn’t enforce segregated housing 1950s Segregation in law and graduate schools was unconstitutional

Brown vs. Board of Education A set of Cases from KN, SC, VA, DL and D.C Class- action lawsuit Lawsuit filed by people on behalf of themselves and a larger group who might benefit. NAACP Marshall argued the case Stayed in the Supreme Court for a year and a half Earl Warren was appointed to the Supreme Court during this time. Fought to have a unanimous decision Warren Court Became known for its activism on civil right and free speech May 17 th Ruling Dismantled the legal basis for segregation in school and other public places.