The Civil Rights Movement STAAR Review 12

1963, Bombingham

Struggle for Equal Rights Many groups struggled for Civil Rights – including women, the young, African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Native Americans – became vocal about their demands for a more equal and diverse American society.

Civil War Amendments During the early years of our nation, slavery was permitted in many areas. But after the Civil War things began to change, these changes became law with constitutional amendments. 13th Amendment – (1865) abolished slavery 14th Amendment – (1868) provided for equal protection under the law and gave those born here citizenship. 15th Amendment – (1870) gave former male slaves suffrage or the right to vote. These amendments to the Constitution were the foundation of the Civil Rights Movement of the Twentieth Century.

Brown v. Board of Education, 1954 After the end of the Civil War, Southern states passed laws requiring segregation of races in public places, including schools. As a group these types of laws were called ‘Jim Crow’ laws or ‘Black Codes’, they all had the purpose of limiting civil rights. Civil Rights were won in large part through litigation – resolving disputes in court. Many of these cases were decided by the Supreme Court.

Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 The Supreme Court decision of ‘Plessy v. Ferguson’ upheld the constitutionality of segregation laws. Homer Plessy was 7/8th white and 1/8th black, but by the Jim Crow laws of Louisiana he was considered black and had to ride in a separate train car. Homer was arrested for violating this law and his case went before the Supreme Court. The Court ruled ‘separate but equal’ was constitutional and states could legally provide segregated facilities to different races, so long as they were equal in quality. For 50+ years this is how America handled race.

The Truman Years, 1945-1953 In 1947, Jackie Robinson, the grandson of a slave, became the first African American to play Professional Baseball. “42” opened the door for many African Americans and other minorities in different fields of sports, entertainment, and business. The following year Pres. Truman issued an executive order that desegregated the military and ended discrimination in hiring practices by federal government.

Sweatt v. Painter, 1950 Sweatt v. Painter was a case won by the NAACP involving the right of Herman Sweatt, an African American, to attend Law School at the University of Texas. UT had even created a separate law school for African Americans, just to keep Sweatt out. The Supreme Court ruled this separate school failed to qualify as “separate but equal”, since it isolated its students.

‘Separate but Equal’ ?

NAACP Challenges ‘Separate But Equal’ In 1953, the NAACP challenged a Kansas court ruling that African American students were denied admission to an all-white school. The NAACP alleged that segregated schools denied African American children the ‘equal protection’ of the law due them under the 14th Amendment. Segregated schools were inherently inferior since it sent the message they were not good enough to be educated with others.

Thurood Marshall became first African American on Supreme Court The Brown Decision 1954, Thurgood Marshall argued the case for the NAACP that Linda Brown, an African American girl, should be allowed to attend a white school closer to her home. Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote the unanimous decision for the Supreme Court. The Brown v. Board of Education decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision and ended legal segregation in public schools! Linda Brown Thurood Marshall became first African American on Supreme Court

The Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955-56 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a white passenger. Alabama’s ‘Jim Crow’ laws made this illegal and she was arrested. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a nonviolent boycott of the bus line that lasted for 13 months. The non-violent boycott worked and a court ruled that the bus line had violated the ‘equal protection’ clause of the 14th Amendment.

Civil Rights Act, 1957 1957, Pres. Eisenhower passed the Civil Rights Act to increase African American voter participation in the South. Various ‘Jim Crow’ laws had limited the ability of blacks to vote without paying a poll tax or passing a literacy test. Act created a Civil Rights Commission giving federal courts the power to register African American voters. Registration procedures were so complex that the act proved to be ineffective, but it helped set the pattern for later civil rights legislation.

The Little Rock Nine Southern states delayed putting the ‘Brown’ decision into action. Arkansas Governor Orval Fabus ordered the Arkansas National Guard to surround Little Rock’s ‘Central High’ to prevent 9 African American students from enrolling. Pres. Eisenhower ordered federal troops to Little Rock to ensure the Little Rock Nine could safely attend school. Gov. Fabus closed the school until the courts forced its reopening.

Southerners Resist Integration Southern Democrats in Congress banded together to use their powers to stop passage of Civil Rights laws. 1963, Alabama Gov. George Wallace stood in the doorway of University of Alabama to prevent blacks from enrolling. 1964, Lester Maddox, a white restaurant owner wielded an axe at African Americans wanting to enter his whites-only restaurant, Maddox was later elected the governor of Georgia.

Sit-ins and Freedom Rides, 1960-61 1960, four African American students, the Greensboro Four, held a sit-in at a “Whites-Only” lunch counter in North Carolina. The non-violent sit-ins spread! 1961, interracial groups rode buses in Freedom Rides in the South to stop segregation. As a result of these non-violent protests lunch counters were desegregated and the federal government was forced to help.

MLK’s ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail MLK was emerging as the leader of the Civil Rights Movement with non-violence to resist unjust laws. King’s followed in Gandhi’s steps in practicing civil disobedience saying ‘everyone has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws’. When MLK led a march in Birmingham, Alabama he was arrested and jailed. In a “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” MLK explained why blacks could no longer wait patiently for their rights.

The March on Washington, 1963 1963, to gain support for a Civil Rights bill that was before Congress MLK led a ‘March on Washington’. It would be the largest demonstration of human rights in history. It was here that King gave his famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. King would later meet with JFK. A few months later JFK was killed, but there was a new willingness in Congress to pass legislation for Civil Rights.

Civil Rights Act of 1964 1963, JFK is assassinated and LBJ becomes the president. As President, LBJ pushed through new legislation on civil rights. 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is signed into law by LBJ. The law would – prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, or ethnic background in hotels, restaurants, and all places of employment doing business with the federal government.

The Struggle for Voting Rights 1964, Twenty-Fourth Amendment - eliminated poll taxes in federal elections. (Can’t charge to vote) 1965, Selma Marches – MLK led marches in Selma, Alabama to demand voting rights for African Americans, but demonstrators were attacked by the police. 1965, Voting Rights Act of 1965 - LBJ signed bill into law that that ended poll taxes and led to an increase in number of black voters.

Increasing African American Militancy The demand for change was very strong among young African Americans. The Civil Rights Movement had ended public segregation in schools (Brown V. Board of Education) and discrimination in voting, but it had not provided for equal opportunities. Many young African Americans did not believe that MLK’s non-violent methods were powerful enough. The new militants believed in Black Power to free themselves. By any means necessary

The Black Power Movement In the 1960s many African Americans began to search for the ‘roots’ of their culture. “Black is Beautiful” became the slogan as they grew Afro hair styles and wore fashions based on African cultures. New groups emerged to provide leadership of traditional non-violent methods (MLK) as well as more radical violent groups (Malcolm X, Black Panthers).

The Black Power Movement Non-Violent Organizations MLK preached non-violence. NAACP Civil Rights organization. Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Radical Organizations Malcolm X ‘by any means necessary’ Black Muslims said Islam should be the religion of all African Americans. Black Panthers demanded right to determine their own destiny.

The Ghettos Erupt, 1968 In northern cities African Americans faced segregation in housing, whites often refused to sell a home to them. Blacks were forced to live in inner city slums called ghettos. 1968, MLK is assassinated by a white supremacist in Memphis. Anger and grief sparked riots across the nations that took dozens of lives. A lack of jobs, urban poverty, and white racism were the main causes behind the riots.

The Chicano Movement Mexican Americans, aka Chicanos, faced discrimination, racism, and exploitation in 1960s America. A Chicano Movement emerged with its focus on rights for farm workers, as well as voting and political rights. Hector P. Garcia, a WW II veteran, became a Civil Rights leader when he noticed that Mexican Americans were often barred from restaurants, voting, hospitals, swimming pools, and limited employment opportunities.

Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta Cesar Chavez organized migrant farm workers in California. Chavez supported farm worker rights and demanded increased wages and better working conditions. Chavez led migrant workers in a non-violent boycott by refusing to pick grapes. Dolores Huerta joined with Chavez to form the United Farm Workers (UFW) to gain increased rights. Huerta later worked for women’s rights, immigration reform, and the environment.

The Chicano Mural Movement Mexican Americans expressed themselves through their art. Using Mexican artist Diego Rivera as a model, they began painting murals in barrios throughout the Southwest U.S.. The Chicano Mural Movement became an important way to support identity and justice in Mexican American communities. Murals provided a visual for those who often lacked representation.

The American Indian Movement - AIM Native Americans have been exploited since the beginning of America. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibited discrimination against Native Americans, but many still felt they were being mistreated by the government. Using the slogan of “Red Power”, the American Indian Movement was founded to gain respect for their heritage and their civil rights. AIM temporarily occupied monuments at Wounded Knee, SD and Alcatraz.

Affirmative Action, 1965 1965, LBJ signs Executive Order requiring employers with the federal government to take positive steps to increase minority employees, later women were added. Affirmative Action programs increased number of minorities in colleges and businesses, but some said this was a form of reverse discrimination. In “Regents of U. of California v. Bakke”, the Supreme Court upheld affirmative action, but not use of racial quotas.

Billy Graham One outspoken supporter of civil rights was Billy Graham. Billy Graham a Christian preacher and spiritual advisor to several presidents. Graham became an opponent of segregation and had even paid to get MLK out of jail. Graham advised Eisenhower to send troops to protect the Little Rock Nine.

Which event should be included on timeline? STAAR Review Question Which event should be included on timeline? Rosenberg's Executed for Spying JFK Elected as President Vietnam War Ends March on Washington Letter D Click mouse For answer

Which event should be included on timeline? STAAR Review Question Which event should be included on timeline? March on Washington Civil Rights Act passed 24th Amendment passed Brown v. Board of Education Letter D Click mouse For answer

Letter C STAAR Review Question This newspaper headline was a direct result from which of the following events? MLK organizes a March on Washington. Jackie Robinson becomes 1st African American to play professional baseball. Supreme Court hands down Brown v. Board of Education. Little Rock Nine banned from Arkansas high school. Supreme Court bans idea of ‘separate but equal’ Letter C Click mouse for answer

STAAR Practice Which event on the timeline does not deal with the Civil Rights Movement? Freedom rides. March on Washington. Cuban Missile Crisis. Montgomery Bus Boycott. Answer: 3 Click mouse for answer

From what Supreme Court decision was the quote taken from ? STAAR Review Question From what Supreme Court decision was the quote taken from ? “We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place”. --Warren Court Decision 1954 Plessy v. Ferguson Roe v. Wade Delgado v. Bastrop ISD Brown v. Board of Education Letter D Banned segregated public schools Click mouse for answer

STAAR Practice The map shows that African American voter registration increased dramatically from 1961 to 1966. What was a primary reason for this increase? Voting Rights Act of 1965 Title IX Immigration Act of 1965 Brown v. Board of Education Answer: 1 Voting Rights Act of 1964 ended poll taxes, literacy tests and other methods used to stop African Americans from voting. Click mouse for answer

STAAR Practice Which Supreme Court decision attempted to end the issue show on the graphic. Roe v. Wade Title IX Plessy v. Ferguson Brown v. Board of Education Answer: 4 Delgado v. Bastrop ISD made it illegal to segregate Mexican American children. Click mouse for answer