THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT Georgia Studies

EARLY ATTEMPTS TO GAIN EQUAL RIGHTS 1896, Plessy V. Ferguson legalized separate-but-equal doctrine 1910, NAACP; worked to gain equal treatment & filed lawsuits against discriminatory laws NAACP’s goal was to secure civil rights - protections & privileges given to all citizens by the Constitution

Postwar Changes Strengthen Protests WWII was a turning point for race relations in U.S. African Americans fought & died in WWII just like white soldiers Many were convinced that they had to stand up for their rights 1947, Pres. Truman set up the President’s Committee on Civil Rights to study the problem of discrimination 1948, Pres. Truman outlawed segregation in the armed forces

Challenging Segregation in Education 1950’s, NAACP began fight to end segregation in schools Black & white schools were not equal! Were white-controlled school boards providing white students with better schools, teachers, books & equipment? 1954, U.S. Supreme Court - Brown v. Board of Education ended racial segregation in schools Segregation laws violated the 14th Amendment 60 yrs of “court-approved” segregation ended

Avoiding Compliance with the Law Segregationist politicians decided to ignore the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Massive resistance - if the South put up a fight, maybe the gov’t would back down 1955, General Assembly voted to cut off state funds to any system that integrated its schools 1961, GA begins to integrate schools - 1st two black students enroll in UGA - Charlayne Hunter & Hamilton Holmes

Attacking Segregation of Public Facilities: The Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955, Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat to a white passenger Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. organized a bus boycott The city’s bus revenue fell by 65% King’s role in the boycott established him as a national civil rights leader King called for a NONVIOLENT approach to social change

The Movement Gains Strength 1957, MLK, Jr. & other leaders formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) SCLC advocated nonviolent protests, peaceful marches, sit-ins & boycotts 1960, students created the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to organize their efforts to end segregation Julian Bond & Lonnie King became leaders in the Atlanta based organization

The Albany Movement http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/albany-movement

Riders were beaten, arrested, & buses were fire-bombed Freedom Riders 1961, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) & SNCC decided to test the 1955 Supreme Court ruling which outlawed segregation on interstate buses & train stations “Freedom Riders” boarded buses to show public transportation was still segregated in the South Riders were beaten, arrested, & buses were fire-bombed Interstate Commerce Commission issued regulations to end segregated terminals

1963 - A Year of Victory & Tragedy Civil rights activists turned their attention to Birmingham, Alabama in an effort to integrate public facilities 1,000 African Americans marched through the city demanding access to public facilities Police Chief Eugene “Bull” Conner released police dogs & turned fire hoses on the marchers Public facilities are eventually desegregated but violence continued 9/15/63, 16th Street Baptist Church bombed during Sunday School & 4 black children were killed!

The March on Washington Organized to push Pres. Kennedy & Congress into helping the civil rights movement 8/28/63, 250,000 people gather at the Washington Monument - Whites, Native Americans & Hispanics marched together Dr. MLK, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech to express his hopes & dreams that society would one day be based on equality

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Pres. Kennedy sent the bill to Congress Outlawed segregation in public facilities Outlawed discrimination in business & labor unions Created the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) to stop discrimination in employment based on race, religion or gender The MOST POWERFUL piece of civil rights legislation & the most controversial

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 1964, “Freedom Summer” - volunteers began a voter registration drive in Southern states 1965, Dr. MLK, Jr. & over 500 people marched in support of voting rights in Selma, Alabama Many were jailed; no more blacks were able to register to vote Dr. King organized another march from Selma to Montgomery to gain more support On the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Alabama state troopers beat the marches with nightsticks & whips

Voting Rights Continued Dr. King gained a permit & received protection from federal officials to continue the march Nearly 25,000 joined the group to complete the march In response, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 Illegal to prevent blacks from voting 18 months later, 1 million blacks registered to vote 1965, 8 black candidates elected to GA State House of Representatives 1st African American woman elected to the legislature-Gertrude Towns Hamilton 1973, Maynard Jackson became 1st black mayor of ATL

A Shift in Mood Some wanted to abandon the nonviolent approach They were frustrated with the slow progress & white resistance Malcolm X & the Black Muslims preached black pride Black Panthers preached using violence to achieve equality Rioting broke out in black neighborhoods & large cities 1968, MLK, Jr. assassinated in Memphis, TN Efforts con’t through Mrs. Coretta Scott King, Ralph Abernathy, Rev. Jesse Jackson, John Lewis & Julian Bond

Civil Rights Victories Civil Rights Act of 1964 Voting Rights Act 1965 Fair Housing Act 1968 Pres. Johnson appointed Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court; 1st African American justice 1972, minorities hired as policemen, firemen, & workers in other government departments Increase in the number of black elected officials