The Civil Rights Acts of 1964

Birmingham 1963: The “Children’s Crusade”

Compromise Agreement

John F. Kennedy Cautious supporter of Civil Rights Speech June 11, 1963

Kennedy’s Civil Rights Bill Public Accommodations Employment

March on Washington, 1963 Model: March on Washington Movement 1941 of A. Phillip Randolph In support of JFK Civil Rights Bill

“Jobs and Freedom”

200,000 – 300,000 participants

Disputes SNCC leader John Lewis speech censored Examples: “In good conscience, we cannot support wholeheartedly the administration's civil rights bill, for it is too little and too late”; “We will march through the South, through the heart of Dixie, the way Sherman did.”

MLK “I have a dream”

Birmingham Church Bombing September 1963 Four girls killed

Lyndon Johnson becomes President Nov. 1963: JKF assassinated Johnson background Civil Rights Act as JFK “memorial”

Success February: passed House of Rep 54–day filibuster in Senate June 10 passed Senate July 2, 1964: Signed into Law July 2: signed by LBJ

Voting Rights?

Mississippi in 1963 Voter registration drive Medgar Evers head of NAACP --assassinated June 12, 1963 Byron De La Beckwith; Medgar Evers

Mississippi Freedom Summer, 1964 SNCC, CORE, and local groups College students from North “Freedom Democratic Party”

James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner Philadelphia, Mississippi

Election of 1964 July: Civil Rights Act signed Republican Party: Barry Goldwater (opposed Civil Rights Act on states rights grounds)

1964 Johnson wins landslide BLUE: REPUBLICAN RED: DEMOCRATIC