The Civil Rights in full force From Sit ins to the march on DC The Civil Rights in full force

It started with Sit-ins 4 men sat in a drugstore to eat, and the waiter refused to serve them, so they stayed there until closing Said they didn’t like being denied dignity and respect Due to this, businesses either had to deal with people just sitting in there, or boycotts costing them money, and over time they gave in Nashville, because of this, became the first major southern city to integrate it’s public facilities

Students begin to make a difference Ella Baker, a leader with the SCLC helped the students form the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee There they trained students in civil disobedience, how to break laws that were unjust Through that they participated in direct action throughout the South

Freedom riders Targeted the interstate bus system Seven blacks and 6 whites boarded two busses in DC headed south, and a white mob attacked the freedom riders, also throwing a firebomb Robert Kennedy sent in the federal marshals, but Jackson, Miss officials arrested the riders and they suffered abuse while in jail Finally in 1962 congress said all busses and bus terminals involved in interstate travel must be integrated

Taking Aim at the most segregated city Virtually no public facility allowed integration Between 1956 and 1963 there were 18 unsolved bombings in black neighborhoods Also attacked Jewish communities SCLC teamed up with local activists to take it on

MLK is all about nonviolence Protests began April 3rd, 1963 MLK knew he would be arrested and couldn’t post bail, but demonstrated and was arrested anyways Sent the letter from Jail Said that people have a moral obligation to disobey unjust laws Said he has never engaged in a direct-action campaign that was well-timed

Things really pick up May 2nd, over 1,000 youths marched to the city center and the city’s public safety commissioner had most of them arrested May 3rd, tried it again, police barricaded them in and used attack dogs on those who tried to leave National media led to sympathy for the movement and at the urging of local business leaders, on may 10th the Birmingham accord was signed integrating all areas in 90 days Not without backlash

The March on Washington At the time, the largest march public gathering ever held in the US, 250,000 people with 60,000 white people as well Included songs, poems, speeches, and of course… the MLK I have a Dream Speech