The Civil Rights Movement I can describe major developments in civil rights and Georgia’s role during the 1940s and 1950s.

Herman Talmadge - Part of the “Three Governors Episode” - Elected Governor in 1948 and 1950 - Well known for education improvements: established grades 1-12 9 - month school year various school improvements - Served in U.S. Senate 1956-1981

Benjamin Mays Civil Rights leader Well known for his work while he served on the Atlanta Board of Education President of Morehouse College Important mentor to MLK and steers him to study Gandhi (key to MLK’s non-violent approach to the movement)

End of the White Primary (1945) White primaries – only allowed whites to vote in primary elections in GA African Americans protested white primaries Ended in 1945, Supreme Court determined it was unconstitutional in the King v. Chapman case. Governor Ellis Arnall, did not fight the ruling and the white primary ended in Georgia.

Plessy V Fergusson -1895 – Homer Plessy targets Louisiana law causing segregation on rail cars -Ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court decides against Plessy stating “Separate but equal is OK” -Clears the way for Jim Crow to allow segregation for almost 60 years until Brown v Board – A new precedent

Brown v Board of Education -1954 ends segregation in schools -Really marks the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement -Overturns precedent of Plessy v Fergusson -U.S. Supreme court decision in this case moves beyond the classroom to virtually all areas of segregation - Atlanta Public Schools were the first system in GA to integrate in 1961 (took 10 more years for all systems in GA to integrate) Brown v Board of Education

Martin Luther King Jr. -Iconic Civil Rights Leader -Non-violent approach modeled after Gandhi & Mendela - Led Montgomery Bus Boycott (1954) -”I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington -Assassinated, April 1968

Smithsonian MLK Assassination Video

1956 GA State Flag Georgia legislature were unhappy with the federal regulations on desegregation, so they changed the state flag in protest. Though the design of the pre-1956 flag was based on the first flag of the Confederate States of America, the 1956 flag was changed to include the Confederate battle flag, a flag that had been adopted by “hate groups” such as the KKK.

History of GA Flags Video Confederate States 1955 2001-2003 1956 2003

The Civil Rights Movement I can analyze the role Georgia and prominent Georgians played in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) -Represents the ‘youth’ movement of the Civil Rights era -Many college students -Sit-ins; protests; freedom riders Freedom Riders Video

U.S. Supreme Court: 1954 Brown v Board The Sibley Commission U.S. Supreme Court: 1954 Brown v Board Georgia: “Massive Resistance” -spend more on ‘black’ schools -laws to abolish public schools if needed / support private schools -sought to force federal gov’t To change its position U.S. Supreme Court: -Updates Brown -1955 “with all deliberate speed” 1960 Georgia: Sibley Commission -led by segregationist -sought ways to work around federal rules and regulations -stall tactic -realized the importance of public schools U.S. Government: -1964 Civil Rights Act (withhold money if de-segregation not followed) 1961 Georgia: -UGA integrated (Charlayne Gault/Hamilton Holmes) -Atlanta schools begin -eventually other systems follow KEY CIVIL RIGHTS ERA LESSON: -The COMBINATION of direct action (marches, sit ins) with FEDERAL GOVERNMENT support via judicial and legislative support equaled success

Charlayne Hunter Hamilton Holmes - One of first African-Americans at UGA - Journalist Hamilton Holmes -One of first African Americans to attend UGA -Doctor -Involved with Atlanta School System They began classes at UGA on January 6, 1961

Albany Movement -1961, Albany, Georgia -SNCC and NAACP begin protests to de-segregate ‘whites only’ waiting rooms at the bus station -Movement quickly grows with broad-ranging efforts to de-segregate all facets of the city -Movement failed since the police used non-violent tactics and jailed all participants it didn’t gain national attention -Sometimes viewed as an MLK failure due to lack of focus -Another view is that MLK learned valuable lessons in Albany and applied them elsewhere

March on Washington -The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom -August 28, 1963 -Attended by some 250,000 people -Largest demonstration ever seen in the nation's capital, and one of the first to have extensive television coverage -JFK not too excited about this protest “I Have A Dream” Speech

Civil Rights Act of 1964 Passed after JFK was assassinated Federal law that makes segregation of public facilities illegal (restaurants, theaters, parks, hotels, etc.) Prohibits discrimination in businesses Key example of the Federal Government taking action to force states into action

The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Prohibited states from imposing any voting qualification on voting or deny the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color.

Maynard Jackson First African American mayor of Atlanta Jackson served as mayor of Atlanta from 1973-1981 and again from 1990-1994 Hartsfield-Jackson Airport named in his honor

Lester Maddox Last overtly segregationist Governor in the state’s history. Elected Governor in 1966; Lieutenant Governor during Carter Chased patrons from his Atlanta restaurant with an axe handle (true) Ironically he appointed more African-Americans to state boards and commissions than all prior governors combined Reformed prisons and integrated State Patrol

Andrew Young - Atlanta Mayor (1981-89) - U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations during Carter Era - Involved in Atlanta Committee on the Olympic Games (ACOG) - U.S. Congressman (1972-79) - Civil Rights Leader (with MLK when he was assassinated)

Music’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement The Beatles – Blackbird Sam Cooke – A Change is Gonna Come The Impressions – People Get Ready