Chapter 28 Section 3 The Civil Rights Movement Riddlebarger Voting Rights Chapter 28 Section 3 The Civil Rights Movement Riddlebarger

Gaining Voting Rights Voting rights, like other civil rights victories comes at a great human cost & sacrifice. After the Civil Rights Act of 1964, SCLC shifts their focus to voting rights.

24th Amendment 1962: Congress approves 24th Amendment Banned states from taxing citizens to vote End of Poll Tax in presidential & congressional elections.

Registering Voters Kennedy administration urges SNCC to focus on voter registration They say the vote is the key to bringing change to the South State’s rights?

Voter Education Project Soon realize that there is just as much resistance to African-Americans voting as with segregation Voter Education Project was to register blacks in the South to vote. Over 1/2 million registered Stiff resistance in Mississippi

Freedom Summer After 24th Amendment, student volunteers head to South to register voters and teach summer schools. Trained at Miami (OH) University Mississippi spent $82/white student; $22/black student on education

Crisis in Mississippi 1st 200 volunteers arrive late June 1964 One goes missing the next day 2 White students disappear along with a black CORE worker Bodies found in August after manhunt 2/3 of volunteers go home State drops charges against suspects Federal government tries on Civil Rights charges Successes of Freedom Summer- education & some voters registered

1964 Election Freedom Summer overshadowed by 1964 election. Lyndon Johnson (D) Barry Goldwater (R ) Most civil rights organizations agree to halt protests during election to help LBJ SNCC disagrees and helps form Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party Protest @ Democratic convention

Fannie Lou Hamer “ All this on account of us wanting to register to become first class citizens, and if the Freedom Democratic Party is not seated now, I question America. Is this America, the land of the free and the home of the brave where we have to sleep with our telephone off the hooks because our lives be threatened daily because we want to live as decent human beings in America?”

Selma Jan. 1965: Dr. King begins campaign for black’s voting rights in Selma, Alabama. Protest marches lead to thousands of arrests. Police are restrained Don’t want to start a confrontation King forces his own arrest and this brings the desired attention to Selma.

Selma March 4-day march planned to state capital. Gov. Wallace: “It will not be tolerated.” March 7, 1965: 600 marchers set out for Montgomery

Violence in Selma Just outside Selma, marchers are attacked by state police using tear gas, clubs, chains and cattle prods. Footage is shown across country on TV Dr. King was not there. King calls for the march to continue later With Federal protection, the march reaches Montgomery on March 25.

Voting Rights Act of 1965 Pres. Johnson asks for law to protect voting rights the month after Selma One of most important pieces of civil rights legislation Tens of thousands of blacks soon registered to vote Blacks soon elected to office in the South. Voting Rights Act of 1965- Gives the Federal government the ability to break down barriers preventing blacks from voting (literacy tests, etc.)