Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Civil Rights and Equality “All men are created equal?” One of the founding principles of our democracy All citizens are guaranteed equal protection under the law In theory, Americans have equal rights. In practice, is this a reality?

The Struggle for Equality: African Americans Slavery and the Civil War Amendments 13th = Abolished Slavery 14th = Guaranteed equal protection and due process. 15th = Gave African Americans the right to vote. These Amendments go by two names: The Civil War Amendments The Reconstruction Amendments

The Struggle for Equality: African Americans Leads to Jim Crow Laws (Post 1877) Laws passed in the South that required segregation (separation) of blacks and whites in society. Schools Public transportation Restaurants

Landmark Court Cases Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) Established the “Separate but equal” doctrine Supreme Court endorsed Jim Crow Laws The use of race as a criterion of exclusion in public matters was not unreasonable. Legalized segregation

Landmark Court Cases Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Overturned the Plessy case and ended segregation (technically)

The Civil Rights Movement Emmett Till (Summer of 1955) Fourteen year old African American was murdered for flirting with a white woman by saying, “Bye, baby” to the woman This has since been found to be a lie on the part of the woman. This case brought to light brutality of Jim Crow laws in the South

The Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement Montgomery Bus Boycott (December 1955) Occurred because Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus where she had been sitting in the colored section

The Civil Rights Movement Little Rock Crisis (1957) Occurred in Little Rock, Arkansas The National Guard was called in to prevent integration by the governor; later called the Little Rock Crisis

The Civil Rights Movement Children’s March in Birmingham, AL (1963)- Led by MLK, Jr. March on Washington, D.C. (1963) “I have a dream” speech

The Civil Rights Movement Three Civil Rights Acts were passed shortly after the Brown decision: Civil Rights Act of 1964 Voting Rights Act of 1964 Supposed to help end segregation Civil Rights Act of 1968

The Civil Rights Movement Mississippi Burning (June 1964) Three civil rights workers were murdered in Mississippi for trying to help African Americans register to vote. Their bodies were found in August 1964 after FBI involvement. Michael Schwerner James Chaney Andrew Goodman

The Civil Rights Movement Malcolm Little (Malcolm X) African American Muslim minister, outspoken leader in the Nation of Islam, and civil rights activist during the 1950s and 60s Clashed with MLK and the Civil Rights Movement because the Nation of Islam wanted segregation between blacks and whites and promoted black power while MLK promoted peace and integration.

The Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement Malcolm Little (Malcolm X) Disillusionment Occurred in 1962 and 1963 Malcolm X lost faith with the leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammed, for sexual misconduct He left in 1964 after expressing interest in working with Civil Rights leaders like MKL

The Civil Rights Movement Malcolm Little (Malcolm X) Malcolm X Assassinated Killed February 1965 He was assassinated by members of the Nation of Islam while giving a speech Quote: “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” - Malcolm X

Affirmative Action An action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer discrimination; especially in relation to employment or education Positive discrimination