Civil Rights Protests Objective: Describe the significance of the various forms of protest on the Civil Rights movement.

How did sit-ins advance civil rights? Sit-in – protest where people sit in a place and refuse to move until their demands are met. As sit-ins spread, segregationists began to abuse protesters Effective protest tactic – forced many stores with lunch counters to serve African Americans

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee is formed (SNCC) – organization primarily formed by and for young people

Freedom Rides 1960 – Supreme Court ruled bus stations could not be segregated May, 1961 – CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) planned Freedom Rides to find out if the South was enforcing ruling Purpose was to desegregate interstate buses (buses traveling between states) Would attempt to use ‘white only’ facilities at bus terminals

Freedom riders would be attacked, arrested, and jailed Kennedy sent federal marshals to protect the riders Federal government issued new rules banning segregation on interstate buses and in bus stations Riders achieve their goal

Higher Education 1962 – University of Mississippi ordered to enroll first African American student – James Meredith Mississippi governor and state police blocked the registration Riot broke out Kennedy sent federal marshals to protect Meredith

1963 – Alabama governor vowed to block integration at the University of Alabama Alabama National Guard sent in Governor Wallace backed down

Activity and Summary What is a sit-in? Why was it important for the protestors to remain nonviolent? Why did Freedom Riders need guards? What effect do you think the violence might have had on public opinion of the protestors? Activity: create an announcement in support of the protestors of a sit-in or of the Freedom Riders