The Civil Rights Movement

Beginning of the Movement Plessy v. Ferguson- “separate but equal” After this, laws encouraging segregation (aka Jim Crow laws) spread quickly They segregated buses, trains, schools, restaurants, pools, parks, etc. Most common in the South, but existed in North too Areas w/o segregation laws often had de facto segregation (segregation by tradition) NAACP has been fighting segregation for years Some victories, but not many AAs also got more political power Great Migration- moved to North, where they can vote They also benefited from the New Deal

Beginning of the Movement WWII- AA leaders began using their power for more rights 1942- CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) founded Began using sit-ins (peaceful protest) to desegregate restaurants Successfully integrated many restaurants, theaters, etc. Brown v. Board of Education- Segregation in public schools is unconstitutional Southern Manifesto- White southerners defied the ruling by continuing segregation

Beginning of the Movement Montgomery Bus Boycott Rosa Parks decided to challenge segregation of public transportation This began the boycott Martin Luther King Jr. led the way They met in churches, where they were encouraged to protest This had to be peaceful- getting arrested doesn’t help Many whites already don’t like AAs, so violence would only make that worse

Beginning of the Movement MLK used the ideas of Mohandas Gandhi (used nonviolent resistance to end British rule in India) MLK established the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957. Challenged segregation in voting booths, public transportation, housing, and public accommodations. 1960- Woolworth’s (white’s only lunch counter) 4 AAs staged a sit-in Soon, sit-ins were happening all over the country

Beginning of the Movement Little Rock, AK- Sept. 1957 The school board wanted to admit 9 AAs into Central High School (2,000 white students) Gov. Orval Faubus ordered in troops to stop this The next day, the AK National Guard, TV cameras, and a white mob were there. This was the 1st time a state had challenged the fed. gov’t since Reconstruction. Eisenhower knew he couldn’t let this happen, so he ordered the governor to remove the troops He did, but he left the mob Angry whites beat 2 AA reporters and destroyed some school windows Eisenhower ordered in the army to keep order The students came to school, protected by the army They had to stay at the school for the rest of the school year

Challenging Segregation SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) Sit-ins became more popular, so students formed SNCC to become organized They went South,-they were beaten and lives threatened Freedom Riders 1961- CORE asked teams of AAs and whites to travel to South to integrate bus terminals Led to violence that JFK had to intervene

Challenging Segregation JFK Big supporter of civil rights (a lot of AA votes) Once in office, he was more cautious Robert Kennedy (RFK)- encouraged AAs to register to vote Encouraged Freedom Riders to “cool off” JFK struck a deal w/Sen. James Eastland of Mississippi If violence stopped, JFK wouldn’t object if Mississippi police arrested Freedom Riders CORE used all funds to bail Freedom Riders out of jail JFK ordered ICC to increase regulations against segregation in bus terminals By 1962, segregation on interstate travel ended Also, had to send troops when James Meredith wanted to register at the U. of Mississippi

Challenging Segregation Civil Rights Act of 1964 AL Gov. George Wallace blocked the way for 2 AAs to register for college. JFK announced Civil Rights bill MLK put pressure on Congress to pass it 200,000 demonstrators in DC Senators did what they could to slow it down (filibuster) Cloture can stop that (60 senators) After JFK’s assassination, LBJ got the bill through It gave the fed. gov’t power to stop racial discrimination in public places, bring lawsuits to end school segregation, and to require employers to end discrimination in workplace. Voting Rights Act of 1965- gave attorney general the right to send fed. examiners to register voters Bypassing local officials who wouldn’t register AAs Suffrage cannot be denied because of race

Challenging Segregation Black Power Young AAs called for black power AAs should control social, political, and economic direction of their struggle Opposed cultural assimilation (Black pride) Malcolm X (Nation of Islam)- believed AAs should separate themselves from whites Later broke from N of I and believed an integrated society was possible 1965- 3 members of N of I shot and killed him Black Panthers- militant AA leaders preached Black Power, Black Nationalism, and economic self-sufficiency Revolution was necessary MLK Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968 Mourning and riots broke out in more than 100 cities Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which contained fair housing provision in reaction