The Civil Rights Movement There were two phases to the Civil Rights movement: one phase between and the other after 1965.

I. Why Did the Civil Rights Movement Take Off After 1945?  Black equality became a significant political issue for the Democratic Party  WWII had been fought against racism abroad— hard to keep harboring it at home  Black veterans came home dedicated to change  Increasing number of White Americans condemned segregation  Discrimination in the United States hurt our propaganda battle against the Communists

II. The Truman Years  No significant Civil Rights congressional legislation  Desegregation of the military (1948)

III. The Battle in the Courts  First attack = “separate is not equal”  Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954) -- Chief Justice Earl Warren

IV. The Eisenhower Years  First Civil Rights Acts passed since the Civil War (1957 and 1960)  Opposition to the integration of Little Rock Central High School (1957) --Governor Orville Faubus

V. A Mass Movement Takes Shape  Lunch counter “sit-ins” begin: Greensboro, NC (February, 1960)  SNCC created (April, 1960)  CORE “Freedom Ride” (May, 1961)

V. A Mass Movement Takes Shape (cont.)  Demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama (April, 1963) --Eugene “Bull” Connor  “Letter from Birmingham City Jail”  Governor George Wallace tries to block integration of the University of Alabama (Fall, 1963)

V. A Mass Movement Takes Shape (cont.)  JFK finally begins to campaign for Civil Rights legislation  Continued violence even in the face of some progress  Martin Luther King, Jr. and the March on Washington (August, 1963) -- “I Have a Dream”

V. A Mass Movement Takes Shape (cont.)  By the mid-1960’s, substantial success in the South had been achieved

VI. The Johnson Years (cont.)  Johnson appoints first Black cabinet secretary: Robert Weaver of HUD (1966)  Much more needed to be done for Civil Rights outside of the South

VII. The Era of Disillusionment: 1965 On  Early to mid-1960’s were a hopeful time for Civil Rights advocates  Goal of Assimilation  A “Spoiled Utopia” after 1965—things would not be that simple

A. New Problems  Residential Discrimination -- “Red Lining”  The Challenges of School integration in the North  The historical, traditional segregation of northern cities  The resurrection of the KKK once again  More effective White opponents in the North

B. Race Riots  Watts Riots in Los Angeles (Summer, 1965)  Riots each summer from Chicago and Cleveland (1966) --Newark and Detroit (1967) --Washington, D.C. (1968)

B. Race Riots (cont.)  Riots as an expression of grievance against the White American consumer society  Riots shocked the White American public  Frustration and self- destruction expressed in these riots  Unlike earlier race riots, these riots were not started by White mobs

C. “Black Power”  Growing tension between SNCC and Martin Luther King, Jr.  “Black Power”  Carmichael succeeded by H. Rap Brown as head of SNCC (1967)

C. “Black Power” (cont.)  The leadership of Malcolm X --Black Muslims --Assassinated in 1965  Cultural expressions of “Black Power”: --Afro Hairstyles --Black-studies programs -- “Negro” no longer used Olympics

D. Decline of the Civil Rights Movement  Economic contraction works against Civil Rights concessions  Northern phase not as successful  Resistance from White Unions  Vietnam replaces Civil Rights as the liberal crusade  Martin Luther King, Jr. loses influence.

 1960 The Food and Drug Administration approves birth control pills.  1961 President John Kennedy establishes the President's Commission on the Status of Women. The report issued by the Commission in 1963 documents substantial discrimination against women in the workplace and makes specific recommendations for improvement, including fair hiring practices, paid maternity leave, and affordable child care.  1963 June 10 Congress passes the Equal Pay Act, making it illegal for employers to pay a woman less than what a man would receive for the same job.

 1964 Title VII of the Civil Rights Act bars discrimination in employment on the basis of race and sex. At the same time it establishes the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to investigate complaints and impose penalties.  1966 The National Organization for Women (NOW) is founded by a group of feminists. The largest women's rights group in the U.S., NOW seeks to end sexual discrimination, especially in the workplace, by means of legislative lobbying, litigation, and public demonstrations.

 1967 Executive Order expands President Lyndon Johnson's affirmative action policy of 1965 to cover discrimination based on gender. As a result, federal agencies and contractors must take active measures to ensure that women as well as minorities enjoy the same educational and employment opportunities as white males.  1968 The EEOC rules that sex-segregated help wanted ads in newspapers are illegal. This ruling is upheld in 1973 by the Supreme Court, opening the way for women to apply for higher- paying jobs hitherto open only to men.

 1969 California becomes the first state to adopt a "no fault" divorce law, which allows couples to divorce by mutual consent. By 1985 every state has adopted a similar law. Laws are also passed regarding the equal division of common property.  1971 Ms. Magazine is first published as a sample insert in New York magazine; 300,000 copies are sold out in 8 days. The first regular issue is published in July  1972 Mar. 22 The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. Originally drafted by Alice Paul in 1923, the amendment reads: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." The amendment died in 1982 when it failed to achieve ratification by a minimum of 38 states

 June 23 Title IX of the Education Amendments bans sex discrimination in schools. It states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." As a result of Title IX, the enrollment of women in athletics programs and professional schools increases dramatically.  1974 The Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits discrimination in consumer credit practices on the basis of sex, race, marital status, religion, national origin, age, or receipt of public assistance.  1976 The first marital rape law is enacted in Nebraska, making it illegal for a husband to rape his wife.

 1984 EMILY's List is established as a financial network for pro-choice Democratic women running for national political office. The organization makes a significant impact on the increasing numbers of women elected to Congress.  1986 The Supreme Court finds that sexual harassment is a form of illegal job discrimination.  1994 The Violence Against Women Act tightens federal penalties for sex offenders, funds services for victims of rape and domestic violence, and provides for special training of police officers.  1996 In United States v. Virginia, the Supreme Court rules that the all-male Virginia Military School has to admit women in order to continue to receive public funding.

 Counterculture  Anti-War