Civil Right Movement 1945-1970

Integration of the Armed Forces July 1948 – President Truman signed an executive order ending segregation of the armed forces. 3 reasons why integration took place: 1. Segregation undercut morale in the military during the Cold War 2. Need to reduce racial tensions within the military 3. Manpower needs produced by the Korean War

Integration of the Armed Forces Integration helped break down stereotypes As the Civil Right Movement intensified by the mid 50’s many Americans had developed relationships with other races.

Evolution of the Integration of the Federal Government A. Philip Randolph’s march on Washington caused President Roosevelt to issue an executive order in 1941 ending discrimination on federally contracted defense plants President Truman banned racial discrimination in hiring of federal employees and ended segregation in the armed services President Eisenhower issued an executive order that required enforcement of non-discrimination in federal jobs Civil Right Act 1964 barred discrimination in any job gave powers to the Civil Right Commission to enforce non-discrimination laws.

Integration of Baseball Sports was the first area of Integration Before 1940’s baseball players played in leagues separated by race Events that helped end the color barrier African American Paul Robeson – a singer and activist – urged baseball owners to stop segregation Death of long time commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis ended resistance from baseball purists

Integration of Baseball 1946 Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey signed first African American to play baseball – Jackie Robinson Robinson had to live through death threats and bigoted fans and other players – he earned respect and allowed other African Americans to enter baseball

Jackie Robinson

Brown v. Board of Education 1898 Supreme Court decision of Plessy v. Ferguson of “separate by equal is equal” allowed Jim Crow laws to be legal. 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Topeka Kansas – “separate but equal is not equal.” Supreme Court ordered public education be de-segregated but no timeline for desegregation was issued.

Brown v. Board of Education Southern states were slow to de-segregate Organized “Massive Resistance” which threated to shut down schools rather than integrate Little Rock Arkansas 1957 governor attempted to use National Guard to block integration of Central high School President Eisenhower responded by moving units of the 101st Airborne into Little Rock to enforce the Law Governor closed Little Rock schools for an entire year

Integrating Schools

Integrating Schools

Martin Luther King, Jr. April 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama for violating city ordinance banning sit ins. Alabama Clergy wrote a letter to Dr. King wanting him to allow segregation to occur “in its own time.” King responded with a letter in defense of the non-violent methods he was using to attack racism.

Martin Luther King, Jr. For years now I have heard the word “Wait!” It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This “Wait” has almost always meant “Never.” We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that “justice too long delayed is justice denied.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream Speech Summer of 1963 Civil Rights leaders planned to replicate A. Philip Randolph’s March on Washington. March in support of President Kennedy’s proposed Civil Rights Legislation. Called the March for Jobs and Freedom King’s 17 minutes speech became one of the most famous in history.

Martin Luther King, Jr. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZwmoVYEwV4

Civil Rights Act 1964 Civil Rights Movement – strategy to remove barriers that prevented African Americans from facilitating changes in their own communities. Decided to attack Southern States’ voting Laws Wanted candidates who would vote to end Jim Crow Laws Met with intimidation, physical violence, and murder Federal Government had to step in so civil liberties would be protected

Civil Rights Act 1964 Law outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women. 1. Ended unequal voter registration requirements: 2. Ended racial segregation in schools, in workplace and public buildings Law was challenged in Supreme Court – Court upheld and extended protections to private work place and wage discrimination against women

Voting Rights Act 1965 1. Federal Law outlawing various ways African Americans were discriminated in the voting process. 1. Ended Literacy tests – reading comprehension tests given in order to register to vote. 2. Ended Poll Tax – payment required in order to vote. 3. Ended Grandfather Clause – waive Poll Tax if your grandfather voted.