The Civil Rights Movement Chapter 29

Section 1: The Movement Begins Origins of the Movement The Civil Rights Movement Begins African American Churches Eisenhower and Civil Rights

The Origins of the Movement African American civil rights movement begins after Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat to a white man – Starts a bus boycott – demand for equal rights 1896 – Plessy v. Ferguson (establishes separate but equal) Jim Crow laws segregating African Americans in the South De facto segregation (segregation by custom and tradition) in the North NAACP – supported court cases trying to eliminate segregation; provided financial support and lawyers to African Americans African Americans voted for Democrats who supported civil rights legislation (Strong Democratic Party) 1942 – CORE founded – used sit-ins as a form of protest

The Civil Rights Movement Begins After WWII, African Americans had fought for equality overseas and wanted it at home as well Thurgood Marshall – works to end segregation in public schools Brown v. Board of Education – ended segregation in public schools Brown v. Board angered many white southerners who supported segregation Montgomery bus boycott led by Montgomery Improvement Association headed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – nonviolent passive resistance Bus boycott forced the Supreme court to find Alabama’s bus segregation laws unconstitutional

African American Churches African American churches play a big role in the success of the boycott, through being the center of forums, planning, and organization SCLC, led by Dr. King, challenged segregation of public transportation,, housing, voting, and other public accommodations

Eisenhower and Civil Rights Eisenhower was the 1st president since Reconstruction to send troops to protect the rights of African Americans Little Rock Arkansas, President Eisenhower sends federal troops to protect African Americans from angry mobs surrounding desegregated schools Civil Rights Act of 1957 – protected African Americans’ right to vote – 1st step in bringing the federal government into the civil rights debate

Section 2: Challenging Segregation The Sit-in Movement SNCC Freedom Riders Kennedy and Civil Rights The Civil Rights Act of 1964 The Struggle for Voting Rights

The Sit-In Movement 1960 – 4 African Americans stage a sit-in at Woolworth’s – led to a mass movement for civil rights using sit-ins across the nation Jesse Jackson – leader of sit-ins in North Carolina – felt it gave them the power to change things

SNCC Students for the SNCC as a way to organize for the civil rights movement Marion Barry and John Lewis – early SNCC leaders Robert Moses points out that rural African Americans needed help along with those in urban areas Many SNCC volunteers were beaten and some were even killed Fannie Lou Hamer – SNCC volunteer who is beaten in police custody in Mississippi – helps organize the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party

Freedom Riders CORE leader James Farmer asks protesters to travel South to integrate bus terminals – teams become known as the Freedom Riders Violence erupts in Alabama – televised violence shocks many Americans Kennedy compelled to control violence

JFK and Civil Rights Kennedy campaigned for civil rights – African Americans helped get him elected Once in office he became very cautious on civil rights and avoided new legislation Robert Kennedy, his brother, actively supported civil rights Attempted to reach agreements – riders asked to stop protesting CORE uses funds to bail riders out of jail – NAACP helps to let the rides continue Kennedy responds – Interstate Commerce Commission to increase regulations against segregation at bus terminals – segregation ends by 1962 1962 – James Meredith (African Americans air force veteran) attends University of Mississippi, but needs troops to guard him. King, frustrated with the movement, holds demonstrations in Alabama that incite violence in order to force the president to act

Civil Rights Act of 1964 Kennedy announces his civil rights bill on national television King marches 200,000 demonstrators to the nations capital to stage a peaceful rally in order to pressure Congress into passing the bill Senators filibuster the bill, Congress unable to pass the bill After Kennedy’s assassination, Johnson commits himself to passing the bill It eventually passes: Gave federal government broad power to stop racial discrimination in segregation of public places Bring lawsuits against school segregation Required employers to end discrimination in the workplace

Struggle for Voting Rights Civil Rights Act didn’t protect voting rights – Many African Americans were prevented from voting in the South Protest staged in Selma, Alabama – march for freedom stopped by 200 state troopers and protesters are attacked – Bloody Sunday 1965 – Voting Rights Act of 1965 Federal examiners to register qualified voters Bypassed local officials in the voter registration process Resulted in 250,000 newly registered African Americans

Section 3: New Issues Problems Facing Urban African Americans The Shift to Economic Rights Black Power Assassination of Dr. King

Problems Facing Urban African Americans Racism was still common after the 50s and 60s Economic and social problems = difficult to address 1965-1968 – race riots break out in many American cities: Watts riots – lasted 6 days Detroit riots – US Army sent in to retake control Kerner Commission created to make recommendations to prevent further urban riots Concluded that the problems lied within white society and white racism Recommendation: 2 million new jobs and 6 million new units of public housing Due to concerns over Vietnam President Johnson never endorses the recommendation

Shift to Economic Rights Dr. King begins to shift his focus onto improving economic conditions for African Americans Chicago Movement – effort to call attention to the deplorable housing conditions in Chicago Dr. King moves into the slums of Chicago with his family King marched through the white suburbs and was protected with police from Mayor Richard Daley Daley and King propose new program to clean up the slums

Black Power Many African Americans sought out new strategies of self defense and living free from whites Black Power – 2 meanings: Physical self-defense and violence Stokely Carmichael – control the economic, social, and political direction of their struggle for equality Opposed assimilation – popular in poor neighborhoods – Dr. King and others were very critical of black power Malcolm X – symbol of black power movement – part of the Nation of Islam (believed that African Americans should separate themselves from whites and form their own self-governing communities) Malcolm X later breaks away from the Nation of Islam and begins to believe in an integrated society 1965 – 3 members of the Nation of Islam assassinate Malcolm X Victimized by the past, but don’t need to be victimized now by racism Formation of the Black Panthers New generation of militant black youth Black power, black nationalism, and economic self-sufficiency Black Panthers believed that a revolution was necessary to gain equal rights.

Assassination of Dr. King Late 1960s – Civil Rights movement fragmented into many competing organizations Assassination of Dr. King led to national mourning as well as riots in over 100 cities After Dr. King’s death, Congress passes the Civil Rights Act of 1968 which contained provisions for fair and equitable housing