Mr. E’s Tuesday, April 20, 2010 Louisiana History Class

Vocabulary Nat’l Assoc. for the Advancement of Colored People - an organization formed in 1909 to work for equal rights for A-A Civil Rights Act of 1964 – a federal law that ended segregation in public facilities. Segregation – public and social separation of races.

“White Only” : In the 1950s around the south, signs of segregation were everywhere. From water fountains, to restaurants, to jobs, to schools. Some were enforced by law and some were very subtle. However, things were about to change. Fact # 1

Fact # 2 BR Bus Boycott – 1953 – Blacks during this time were told to ‘ride in the back of the bus’. Since most riders were African Americans they were paying most of the fares. In 1953 they began to boycott the bus in favor of walking or riding in other’s cars. The city began to lose money.

Fact # 3 Boycott – After five days of boycotting the bus, the city settled the situation. Blacks were allowed to sit anywhere on the bus except the front two seats and not in front of white riders or in the same seat as a white. They agreed.

NAACP – Became one of the most important organizations seeking equal rights. In 1952 they supported a lawsuit that would allow a black student to enter a formerly all-white school. It would take two years before the verdict would be settled. Fact # 4

Fact # 5 N.O. School Crisis - Black schools in New Orleans were overcrowded and rundown. The fight for better schools led to an ugly battle to desegregate schools. In 1960 six little black girls led the fight for change…one was Ruby Bridges.

Fact # 6 Ruby Bridges – In 1960 Ruby was escorted to school by federal protection. People yelled and threw things at her and the other black children. White parents refused to allow their children to go to school with ‘those coloreds’. Ruby spent the day alone with her teacher, Mrs. Henry.

Fact # 7 Sit-ins – Downtown New Orleans stores that refused to hire blacks had people refuse to purchase from them. Many black students would sit at a store’s lunch counter and refuse to get up or leave. They would request service but not be served. These sit-ins began at S.H. Kress in New Orleans by Southern University students.

Fact # 8 Protests– Governor John McKeithen realized he had to act to prevent riots. He met with leaders from both sides and got them to compromise. He appointed a statewide biracial committee to continue the efforts started in 1965.

Fact # 9 Civil Rights Governors– Jimmie Davis – second term John McKeithen – 1964 – first two term gov Edwin Edwards – 1971 – first gov. elected with support of the A/A community – first five-time governor (71 to 96)

Upcoming Fri (24): Ch. 15, Emmitt Till story Mon (27): Ch. 15, John McKeithen Tue (28): Ch. 15, Edwin Edwards Wed (29): Viet Nam Thurs (30): Heritage lesson Fri (1): Heritage lesson Mon (4): Heritage lesson Tue (5): Heritage lesson Wed (6): Louisiana Project