Civil Rights Various groups have lobbied for increased civil rights for decades: –Racial minorities –Women –Homosexuals –Religious minorities
Civil Rights: Race Discrimination ( ) Plessey v. Ferguson Truman Executive Order Rosa Parks and Montgomery Bus Boycott CORE, NAACP Freedom Rides Brown v. Board
Civil Rights: Race Discrimination ( ) Eisenhower and National Guard Wallace and Univ. of Alabama Kennedy Speech King – Mountaintop Speech Civil Rights Act of 1964 Voting Rights Act of 1965 –Jim Crow laws
Civil Rights: Race Discrimination (1966-Present) De Facto vs. De Jure Segregation Affirmative Action Reparations movement
Discrimination: Sexual Orientation Public opinion has shown increased support for equal rights for homosexuals Recent events: –“Don’t ask, Don’t tell!” – In Defense of Marriage Act – Push for acceptance of gay marriage Massachusetts is in the news right now for its pending legislation –Push from Christian Right for federal ban of gay marriage