1. CIVIL RIGHTS IN THE 1960S Chapter 29, Lesson #3

2. GROWING CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT The (CR) movement grew in the 1960s Sit-in: Act of protesting by sitting down to block traffic and normal activities Nonviolent SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) Coordinated nonviolent protests by college students

3. FREEDOM RIDERS Supreme Court: “Bus stops cannot be segregated” Protesters wanted to find out if southern states complying CORE (Congress of Racial Equality): Freedom Riders : May 4, 1961: CORE members board 2 buses Washington, D.C. to New Orleans Alabama: Whites stoned and beat Freedom Riders Mississippi: Police and National Guard stopped buses Riders arrested, buses burned = protesters kept coming!

4. CIVIL RIGHTS AND HIGHER EDUCATION University of Mississippi: Court ordered school to enroll black student (James Meredith) State police sent to stop Meredith Kennedy sent US Marshalls Rioters stormed university - Marshalls fought back Meredith finally registered – two died in violence Alabama also tried to stop blacks from universities Kennedy again stepped in using National Guard

5. BIRMINGHAM CONNECTION Spring 1963, MLK was arrested protesting segregation in Birmingham Wrote: Letters from Birmingham Jail Protests continued: Americans watched on TV Police set dogs on protesters Fire hoses used on small children Kennedy sent 3,000 troops to restore order NAACP leader, Medgar Evans killed Kennedy responded by speaking to nation

6. "Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, 'Wait.' But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters... then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait." — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail," 1963 "It is not enough to pin the blame on others, to say this is a problem of one section of the country or another.... A great change is at hand, and our... obligation, is to make that revolution, that change, peaceful and constructive for all. Those who do nothing are inviting shame as well as violence. Those who act boldly are recognizing right." — President John F. Kennedy, televised speech, June 1963

7. MARCH ON WASHINGTON Kennedy wanted to pass a law to end discrimination in public places and employment. March on Washington August 28, 1963 Over 200,000 people of all colors met in Washington, D.C. to support law. 6,000 police – no problems (peaceful) Carried signs and sang songs MLK gives “I Have a Dream” speech.

8. FREEDOM SUMMER “Freedom” Summer (1964) After passage of Civil Rights Act Thousands volunteered to go south and help people register to vote Faced opposition and violence 3 were killed in Mississippi News angered the nation

9. VOTING RIGHTS Selma, Alabama Major protest in Selma over voting rights Famous march over bridge Police attacked and beat protesters Filmed by news crews Voting Rights Act of 1965 Passed by Congress and signed by Johnson Gave federal gov’t authority to force local officials to allow blacks to vote. Changed voting in the South.

10. DIFFERENT VIEWS Many African Americans were tired of the slow pace of change. Malcom X Malcom Little - Omaha, Nebraska Leader in the Nation of Islam – black Muslim group Said that black SHOULD live apart from whites to have real freedom Eventually changed his opinion Believed that blacks and whites should live in common brotherhood Killed by rival members of Nation of Islam

11. BLACK POWER Stokely Carmichael - leader of SNCC, led the call for Black Power: Philosophy of racial pride - encouraged African Americans to create their own culture Called at times for a complete change of society through revolution Rejected by NAACP Popular among poor inner city African Americans Black Panthers Party : Angry about poverty, lack of jobs Armed themselves, had clashes with police

12. VIOLENT CLASHES 1965 - 1967: Major urban riots Watts (Los Angeles) 34 people dead Protests, looting, and burning Newark, New Jersey - 26 deaths + $10M property damage Detroit - city shut down for several days Took National Guard to end many riots

13. ASSASSINATION OF MLK April 4, 1968: Memphis, Tennessee James Earl Ray shot and killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 100s of riots across country Thousands attended funeral Millions watched on TV [God] "allowed me to go up to the mountain.... And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But... we, as a people, will get to the promised land!“ - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.