1. Civil Rights Protests
Objective: Describe the significance of the various forms of protest on the Civil Rights movement.

5. How did sit-ins advance civil rights?
Sit-in – protest where people sit in a place and refuse to move until their demands are met.
As sit-ins spread, segregationists began to abuse protesters
Effective protest tactic – forced many stores with lunch counters to serve African Americans

6. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee is formed (SNCC) – organization primarily formed by and for young people

7. Freedom Rides
1960 – Supreme Court ruled bus stations could not be segregated
May, 1961 – CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) planned Freedom Rides to find out if the South was enforcing ruling
Purpose was to desegregate interstate buses (buses traveling between states)
Would attempt to use ‘white only’ facilities at bus terminals

8. Freedom riders would be attacked, arrested, and jailed
Kennedy sent federal marshals to protect the riders
Federal government issued new rules banning segregation on interstate buses and in bus stations
Riders achieve their goal

9. Higher Education
1962 – University of Mississippi ordered to enroll first African American student – James Meredith
Mississippi governor and state police blocked the registration
Riot broke out
Kennedy sent federal marshals to protect Meredith

10. 1963 – Alabama governor vowed to block integration at the University of Alabama
Alabama National Guard sent in
Governor Wallace backed down

11. Activity and Summary What is a sit-in?
Why was it important for the protestors to remain nonviolent?
Why did Freedom Riders need guards?
What effect do you think the violence might have had on public opinion of the protestors?
Activity: create an announcement in support of the protestors of a sit-in or of the Freedom Riders