1. Civil Rights notes Chapter 29
We Shall Overcome
Civil Rights notes
Chapter 29

2. Background
WWII & new consumer culture of 1950’s left out African Americans
African Americans began to resist suppression of blacks in mainstream America
1947—President Truman desegregates armed forces
April 1947—Jackie Robinson becomes 1st modern black pro baseball player for Brooklyn Dodgers

3. Killing Jim Crow Challenging Plessy v. Ferguson
Thurgood Marshall, NAACP argued “separate but equal” was unrealistic in schools
Gaines v. Canada [Univ. of Missouri] (1938)
Student sues to be admitted to law school…only one in state
Supreme Court says let him in or open separate law school

4. Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Little Rock Nine
Girl sues seeking to go to white school four blocks from house instead of black school 21 blocks away
Supreme Court rules that 14th amendment is violated
21 states must desegregate public schools
Little Rock Nine
Ark. Gov. Orval Faubus orders national guard troops to not allow 9 black students from attending Central High
Eisenhower nationalized guard & forcibly desegregated Central HS

5. Montgomery, AL—Starting the Movement
NAACP seeks to desegregate bus system under Brown decision
Group seeks test case in form of Rosa Parks (12/1/55)
Parks arrested for not giving up her seat
Reaction led to boycott organized by NAACP & Martin Luther King Jr.
Led to lawsuit & 381 day boycott

6. MLK Twenty-six year old Baptist pastor
Based philosophy of nonviolent protests on Christian principles, Henry Thoreau’s civil disobedience, & Ghandi’s mass demonstrations in India
Created Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
Grassroot African American group organized to protest segregation in South

7. Living the Dream Organizations for change
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
Formed by students to protest lack of desegregation in schools across South
Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
Great Depression group establishes practice of sit-ins at lunch counters
Nationally televised protests shifted public opinion on Jim Crow

8. Freedom Riders (Summer 1961)
Violent protests of blacks traveling through South led to public outcry for federal protection of civil rights
Birmingham (April 1963)
Mass nonviolent protests led by MLK in heart of public segregation south
Chief Bull Connor’s crowd control of tear gas & water cannon on children on TV sparked national movement for federal civil rights legislation

9. Washington (August 1963) Freedom Summer (1964)
275,000 march to support Kennedy civil rights bill
MLK’s “I have a dream” speech…leads to Civil Rights Act 1964
Freedom Summer (1964)
SNCC registers African Americans to vote (three white members murdered)
Led to Voting Rights act of 1965…eliminates literacy tests

10. The Dream Dies
Splintering of movement leads to disorganization and violence
Northern African Americans grew disillusioned at lack of reforms in cities
De facto segregation (segregation not in law but by practice) harder to eliminate that De jure (segregation by law)
LA, Chicago, Detroit & Washington DC riots led to 34 deaths

11. Black leaders grow frustrated at lack of speed in reforms
Malcolm X & Nation of Islam argued that blacks should separate not integrate into white America through black pride
Stokely Carmichael (fmr. SNCC chairman) creates “black power” movement
Black Panthers—ghetto political group followed Mao Zedong’s teachings & sparked fears of black militants & violence
Advocated plan not to draft blacks in Army citing disproportional percentages in Vietnam

12. MLK Assassinated April 3, 1968
Led to largest urban violence nationally in US history
Most white support for civil rights waned in wake of riots

13. The Legacy African Americans made huge advances between 1954-1968
Official segregation ended
Universal suffrage achieved
African Americans entered pop culture (music, movies, television)
Problems/issues remained
Economic disparity with white America
Unofficial barriers (education, corporate jobs, etc.)

14. I Have a Dream Speech