reform movements dedicated to abolishing discrimination in the united states struggle to be free,...
TRANSCRIPT
Reform movements dedicated to abolishing discrimination in the United States
Struggle to be free, achieve equality and rights
Starts with African Americans◦Leads to women’s rights movement◦Gay Rights Movement
What is the Civil Rights Movement?
Plessy vs. Ferguson◦1896 “Separate but Equal”
◦States respond by passing Jim Crow laws Forbade interracial dating and marriage
Separate schools Separate public facilities
Segregation System
Segregation Continues into the 20th Century
◦ African American response Great Migration – move North to
escape discrimination◦ Prejudice and discrimination exists in
the North All-black neighborhoods White workers resent job competition
from blacks
WWII Sets Stage for Civil Rights Movement◦ Demand for soldiers in WWII created shortage of
white workers Opened new opportunities for minorities
◦ Discrimination ended in military Soldiers return determined to fight for own freedom
◦During War, Civil Rights organizations campaign for voting rights and challenge Jim Crow laws
◦FDR responds Issues presidential directive prohibiting discrimination in the workplace
NAACP fought to end segregation◦Trained African-American law students
NAACP Legal Strategy◦Focus on desegregating public schools◦Assembles group of young law students to
prepare cases to take to SC◦Thurgood Marshall placed in charge Win 29 of 32 cases
Challenging Segregation in Court
Brown v. Bd. of Education, Topeka, KS◦May 17, 1954 Segregation deemed unconstitutional “separate is not equal”
Resistance to School Integration◦500 schools desegregate within a year◦Areas of African American majority Whites resist, fear losing control of schools KKK reappears White Citizens Council boycotts
desegregated businesses◦Brown II – 1955 Desegregation “with all deliberate speed”
Reaction to Brown Decision
1948 – Arkansas becomes first state to admit African Americans to state universities
Gov. Orval Faubus – ◦ Ordered Nat’l Guard to turn away black students◦ Fed. judge ordered Faubus to let students into
school
Crisis in Little Rock
◦Little Rock 9 (1954) Eight of nine students agree to go to school
together Elizabeth Eckford doesn’t get phone
message◦Eisenhower acts Placed Nat’l Guard under federal control Ordered 1000 paratroopers into Little Rock Protect Little Rock 9
Civil Rights Act of 1957◦Gave attorney general power over school
desegregation◦Federal gov’t jurisdiction over violations
of African-American voting rights
Boycotting Segregation◦Jo Ann Robinson writes letter to
Montgomery, Alabama Asked that bus drivers not be allowed
to force riders in “colored” section to give up seats
◦Dec 1, 1955 – Rosa Parks refuses to get up
◦Montgomery Improvement Association Organized boycott of buses MLK, Jr. chosen as leader of group
26 yrs old
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Walking for Justice◦Boycott lasts 381 days African Americans refuse to ride buses
Car pools and walk Nonviolent in face of violence
◦1956 – SC outlawed bus segregation Dec 21 – MLK sits in front seat
Changing the World w/Soul Force◦Nonviolent resistance Teachings of Jesus, Thoreau, A. Philip Randolph, Gandhi
◦Philosophy questioned Extreme violence aimed at blacks in the South
Emmett Till
Dr. King and the SCLC
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)◦1957◦Civil Rights leaders and 100 ministers◦“carry on nonviolent crusades against evils of
second-class citizenship”◦Wanted support of ordinary African-Americans◦MLK is president
SNCC – Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee◦SCLC’s pace too slow for college students
Grassroots Movement