The Civil Rights Movement

• Catholics became to believe that only direct action would make the Unionist government give justice to the Catholic minority.

• The civil rights movement grew out of this feeling.

The Campaign for Social Justice

• The civil rights movement started with protests about housing in Dungannon where Protestants were given priority.

• Patricia and Conn McCluskey set up the Campaign for Social Justice in 1964.

• They argued that if Northern Catholics were part of the United Kingdom they were entitled to the same rights as other UK citizens.

Gerry Fitt and the Labour government

• In London the Campaign for Social Justice had influenced members of the Labour government.

• Gerry Fitt was elected as a Republican Labour MP for West Belfast.

• This encouraged Labour MPs to ask why the British taxpayer should subsidise a government responsible for so many injustices.

Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association

• In 1967 Catholics set up NICRA.

• It was a mixture of moderate nationalists like John Hume and more militant socialists and students like Bernadette Devlin.

• ONE MAN ONE VOTE

October 1968, Derry

• In Derry a Housing Action Committee then persuaded NICRA to back its march on 5 October.

• The march was banned from the centre of Derry by the Minister for Home Affairs, William Craig.

• It went ahead anyway and a riot broke out between the RUC and the marchers.

• These riots occurred during other marches too.

1969

• O’Neill appointed Judge Cameron to enquire into the causes of violence (Cameron report).

• In protest, Faulkner resigned and twelve Unionist MPs called for O’Neill to go. O’Neill called an election.

• 39 Unionist MPs were elected but only 27 backed O’Neill. Paisley almost defeated him in his own constituency.

• Several members of the civil rights campaign won seats.

O’Neill’s resignation

• After the election, O’Neill agreed to accept one man one vote.

• Violence ensued.

• O’Neill resigned on 28 April 1969.