6 key civil rights events

When and what were the sit-ins and what reactions did they provoke?

1960

Started when 4 black north carolinan students ordered from the whites only counter at Woolworths. Within a month 50,000 individuals were protesting in similar ways across 7 southern states, used often by the newly formed SNCC

Big publicity, states had an eye on the black vote so they tried to stay neutral or positive

When and what were the freedom rides and what reactions did they provoke?

May 4-24th 1961

13 Mixed CORE members protested segregation by riding public buses from Washington to New Orleans to test if Boynton V. Virginia was being enforced. The riders were beaten and arrested, having to change their final destination to Jackson Mississippi.

Bobby Kennedy called for a cool off and forced the ICC to fully desegregate on 1st November 1961

When and what was the Albany campaign and what reaction did it provoke?

November 1961

SNCC planned a desegregation protest but the local police chief Pritchett tried to ensure that the officers did not appear to provoke violence. Despite lacking NAACP and SCLC support, MLK showed up and was arrested and fined $178

Pritchett wanted to avoid media controversy and 1 year later all segregation laws were removed in Georgia

When and what was Ole Miss Mississippi and what reaction did it provoke?

1962

James Meredith, inspired by JFK’s inauguration speech, enrolled at Ole Miss university which sparked riots, killing two. However, he graduated in 1963 anyways.

Governor Barnett (a Dixiecrat) tried to stop Meredith but JFK deployed 500 US marshalls. In June 1963 Wallace blocked 2 black students from the uni of Alabama but Kennedy sent the national guard

When and what was Birmingham AL and what reaction did it provoke?

1963

SCLC planned a protest there but the commissioner Bull Connor responded with very violent policing (e.g. hoses) which drew huge press coverage. MLK wrote his famous letter from Birmingham jail when he was arrested with 2000 other protestors.

JFK released MLK after Coretta Scott King called him and the incident prompted the first draft of the civil rights bill. However, 4 months after the protest the KKK bombed a black church, killing 4 young girls.

When and what was the march on Washington and what reaction did it provoke?

1963

Giant protest for fuller black employment and to support the civil rights bill. The I have a dream speech was given at this event, making MLK win the 1964 Nobel peace prize

Whilst JFK was wary of a march of 200,000 on the white house he let the protest go ahead, even inviting key civil rights leaders inside as a symbol of peace.