the development of the civil rights movement, 1954 - 1960

what is segregation?

the separation of people into different groups, especially by race, based on discriminatory practices and beliefs

what is discrimination?

the action of treating a person or group unfairly and prejudicially based on characteristics such as race, gender, religion, age, or disability

what is the Jim Crow law?

• Jim Crow laws enforced segregation in the south

• it controlled the freedom of black people and segregate them from the whites

• “seperate but equal”

where was there segregation?

There was segregation in:

• public transport

• schools

• parks

• hospitals

• and many other public spaces

who were the ku klux klan?

the KKK was a white supremacist organisation that was very powerful in the south

• they were a constant threat to many black Americans

why did black American children not have a good education?

• schools were underfunded

• segregated schools made it difficult for black children to gain a good quality education, making it harder for them to get a good, well paid job.

Why didn’t many black Americans vote?

• Even though it was legal for them to vote, southern states put procedures in place to make it difficult to vote

• They had to pass a near-impossible literacy test

• Those who passed were threatened and bullied by the KKK

• there was no black representatives in politics

What does the NAACP stand for?

the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People

What did the NAACP do?

• established in 1909 and worked throughout 1950s

• worked against lynching, segregation laws and white supremacy

• helped black people register to vote

• fought for economic equality

what does CORE stand for?

the Congress of Racial Equality

What did CORE do?

• a civil rights organization founded in 1942

• used non-violent protests, such as sit-ins and boycotts, to challenge racial segregation and discrimination in the USA.

What was the importance of churches in the CRM

• they served as safe community centers for organizing and mobilizing people

• provided moral and spiritual leadership

• offered essential resources and support for activists

Before 1954, who was in charge of the segregation of black and white children at schools?

• it was a state issue

• the governor of each state had the final say about whether schools should intergrate or not, and they usually chose

what was the Brown Board of Education of Topeka case

• In 1954, Linda Brown, a young black American schoolgirl from Topeka, Kansas, wanted to attend the nearest school, which was for all white children

• The nearest black school was several miles away and a dangerous journey to get to.

What was the initial response to the request in the Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka?

• The request was refused so the NAACP paid for lawyers to take the case to the supreme court

Who was the main lawyer for the Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka and what did he argue?

• The lawyer who represented Brown was Thurgood Marshall

• He argued that segregated schools led to low self-esteem and lower education standards and that they should be illegal

What did the Supreme Court decide about the Brown vs Topeka case?

• after 18 months of deliberation, the supreme court ruled in favour of Linda Brown

• On the 17th May 1954, Chief Justice Warren declared that schools werent equal and should be intergrated.

Did all States follow the ruling of the supreme court after the Brown vs Topeka case?

• Some areas began to desegregate immediatley

• By 1957, 300,000 black students were granted access to previously white-only schools

• However many deep south states went against the supreme court

What was the southern manifesto?

a 1956 declaration signed by 101 members of the U.S. Congress from Southern states, formally opposing the Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education which outlawed racial segregation in public schools

What was the Little Rock Nine?

• 9 black students were allowed at Little Rock High School in Arkansas

• However when they tried to enter, their access was blocked by the Arkansas National Guard under orders of the Governor Orval Faubus

What did President Eisenhower do to help The Little Rock Nine?

• In response to global bad media coverage, Eisenhower sent 1000 federal troops to protect the 9 students

• Each had their own bodyguard during the school day

How did Faubaus respond to Eisenhower’s intervention with the Little Rock Nine?

• Faubaus closed all schools in Arkansas untill the following year, when the Supreme Court intervened with another ruling that forced intergration

What happened at the university of Mississippi in 1962?

• the supreme court ruled that they should allow a black student, James Meredith, to register

What did President Kennedy do to support James Meredith At the University of Mississippi?

• Kenedy sent 320 federal marshals to protect him

• After violent riots where 2 people were killed, Kenedy sent 2000 troops to restore order

Why did the KKK membership increase between 1920-1925?

A film was released which portrayed them positively and memborship increased from 100,000 to around 5 million

• They called themselves the WASPS (white anglo saxon protestants)

What happened in 55 with Emmett Till?

• Emmett Till, a 14 year old black american, was said to have wold whistled at a woman

• Several days later, the woman’s husband and his brother abducted Till before beating him and shooting him, then leave him in a river

What happened when Emmett Till’s body was found?

• both men were found not guilty by an all white jury despite compelling evidence.

• Till’s mother had an open coffin at his funeral to show what had happened to him to the world

What was the Freedom summer campaign?

• They tried to get as many black people to register to vote as possible

• However 3 activists (2 white, 1 black) were abducted, shot and buried - involved the KKK

• Government refused to charge any of the suspects so the FBI launched an investigation

What was the White Citizen’s Council?

• It was set up in 1950s in response to black progress in the field of education

• they had similar beliefs to the KKK but rejected violence

• They worked economically and politically to disadvantage black Americans - refused loans and credit for black people

What were the Dixiecrats?

• democrat politicians

• Same political party as presidents who supported more radical intergration such as Truman, Kennedyand Johnson

• However Dixiecrats from southern states often voted against the president when civil rights laws were enacted

What was the importance of Martin Luther King Jr?

• Leader of the civil rights movement in 1950-1960

• Lead the montgomery bus boycott

• rejected violence

• believed in civil disobedience against unjust laws

• Saw arrest as a positive - created publicity for the movement

What was the March on Washington?

• August 23rd 1963

• aimed to pressure the government to improve civil rights and promote new bill

• 250,000 people attended the Lincoln Memorial (lincoln ended slavery)

• King delivered the “I have a dream speech”

What was the 1957 Civil rights Act?

• allowed the government to prosecute states who interfered with people’s rights to vote

What was the Southern Christian Leadership Conference?

• SCLC was established in 1957 and Martin Luther King was selected as its leader

• made a range of religious leaders who supported the idea of using non violent resistance and protest to bring about change

What were the causes of the Montgomey bus boycott 1955?

• December 1955, Rosa Parks was returning home from work on a bus and refused to give up her seat for a white passenger

• She was arrested

What were the Events of the Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955?

• Park’s actions sparked a boycott of buses in Montgomery by the African American population

• This affected the income of the bus companies as around 60-70% was from African Americans

What was the Impact of the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

• Courts decided that the segregated nature was unconstitutional and ordered that they should be desegregated.

What was the MIA?

• Montgomery Improvement Association

• Martin Luther King was their leader

• organised the boycott

• created a car pool system - 325 private cars

• negotiated with taxi companies

• advocated for complete bus desegregation