race relations active recall

Why is the Civil Rights Movement necessary to understand post-war America?

Because the USA was wealthy and democratic for many citizens, but African Americans continued to face discrimination and inequality.

What were Jim Crow laws?

State and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the American South.

What was the significance of slavery to race relations?

Its legacy continued to shape racial inequality long after abolition.

What did the doctrine of 'separate but equal' allow?

Legal racial segregation under the Supreme Court ruling in Plessy v Ferguson.

Who became the most influential leader of the Civil Rights Movement?

Martin Luther King Jr.

Why is Martin Luther King Jr. considered historically significant?

He became one of the most influential figures in modern history and gave a voice to African Americans.

Why was the Montgomery Bus Boycott a pivotal event?

It marked the beginning of the modern Civil Rights Movement.

What was the Montgomery Bus Boycott a response to?

Segregation on public buses.

How did Martin Luther King describe the struggle in Montgomery?

As 'a conflict between justice and injustice.'

What triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

Rosa Parks' refusal to surrender her bus seat.

Why did the boycott gain immediate support?

Many black residents were already frustrated with segregation and needed a catalyst for action.

How did World War II affect African American attitudes towards civil rights?

Over one million African American veterans returned demanding greater equality.

Why was there growing frustration among black Americans after World War II?

America claimed to be the 'leader of the free world' while denying freedoms to many of its own citizens.

What civil rights action did President Truman take in 1948?

He desegregated the armed forces.

Why was Truman's decision significant?

It was one of the first major presidential civil rights actions since Abraham Lincoln.

How did returning soldiers experience discrimination?

They returned from fighting for freedom abroad to face segregation at home.

When was the NAACP founded?

1909.

What does NAACP stand for?

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

What role did the NAACP play in the Civil Rights Movement?

It led non-violent legal challenges against segregation.

How did the NAACP fight discrimination?

Through court cases and legal campaigns.

Why was the NAACP effective?

It used skilled black and white lawyers to challenge unjust laws.

Who was Linda Brown?

A young girl whose school case became central to ending educational segregation.

Where did Linda Brown live?

Topeka, Kansas.

Why could Linda Brown not attend her local school?

Because it was reserved for white students.

Which school was Linda Brown denied entry to?

Sumner Elementary School.

Who supported Linda Brown's legal challenge?

The NAACP.

When did Brown v Board of Education reach the Supreme Court?

1954.

What did the Supreme Court rule in Brown v Board of Education?

That segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.

What phrase was used to describe the implementation of desegregation?

'With all deliberate speed.'

What did Chief Justice Earl Warren say about segregation in education?

That 'separate but equal' had no place in public education.

Why was Brown v Board of Education important?

It was a major victory for civil rights.

Why is Brown v Board considered the first major step towards equality?

It overturned legal segregation in public schools.

How did reactions differ across America after Brown v Board?

The North generally welcomed it while much of the South opposed it.

How did Virginia react to school integration?

Some preferred closing schools rather than integrating them.

What happened in 1957 regarding school integration?

President Eisenhower ordered schools to obey integration rulings.

Who were the Little Rock Nine?

Nine African American students chosen to integrate Little Rock Central High School.

Why were the Little Rock Nine selected?

To test whether school integration would be enforced.

Why was Little Rock a major moment in the Civil Rights Movement?

It exposed the determination of segregationists and the need for federal action.

Who was Orval Faubus?

The governor of Arkansas who opposed integration.

How did Faubus try to stop integration?

He used the Arkansas National Guard to block the students.

How did Eisenhower respond to Faubus?

He sent federal troops to enforce integration.

Which military unit protected the Little Rock Nine?

The 101st Airborne Division.

Why was Eisenhower's intervention significant?

It showed the federal government would uphold civil rights rulings.

What did Eisenhower mean when he said 'Mob rule cannot be allowed to override the decisions of our courts'?

The law must be enforced even when faced with violent opposition.

What did Ernest Green mean when he said it took the entire US Army to get him into high school?

The scale of resistance to integration was enormous.

Why was Little Rock a victory for civil rights?

Federal authority defeated segregationist resistance.

Why was Montgomery one of the most important cities in the Civil Rights Movement?

It was one of the most segregated cities in the South.

What percentage of black women in Montgomery worked as domestic servants?

Around 63%.

How did black incomes compare with white incomes in Montgomery?

Black incomes were roughly half those of white residents.

What position did Rosa Parks hold in the NAACP?

Secretary of the Montgomery branch.

Was Rosa Parks' protest entirely spontaneous?

No, she was an experienced civil rights activist who understood its significance.

When did Rosa Parks refuse to surrender her seat?

1 December 1955.

What inspired Rosa Parks to challenge segregation?

Events including the murder of Emmett Till.

Why was Rosa Parks arrested?

For breaking Montgomery's segregation laws.

What did Rosa Parks mean when she said she was tired of giving in?

She was exhausted by racial injustice rather than physical fatigue.

Why was Rosa Parks' action so influential?

It showed ordinary people could challenge segregation through non-violent resistance.

When was the initial Montgomery bus boycott held?

5 December 1955.

Who organised the first one-day boycott?

The Women's Political Council.

Who paid Rosa Parks' bail?

E. D. Nixon.

How were boycott supporters mobilised?

Through churches, meetings and 35,000 leaflets.

What organisation was formed on 5 December 1955?

The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA).

Who became leader of the MIA?

Martin Luther King Jr.

Why was King chosen to lead the boycott?

He was respected, new to local politics and an inspiring speaker.

Where was King a pastor?

Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.

Why were churches important to the boycott?

Religion was deeply connected to African American culture and community life.

How did King encourage participation in the boycott?

Through speeches, sermons and leaflets.

How did segregation operate on Montgomery buses?

White passengers sat at the front while black passengers sat at the back.

What happened when white seats filled up?

Black passengers could be forced to surrender their seats.

How were black passengers treated when boarding buses?

They paid at the front then re-entered through the rear door.

What did Rosa Parks mean by a 'black world and a white world'?

Segregation created separate experiences based on race.

What percentage of Montgomery bus users were black?

Approximately 75%.

How many black bus drivers worked in Montgomery?

None.

How did bus conditions reflect segregation?

White sections were maintained better than black sections.

What three demands did the MIA make?

Black bus drivers, courteous treatment and first-come-first-served seating.

How did supporters maintain the boycott?

Through carpools and alternative transport.

How did Lloyd's of London assist the boycott?

It provided insurance for carpool vehicles.

How did black taxi drivers support the boycott?

They charged the same fare as bus tickets.

How did the MIA support taxi services?

By helping fund them.

How did local authorities try to break the boycott?

Through intimidation and harassment.

What forms of harassment were used against boycotters?

False media stories, arrests and police pressure.

How did the Ku Klux Klan target boycott supporters?

By pouring acid on carpool vehicles.

How did extremists target MIA leaders?

By firebombing homes.

When did boycott leaders meet city officials?

9 December 1955.

Who attended these negotiations?

The mayor and the bus company owner.

What did the mayor predict about the boycott?

That black residents would return to buses on the first rainy day.

Why was the rainy day significant?

The boycott continued despite bad weather.

Why was the Montgomery Bus Boycott a success?

It showed mass non-violent protest could achieve change.

What happened to bus segregation as a result of the boycott?

It was declared unconstitutional.

How long did the boycott last?

381 days.

When did the boycott officially end?

20 December 1956.

How did the boycott affect Martin Luther King?

It made him a national civil rights leader.

What organisation did King found after the boycott?

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

Why was the SCLC important?

It coordinated future civil rights campaigns.

How did the boycott influence later campaigns?

It provided a blueprint for mass non-violent action.

What did Rashad Robinson mean by calling a boycott an economic threat?

Businesses could be forced to change through financial pressure.

What groups emerged after the success of Montgomery?

SNCC and CORE.

What does SNCC stand for?

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

What does CORE stand for?

Congress of Racial Equality.

What were the Greensboro sit-ins?

Student protests against segregated lunch counters.

When did the Greensboro sit-ins occur?

1960.