civil rights timeline: 1963-74

JFK proposed CR bill 1963

-proposed by Kennedy after Birmingham and March on Washington

-LBJ used JFKs tragedy to push for the bill

Civil rights act 1964

-banned discrimination in employment and public accommodations

-strengthened federal enforcement of school desegregation and created EEOC

-undermined Jim Crow and most progressive CR legislation in US history

—> caused resentment in south

Selma 1965

-campaign led by MLK and SCLC - exposed voting suppression

-“Bloody Sunday” state troopers attacked peaceful protesters

—> pushed LBJ to pass voting rights act 1965

Voting rights act 1965

-caused by pressure from Selma

-banned literacy tests and discriminatory devices

-federal oversight in states with histories of this

SUCCESS—> black voters in Mississippi rose from 7-59 % in 5 years

Watts riots in LA 1965

-triggered by police brutality + years of economic and social inequality

-marked shift in focus from southern desegregation to northern/ urban discontent

-showed frustration despite legislative gains

—> media blamed CR leaders - “ gone too far”

Rise of black power mid 1960s

-SNCC+CORE radicalised - rejected integrationist goals

-Black panthers founded 1966

—> focus on self defence, community programs and “policing the police “

—> some leaders arrested killed

-emphasis on black pride, economic injustice and ALIENATED white liberals

Attempted fair housing bill 1966

- LBJ proposed fair housing protections- blocked by congress

-exposed limits of white liberal support

—> shift in focus from great society to Vietnam

Urban riots - Detroit, Newark, etc 1967

-150+ uprisings across US cities caused by poverty, unemployment and systemic racism

Kenner report 1968

-warned of “nation moving towards 2 societies, one black, one white- separate + unequal “

- demanded massive investments in housing, jobs, education

—> ignored by LBJ

MLK assassinated April 1968

-100 cities rioted- end of nonviolent cr movement

Fair housing act 1968 (CR ACT)

-passed shortly after MLK death

-outlawed racial discrimination in sale and rental of housinh

—> weak enforcement- segregated neighbourhoods persisted

-legal progress > implementation

Nixon elected - “law and order” campaign 1968

-appealed to white southerners with coded language

-introduced “southern strategy” to make white southerners vote republican

-made federal gov pull back from CR enforcements and focus on individual responsibility +”reverse discrimination “- CIVIL RIGHTS SEEN AS DIVISIVE

Nixon + civil rights 1969-1974

-affirmative action—> supported “Philadelphia Plan” + increase minorities in federal construction - SECRET POLITICAL AGENDA-divided black activists from white working class unions

Busing + school integration- opposed court-ordered busing for school desegregation —> appealed to suburban whites

FBI repression: justice department and COINTELPRO targeted radicals and black panthers - surveillance, infiltration, harassment against them

-NIXON USED CR FOR POLITICAL GAIN!!

KEY CR OPPONENTS- white urban voters

Opposed fair housing, busing, integration, in northern cities

KEY CR OPPONENTS- southern strategy (Nixon)

Politicised white racial resentment for votes

KEY CR OPPONENTS- FBI/ COINTELPRO (Hoover)

Disrupted Black Power + radical activism

KEY CR OPPONENTS- Northern democrats

Opposed CR measures affecting their districts e.g housinh

KEY CR OPPONENTS- Police forces/ national guard

Cracked down violently on riots/ protests