civil rights flashcards

Civil Disobedience

The refusal to obey demands of the government through nonviolent action.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

An African-American civil rights organization closely related to Martin Luther King Jr., established in 1957.

Sit-ins

A nonviolent form of protest and example of civil disobedience utilized by civil rights activists in the 1960s.

Freedom Rides

Initiated in 1961 to challenge segregation in public transportation in the United States.

Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

A political organization founded in 1960 dedicated to nonviolent tactics to protest racism and discrimination.

Birmingham Campaign

A movement started by SCLC to challenge segregation in Alabama and the American South.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that outlawed discriminatory voting practices and enforced the Fifteenth Amendment.

Watts Riots

A series of riots in 1965 in Los Angeles sparked by police racism and abuse.

Malcolm X

An African American civil rights leader who promoted Black nationalism and self-defense.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

An important legislation that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, or sex.

James Meredith

The first African American to attend the segregated University of Mississippi in 1962.

Black Panthers

A political organization founded in 1966 to patrol African American neighborhoods and combat police brutality.

Medgar Evers

NAACP's first field secretary and civil rights activist assassinated in 1963.

24th Amendment

Ratified in 1964, prohibiting poll taxes in federal and state elections.

Eugene 'Bull' Connor

Birmingham's public safety commissioner known for his violent opposition to the Civil Rights movement.

March on Washington

A significant civil rights rally held on August 28, 1963, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his 'I Have a Dream' speech.

James Earl Ray

Assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., resulting in protests and a shift from nonviolent tactics in Civil Rights movement.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

A prominent leader in the Civil Rights movement advocating for nonviolent direct action.

Crusade for Citizenship

SCLC's campaign to register disenfranchised voters during the 1958 and 1960 elections.

John F. Kennedy

U.S. President who delivered a civil rights speech on June 11, 1963, criticizing discrimination.

Gandhi's influence

Gandhi inspired Black Civil Rights activists through his methods of nonviolent direct action.