USA paper 2 topic 2 protest and reaction

Why did congress pass the 1964 civil rights act

Activism of civil rights organisation - sympathetic response of northern whites to the movement - tribute to Kennedy - Johnson’s commitment to civil rights

What percentage of southern black children still atttended segregated schools in 1968

68% - improved dramatically in 1973 when nearly half of black children attended white majority schools

Greatest weakness of CRA

Didn’t facilitate black voting in the Deep South

The Selma campaign, March 1965

½ of 29k population was black, only 23 were registered to vote - campaign against disenfranchisement - non-violent protest sough to elicit white violence - whites threw snakes/trooper shot a youth protecting his mother - king arrested ‘there are more n- in jail with me than there are on the voting rolls’ - march from Selma to Montgomery - ‘bloody sunday - worldwide headlines - Voting Rights Act 1965

Voting Rights Act 1965

Disallowed literacy tests - decreased power of white registrars - by ‘68 59% of black people in Mississippi registered - black Americans in office increased sixfold in 6 years

First black man to be elected as mayor of Fayetteville Mississippi

Charles Evers

Ghetto problems

Housing was poor and white prejudice stopped them moving - poor education made to hard to break poverty cycle - only 32% of black students graduated when 56% of whites - black Americans 11% of population but 46% of unemployed - police were white and racist

Watts riots 1965

LA - ‘long live Malcolm X’ - burnt stores - ‘class revolt of underprivileged against privileged’

Causes of the Chicago campaign 1966

De facto segregation and socioeconomic inequality in ghettos

Ghetto residents believed that moderate civil rights leaders didnt understand them - king hoped would encourage black ghetto residents to reject radicalism and violence

Result of Chicago campaign 1966

2 moths of publicity, marches and protest - Mayor Daley agreed with MLK to improve housing situation - when MLK left Chicago Daley renewed on the agreement

Significance of Chicago campaign 1966

Northern whites sympathised with Chicago whites as movement of blacks would lower property values - helping the ghettoes would cost taxpayer money - alienated whites - black Chicago lapsed into apathy - movement to black panther movement

When was MLK assassinated

March 1968 by a white racist in Memphis Tennessee

Impact of kings assassination

Congress shamed into passing Fair Housing Act - major riots in 100 cities - 64 died 3k injured - $45mill in property damage - encouraged followers of black power

Nation Of Islam promoted:

• separation of blacks and whites

• Black economic independence

• Independent black nation

• Pride in black culture and history

• Religions commitment and puritanical lifestyle

Impact of NOI:

• increased divisions among blacks - attacked MLK

• Contributed to rise of Black Power

• Washington post praised its impact on ‘thousands of black derelicts …. Turning outlaws into useful, productive men and women’

Malcolm X

Methods: sermons, speeches, writings, violence

Aims: separatism

Achievements: drew early attention to northern ghettoes, growing black pride, new assertive gen of black Americans