kennedy - civil rights

Malcolm X

Became famous to the public after the 1959 documentary ‘the hate that hate produced’

Radical leader in the north, led authorities to be more willing to engage MLK as there feared X

1960 civil rights commission

Found black people had

• 7 year lower life expectancy

• Twice as high infant mortality

• Half lived in substandard housing

Sit ins

Started under Eisenhower, movement soon included 50,000 students in 7 states

• led to the formation of the SNCC

• Kennedy secured MLKs release from prison in his election as a result of a sit in he was part of

Freedom rides

1961 - CORE repeats there journey of reconciliation to test earlier legislation which ended segregated interstate bus travel (boynton vs Virginia case 1969)

• James farmer led 13 riders of an interstate bus from Washington to New Orleans

• The ride was met with violence and beatings

• The worst was in Anniston in Alabama where the bus was firebombed

• Shocking images were shown worldwide, led to RFK to put pressure on the interstate travel commission to end segregated interstate travel (November 1961 this happened)

Albany campaign

1961-62

SNCC led a large campaign in Albany Georgia

• Laurie Pritchett (police chief) ensured no harm came to the protesters leaving it to lack media coverage and sympathy

• Leaders lacked coordination and the protest stagnated, although within a year Albany was desegregated

James meridith and ole miss

1962 - james meridith had served in the US airforce from 1951- 1960, he applied to the university of Mississippi using the GI bill

After NAACP series of court cases and democrat governor ross Barnet attempted to denie him entry he finally attended the uni until he graduated in 1963

Riots followed his admission where 2 people were killed, JFK sent federal troops to resolve conflict

Birmingham campaign

1963 - one of the most racist cities, campaign led by SCLC

• large brutality, dogs, beatings and firehoses

• King arrested, campaign stagnated as a result

• Then children were used, brutality against them led to media outrage

• JFK released MLK from jail and sent Burke marshal to start desegregation

Civil rights bill

1963 - Kennedy sent a televised adress after the Birmingham fiasco in which he urged the public to side with his civil rights bill, however wasn’t passed until LBJs presidency

March on Washington

1963 - 27th August

• 200,000 gathered in Washington DC

• Planned by bayard Justin and Philip Randal, coordinated by the ‘big six’ of the movement

• I have a dream speech

• Goal was to increase pressure on Kennedy administration to increase CR legislation

• Kennedy sent 19,000 troops, no harm came to protesters