Chaptdr 18 - The Civil Rights Movement

Rosa Parks

United States civil rights leader who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man in Montgomery (Alabama) and so triggered the national civil rights movement (born in 1913)

naacp

Interracial organization founded in 1909 to abolish segregation and discrimination and to achieve political and civil rights for African Americans.

separate but equal

Principle upheld in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) in which the Supreme Court ruled that segregation of public facilities was legal.

de facto segregation

segregation by custom and tradition

sit ins

to protest at restaurants that served only whites, African Americans students had began staging this by union workers in the 1930's

thrugood marshall

Black lawyer who led legalities against segregation

linda brown

black girl denied admission in school in Kansas because of her race

mlk

An American activist and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He helped the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience. He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott

SCLC

churches link together to inform blacks about changes in the Civil Rights Movement, led by MLK Jr., was a success

sncc

a group established in 1960 to promote and use non-violent means to protest racial discrimination; they were the ones primarily responsible for creating the sit-in movement

freedom riders

Group of civil rights workers who took bus trips through southern states in 1961 to protest illegal bus segregation

james meredith

United States civil rights leader whose college registration caused riots in traditionally segregated Mississippi (born in 1933)

filibuster

occurs when a small group of senators take turns peaking and refuse to stop the debate and allow a bill to come to a vote

cloture

a motion that cuts off debate and forces a vote

racism

prejudice or discrimination toward someone becuase of his or her race

kerner commission

conducted a detailed study of the problem; blamed racism for most of the problems in the innter city

chicago movement

A battle against racial discrimination led by Dr. King. Marchers were threatened and protected by police. King made victory.

Richard j daley

mayor that ordered the Chicago police to protect the marchers, and was detemrined to prevent violence

black power

A slogan used to reflect solidarity and racial consciousness, used by Malcolm X. It meant that equality could not be given, but had to be seized by a powerful, organized Black community.

Stokely carmichael

Coined the phrase "black power" and led SNCC away from a nonviolent approach; African Americans should control the social, political, and economic direction of their struggle; stressed pride in the African American cultural group

malcolm x

born in Omaha, Nebraska experiencing a difficult childhood and adolescence becoming a symbol of the black power movement

black panthers

A black political organization that was against peaceful protest and for violence if needed. The organization marked a shift in policy of the black movement, favoring militant ideals rather than peaceful protest.

civil rights act

gave the federal government broad power to prevent racial discrimination, made segregation illegal in most places of public accommodation, and gave citizens of all races and nationalities equal access to public facilities

voting rights act

authorized the U.S. attorney general to send federal examiners to register qualified voters, bypassing local officials who often refused to register African Americans; also suspended discriminatory devices, such as literacy tests, in counties where less than half of all adults had been registered to vote

Little Rock

“little rock nine", or the first African American students to desegregate Central High School, highlighted the challenges of school integration

Birmingham, Alabama

one of the most segregated places in history; nonviolent protesters suffered brutal mistreatment in the struggle for equality and ultimately changed the course of history

Greensboro, North Carolina

the original sit-in movement of the 4 college students (a success) organized the SNCC

Selma, Alabama

people marched to ensure that african americans could exercise their constitutional right to vote - even in the face of a segregationist system that wanted to make it impossible

Montgomery, Alabama

where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in the bus which ended up in the Montogomery Bus Boycott where thye didn’t use city busses anymore.

Memphis, Tennessee

where MLK was assasinated.