IBHL HOTA - Civil Rights Terms

Brown v. Board of education of Topeka

Kansas,Landmark court case between the Brown family and Board of Education of Topeka in 1954 concerning the enrollment of Oliver Brown's daughter into a segregated school over a closer and more convenient school. The Browns were represented by Thurgood Marshall.

"Separate but Equal"

Legal doctrine in U.S. law established by Plessy v. Ferguson that insinuated that racial segregation was legal under the assumption that provided facilities were equal in quality for both POCs and white people.

"with all deliberate speed"

A phrase used in the ruling of "Brown v. Board of Education" meant to kickstart desegregation efforts with utmost haste. This was an order for district courts, and not the federal government. Originally found in Francis Thompson's poem "The Hound of Heaven."

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Year-long (Dec 1955 to Dec 1956) boycott of Montgomery buses in protest of the segregation on city public transportation in response to Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing to give her seat up to a white person. The boycott would gain national attention. Ended after Browder v. Gayle ruling marked such segregation laws as unconstitutional.

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

Hispanic and Latin-American civil rights organization established in 1929 that seeks to advance Hispanics economically, educationally, politically, and in housing, health, and civil rights. During the civil rights movement, they especially tackled educational discrimination and disparities.

Delgado v. Bastrop ISD

Federal Circuit court case that, in 1948, ruled that public schools in Texas could not segregate against Mexican-American students, and had to take action to integrate them immediately. Case happened in response to the denial of student Minerva Delgado in enrolling in a school in the all-white town of Bastrop

Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)

African-American civil rights group founded in 1942 that meant to bring about equality "for all people regardless of race, creed, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or ethnic background." Used nonviolent resistance. CORE chapters were generally disorganized and functional leadership didn't exist in a major capacity.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

African-American civil rights organization founded in 1957 to assist local organizations in achieving full African-American liberties and equality. Founded by MLK Jr with other black ministers, used nonviolent resistance in order to incite social change.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

Committee founded by Ella Baker (ran from 1960-1970) that acted as the primary channel for student engagement in the civil rights movement. Sought to coordinate and assist direct-action challenges to segregation and exclusion of African-Americans. Also focused on field-driven leadership and direction in its actions.

Sit-In

A form of nonviolent direct action that involves individual(s) physically occupying an area as a form of protest for social, political, economical, or environmental change. Major examples of civil rights sit-ins include the sit-in movement from 1960-1964, where primarily African-American students would use sit-ins as a form of civil rights protest.

Freedom Ride

Rides on interstate buses of mixed racial groups from May to December 1961 in order to challenge the nonenforcement of travel desegregation laws mandated by cases such as Boynton v. Virginia. Anti-protester white mobs were often allowed to attack Freedom Riders.

Boynton V. Virginia (1960)

Landmark decision in 1960 which held that racial segregation in public transportation was illegal under the Interstate Commerce Act.

March on Washington

March on Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963 to advocate for African-American civil and economic rights. Many famous individuals, including Marian Anderson and MLK Jr, would perform or give speeches at the march (i.e. "I Have A Dream"). Organized by Bayard Rustin and A. Phillip Randolph.

Selma March

Protest march(es) from Selma to Montgomery organized to demonstrate the desire of African-Americans to exercise their right to vote. These marches took place throughout March of 1965 and were often ended by violent resistance, such as "Bloody Sunday" where protestors were met by police violence on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

"Letter From Birmingham Jail"

Open letter written by MLK Jr on April 16, 1963 while in Birmingham Jail that states people have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws and to take direct action instead of waiting indefinitely for things to change. One famous quote is "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Landmark civil rights and labor law outlawing discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. It more specifically prohibited employment discrimination, segregation, and unequal application of voter registration requirements. Generally weak in the grand scheme of future civil rights laws. Also proposed by JFK originally but signed by LBJ.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Another piece of landmark law that prohibited racial discrimination in voting. Sought to secure the right to vote for racial minorities, especially in the South, where unfair application of voter requirements gated many, many people out of exercising their right to vote. Gave general and specific requirements (i.e. the need for "fair requirements" and a ban on literacy tests) for maintaining fair voting rights.

24th Amendment

Amendment that prohibited the institution of any tax to vote in federal elections by Congress or the states. Primarily targeted the poll taxes of Southern states, but did not 100% illegalize the use of poll tax below the federal level (would only be done in 1966 with a Supreme Court case).

Freedom Summer

1964 voter registration campaign that sought to maximize voter registration in Mississippi. From June to August 1964, a coalition of major civil rights organizations (SNCC, CORE, NAACP, SCLC) set up voter registration aid as well as other resources such as schools and community centers. Also saw the establishment of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party as a response to segregationists disallowing participation in the Democratic Party.

Nation of Islam

Religious organization founded by Wallace Muhammad committed to black nationalism and unorthodox Islamic teaching. It called for Black Americans to be economically self-sufficient and separatist, also maintaining ideologies of Black empowerment in addition to Islamic teachings like patriarchal gender roles (and some crazy stuff like Wallace Fard Muhammad returning on a spaceship)

Black Nationalism

Nationalist movement that seeks the recognition of Black people as a distinct national identity. Seeks socioeconomic and political empowerment of Black people in response to majority white societies, especially as a way to act against assimilation. Often also called for the separation of Black Americans to a separate nation from white individuals.

Black Power

Name given to ideologies which aim to achieve self-determination for Black people. The ideologies themselves express a wide range of political goals, such as militant action, self-sufficient black communities, and separatism from majority white nations/cultures.

de Jure segregation

Legally mandated/codified segregation. Examples include Jim Crow laws throughout the South which mandated the segregation of schools, restaurants, and a plethora of services and institutions.

de factio segregation

Racial segregation existing in practice rather than in law. Often seen in socioeconomic disparities between "white" and "black" neighborhoods, as well as in the geographical distribution of Black individuals based on prior factors like lack of opportunity that upheld even after desegregation was mandated.

Black Panthers

Black power political organization (also Marxist) from 1966-1982 active throughout the U.S. that advocated for class struggle and active resistance against both active and passive injustices on African-Americans in society. The nature of Black Panther action incited major FBI investigation and prosecution in order to undermine the organization.

Watts Riots

August 1965 riots in Los Angeles (part of the ghetto riots of the 60s) motivated by anger from abuse and misconduct by the LAPD plus employment discrimination, poverty, and residential segregation. Resulted in 34 deaths over 6 days of civil unrest.

National Organization of Women (NOW)

American feminist organization founded in1966 by Betty Friedan and other feminists of the time. It campaigns for constitutional equality, reproductive rights, economic justice, and LGBTQ+/racial justice and rights. This was inspired by the failure of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Feminism

In general, the socio-political movement/ideology that seeks equality for women and men. It comes from the viewpoint of a patriarchal society in which there are disparities (which yes, do exist) between men and women that should be sought to be patched. Campaign for women's rights and equality in the workforce, home, social life, etc.

Roe v. Wade

Landmark Supreme Court ruling that protected the right to abortion in 1973. Originally ruled over the constitutionality of anti-abortion laws, and was passed in a 7-2 favor.

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

Proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution (failed) that would explicitly prohibit sex discrimination. It would guarantee legal rights in equal manner to ALL persons regardless of sex in political, civil, and legal capacities.

Title VII

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits discrimination by employers on basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It also bans discrimination based on association with INDIVIDUALS of certain groups, and is supplemented by protections for pregnant women and disabled individuals.

National Women's Political Caucus

Political organization founded by feminist leaders to promote women's participation in government. Grassroots organization meant to support women who seek political representation in the government.

Migrant Farm Worker

Individual who migrates within a country (or to one) in order to find work. More specifically, migrant workers (predominantly Hispanic/Mexican workers) that travel the U.S. according to harvest seasons in order to find work through farm labor.

United Farm Workers (UFW)

American labor union founded by Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and Larry Itliong that became the first nationally recognized agricultural labor union in the U.S. Initiated actions such as the Delano grape strike in order to influence better conditions and relations for migrant farm workers, who are especially disenfranchised. They are also generally nonviolent.

Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)

Asian-American civil rights charity/organization focusing on efforts to bring civil rights to Japanese Americans. Most important in the post-WWII period in order to give Japanese-Americans rights and compensation following the forced internment during WWII.

American Indian Movement (AIM)

American Indian civil rights organization which initially centered on issues of urban American Indians such as poverty, disenfranchisement, and police brutality. Currently handles treaty rights, lack of Indian representation in education, and preservation of Indigenous culture. Performed actions such as the occupation of Alcatraz.

Counterculture

Anti-establishment cultural phenomenon and political movement of the 1960s that sought to change societal norms on gender roles, self-respect, sexuality, and other forms of self-identity/expression and tackle issues such as civil rights, racial segregation, and environmental issues. Often associated with hippie culture.

Woodstock

Music festival held in August 1969, synonymous with the counterculture movement. Over 460,000 attended and some of the most famous music acts of the time (i.e. Jimi Hendrix, among others) played. Many of the 460,000 were young people seeking "peace, love, and unity" (a major thing of counterculture)

Vietnam War

War fought between the Communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam (backed by the U.S.) from 1955 to 1975. American involvement began due to fears of Communist expansion (domino effect of ideological spread) and the policy of containment.