Civil rights 1955-80 - key facts

Black bus users in Montgomery

Over 75% of bus users were black and 90% stayed away from buses

Birmingham’s publicity

A poll after showed that 42% of people thought race was the USA’s most pressing problem → only 4% said this in 1962

Participant’s in March on Washington

200,000-500,000

Success of Freedom Summer

About 17,000 black people tried to register to vote that year → only 1600 were accepted

1964 Civil Rights Act

• Bans discrimination for sex or race in hiring, firing and promoting

• Equal Opportunities Commission is set up to enforce this

1965 Voting Rights Act

• Banned attempts to stop people voting because of their race

• Provisions put in place for five years for federal enforcement of this → enforcement provisions have to be reconfirmed, with extensions, in 1970, 1975, 1982 and 2007

Voter registration

• 1966 - 58.2%

• 1980 - 60%

High school dropouts

In 1980, 75% of black high school dropouts, aged 35-34, had criminal records