Civil Rights and Social Changes Key Terms

Harry S Truman

took office after FDR died, ran for reelection and was overall well liked

1946 Midterm Elections

There is now a republican majority in Congress so Truman struggled to get much passed as a democrat

22nd Amendment

Says that a president can run 2 terms or 10 years maximum. Only allows Truman to run for 1 term after since he served for 3 years of FDR’s

Election of 1948

Truman is well liked but struggles at time of election since he is pro-civil rights so everyone thinks Dewey wins, but unexpectedly Truman pulls through

Dixiecrats

Southern democrats who didn’t like Truman due to his anti-segregational views. They think that the government should not intervene in civil rights. Thurmond is their nominee.

Fair Deal

Truman's scaled back version of the New Deal which would bring more equality in America. Much of it does not get passed by congress. Seen as politically ambitious

Dwight D. Eisenhower

WWII Hero who is liked by many and is a moderate republican. Runs versus Stevenson.

Election of 1952

Eisenhower runs against Adlai Stevenson with Nixon as his VP. Eisenhower uses lots of campaigning through the TV for the first time. “I like Ike”

Richard Nixon

Eisenhower's VP in 1952 who later ran for president in 1960. Saves Eisenhower’s election with Checkers Speech to deescalate skepticism with a sense of humanity.

Checkers Speech

Given by Nixon after being accused of using campaigning money for personal uses. Seen as shady and during speech he is transparent and shows his dog, Checkers who was gifted and kept. People love him due to humanity.

Modern Republicanism

Eisenhower's idea of shifting republic values to match changing politics

Interstate Highway System

Decade long Eisenhower project based on German autobahn. Planned to help the economy.

Election of 1956

Eisenhower v. Stevenson again. The economy is thriving and Ike wins by even more votes than before.

50s Prosperity

Everybody is portrayed to be living in peace and prosperity but reality is more complex. People in suburbs with their typical families

GI Bill

Government benefits to veterans. Helps build middle class which is vital for economy

Baby Boom

More children born with economic stability, better healthcare, and idealized image of having kids

Suburbia/Levittown

cheaper here and people could own space. Full of cheap mass produced houses from assembly lines which all look the same.

Sunbelt

Part of the Southern US which had a cheap area with advanced research. Easy to get to now with highways so businesses move

Cold War Economy/Defense Spending

Lots of funding for new technology and the reform of jobs. New focus on military spending.

Labor Movement

Strong unions that are being urged where they are able to get paid more and then consume more. Laborers and businesses working together

Corporate America

Increased business and advertising

Organizational Man

man who gets job straight out of college and stays at same company till retirement

Mass Culture

post-war boom, the rise of television, the emergence of rock and roll, and emphasis on suburban life and family values, reflecting tension between conformity and rebellion

Nuclear Family

Mom home with kids, dad works 9-5 job, and 2 kids (one girl one boy) and maybe dog

Dr. Benjamin Spock

Child psychologist writer who said moms know their kids best and there is no wrong way to raise kids. Empowers moms

Television

Average family has one where they watch cartoons, sports, news, sitcoms

Teenagers

new term from ad companies. Lives freely with dance, rock n roll, drive ins, dance, and diners

Rock ‘N Roll

African American rebellious genre popular amongst kids. Fast, upbeat, and has vulgar dance moves.

Elvis Presley

Made RnR popular as a white man. Ladies love him, parents hate him since they think he's corrupting the youth

American Bandstand

national tv afterschool show by Dick Clarke. Showed newest music and dance moves for teens

Consumerism/Advertising

People want to buy everything. WWII propaganda techniques are used

Beatniks/The Beat Generation

people who fought against conformity who thought it was ruining the country. Fought through all sorts of arts

Conformity

belief of changing behavior to align with society

Committee on Civil Rights

looked at civil rights to make decisions. Assesses where we are nationally. By Truman.

Executive Orders 9880 & 9881

Desegregated military and government through committee on civil rights

Brown v. Board of Education

overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, but still segregation appears in schools through practice due to hard location

Little Rock Nine

highschoolers who wanted the government to enforce desegregation in schools. Has WWII troops following them and still they are treated horribly but shows precedent of government intervention

Emmett Till

boy who was brutally murdered due to his race. Fully publicized and gains general attention and people couldn’t ignore it since he was a kid

Montgomery Bus Boycott

After Rosa Parks Blacks stop using the buses and they lose money so after about a year they are forced to desegregate buses. MLK rises

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

advocates with non violent approaches and well liked by many for his speeches

Congress of Racial Equality

made up of black and white students to challenge inequality

Sit Ins

in diners where blacks sit in white only areas and they were arrested. Diners lose money and forced to desegregate

John F. Kennedy

young with new energy who portrays perfect 1950s life. Little political experience

Election of 1960

Kennedy and Johnson are both trying for democratic nominee but JFK gets with LBJ as VP. JFK v. Nixon and they are quite similar so people vote based on feelings. JFK is much better portrayed by his camera skills so people vote him

Camelot

A play which holds the idea that Kennedy’s years were golden years. If there was a royal family it would be the Kennedy’s

Bobby Kennedy

JFK’s brother who was unofficially the co-president

J. Edgar Hoover/COINTELPRO

Head of the FBI and blackmailed people very often. Got info against civil rights movements

New Frontier

continued liberal agenda of FDR and Truman to expand social programs

Peace Corps

created by JFK where people would go to 3rd world countries for social work. Frames America really well

Freedom Riders

Interstate bus riders who sat in opposite racial seating. Attacked in Alabama by a mob and JFK intervenes with federal troops with MLK’s calling.

James Meredith/Ole Miss

got rejected from Mississippi and it was found it was due to his rage. Admitted then but when signing up for classes he is attacked and the national guard has to come. He is then helped to enroll

Birmingham Campaign/Childrens Crusade

Segregated city where protests are staged. MLK brings kids in to make a statement and they are treated brutally

Letter from Birmingham Jail

written by MLK after Birmingham Campaign where he famously says “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”

George Wallace/University of Alabama

2 kids rejected from Alabama and filed a lawsuit where they got admitted. Wallace, who is AL governor, tries to stop them but JFK threatens to intervene by deputizing the Alabama national guard.

Executive Order 11111

any state government that does not agree to desegregation will have their national guard deputized against them

Televised Address to Nation on Civil Rights

JFK heartfelt speech saying enough is enough and civil rights is now a moral issue. consequential

Medgar Evers

prominent activist who gets a weekly portion on news for NAACP updates. People don't like he has time on news so he is shot and killed in his driveway

NAACP

large and old civil rights organization to fight injustices

March on Washington

nonviolent protests which are known as triumphant. Ends in MLK’s I Have A Dream

16th St. Baptist Church Bombing

Local Black church in Alabama which had cultural significance for civil rights planning space. After Sunday mass, 4 girls at Sunday school are killed. Men not faced with charges till 20 years later

Lee Harvey Oswald

assassinated JFK in Dallas

Lyndon B. Johnson

filled JFK’s last year of term. Fought for civil rights

Election of 1964

LBJ vs BG. Current struggles in the country are the cold war and civil rights. LBJ campaigns against BG and wins by a landslide

Barry Goldwater/Daisy Ad

an extremist who was politically attacked in an ad by LBJ. people weary of him

The Great Society

aimed to give access to everybody to the american dream. Came from LBJ’s want to stop poverty as someone who grew up poor and taught at a poor Mexican school. Aimed at medicare/medicaid, education, immigration, accessible housing, environmental

Medicare/Medicaid

Created federal health insurance for seniors (65+) and younger people with disabilities, and a joint federal/state program for low-income individuals

Warren Court

addressed criminal justice, reapportionment, and freedom of expression and privacy

Civil Rights Act of 1964

JFK idea passed by LBJ. Forced government to intervene if state government does not abide to federal laws

24th Amendment

made poll taxes illegal which was proposed 20 years prior

Freedom Summer

CORE students brought voting to people since many black voters could not access voting. Students killed for their efforts probably by KKK and law enforcers

Fannie Lou Hamer

Mississippi women who started the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party since she felt the Misssissppi democratic party does not represent black population. Gains publicity.

Selma Campaign

March to Selma which got lots of attention. People deputized to stop it and while kneeling on the bridge to pray they were charged at.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Signed and passed by Congress soon after Selma. Government will intervene if a state denies a person voting rights

Loving v. Virginia

Interracial marriages cannot be denied. Couple married in DC and they moved to VA where they were threatened to leave

Malcolm X

Believed in violence for defense and black nationalism. Murdered probably by FBI

Black Power

Black nationalism showing that black communities should become self sufficient

Black Panthers Party/10 Point Program

political and social organization to raise community organization for advocacy. Aimed to help the impoverished. Program to help give blacks equality to whites and same opportunities

Redlining

black communities could not receive mortgage loans so they were forced to live in run down areas even if they had money

White Flight

whites moving to suburbs so less tax collection in cities and cities are deteriorating. Blacks could flight though

Long Hot Summer of 1967

150+ cities in riots due to anti-war sentiments and district. Almost all starting with black person and an officer using excessive force

Kerner Commission

response to long hot summer saying that they need to economically invest in black population to help them level with whites. Suggestion not taken since its near election and its not politically popular enough

Poor People’s Campaign

Wants to address impoverished. Radical for MLK so many doubted it. Also too large scale. Known for gaining Awareness

Civil Rights Act of 1968

Published by LBJ after MLK dies to honor him. Ends discriminatory practices in housing. Not redlining though. Hard to enforce but lays legal groundwork