Civil Rights Movement Notes

Civil Rights Movement

  • The Civil Rights Movement brought transformative changes to the U.S., particularly regarding the equal protection of American citizens' freedoms and liberties.
  • These freedoms and liberties, known as civil rights, protect rights such as voting, public education, and fair trials.

The Battle Against Segregation

  • Segregation was prevalent in the U.S., especially in the South, during the mid-20th century.
  • Jim Crow Laws restricted African Americans from using the same public facilities, transportation, and schools as white people.
  • Many Southern states had laws requiring black and white students to attend separate schools.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

  • In 1951, Linda Brown was denied the opportunity to attend a public school close to her home in Topeka, Kansas, due to her race.
  • Her parents sued the Board of Education of Topeka, and the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 1952.
  • Linda Brown’s parents and their lawyers argued that the segregation of public schools was illegal under the U.S. Constitution.
  • The segregation of students based on race in public schools, was considered illegal under the U.S. Constitution.
  • The Court declared that segregation of public schools was illegal under the U.S. Constitution.
  • The Court declared that segregated public schools are "inherently unequal."
  • African Americans were being “deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.”
  • The 14th Amendment declared that “no state shall make or enforce laws” that restrict U.S. citizens privileges, which segregation of public schools clearly did.
  • Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, desegregation took decades to occur, as states, especially in the South, resisted the process.

Rosa Parks

  • On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama.
  • Parks sat in the middle of the bus, where, according to Alabama state law, African Americans were supposed to sit at the back.
  • The bus driver asked Parks to move to the back of the bus to allow a white passenger to take her seat.
  • Parks refused to move, and the bus driver had her arrested.

The Montgomery Bus Boycott

  • News of Parks’ arrest angered many African Americans.
  • Local African American leaders organized a bus boycott.
  • African Americans in Montgomery boycotted the city bus system.
  • They walked, biked, or carpooled to get around town.
  • One of the organizers of the boycott was Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK).
  • The Montgomery Bus Boycott continued for over a year.
  • In 1956, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation on public buses was illegal.

Martin Luther King Jr.

  • The outcome of the case was celebrated by many, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
  • King's activism helped propel him into the national spotlight as a civil rights leader.
  • After the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Dr. King continued to lead civil rights efforts.
  • He encouraged African Americans to exercise their right to vote.
  • He spoke to crowds on race-related issues.
  • Dr. King advocated for non-violent forms of activism and protest.
  • Dr. King helped lead protests in Birmingham that targeted the city’s segregation system.
  • After several days of largely peaceful protests, Dr. King was arrested for violating a city anti-protest ordinance.
  • During his time in jail, Dr. King wrote a famous letter known as "Letter from Birmingham Jail".
  • In his letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Dr King stated: “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community, which has constantly refused to negotiate, is forced to confront the issue.”
  • Protests against segregation in Birmingham continued after Dr. King was released from jail.
  • Americans saw images of African American protestors being attacked, which sparked outrage across the nation.
  • In May 1963, images of African American protestors being clubbed, attacked by K-9 dogs and blasted with high-powered fire hoses, were seen across the U.S.
  • The city of Birmingham agreed to desegregate restrooms, drinking fountains, and lunch counters.
  • Segregation continued in other forms and manners across the city.
  • After his time in Birmingham, Dr. King was making plans for another large demonstration in Washington, D.C.
  • The March on Washington took place on August 28, 1963, and drew over 200,000 demonstrators.
  • During the demonstration, Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.
  • The Civil Rights Movement continued to grow and spread across the nation, including in Texas.