Chapter_5_-_Civil_Rights_

Chapter 05: Civil Rights

What Are Civil Rights?

• Civil rights ensure equal opportunity and protection under government obligations.

• Grounded in the ideals of liberty, equality, and justice as seen in key documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

• Civil rights include:

  • Right to vote.

  • Right to attend desegregated schools.

  • Rights for individuals with disabilities against discrimination.

• Civil rights laws focus on extending citizenship rights to historically discriminated groups.

Distinctions Between Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

• Civil Liberties: Basic personal freedoms outlined in the Bill of Rights, limiting government actions.

• Civil Rights: Evolve through social movements as groups campaign for new rights, requiring government action to ensure equality.

• Protecting civil rights often requires increased government power.

Role of Social Movements in Civil Rights

• Civil rights primarily arise from sustained social movements aiming for political or social goals.

• Social Movements: Campaigns that enable collective action among individuals facing disadvantage.

• Collective Action: Organizing as a group based on shared goals.

Strategies Used by Social Movements

• Strategies vary based on the political environment:

  • Inside Strategy: Engage with political institutions to achieve goals; includes legislation, court victories, and executive orders.

  • Outside Strategy: Mobilizes public support through protests and demonstrations to shift public opinion.

Impact of Social Movements on Public Opinion

• Awareness raising about social injustices has historically influenced voters.

• Movements that gain public support expand their focus to influence formal political institutions like Congress and the Presidency.

Case Study: Influence on Presidential Action

• During the 1965 debate over voting rights, President Lyndon B. Johnson advocated for legislation influenced by civil rights protests; resulting in the passage of the Voting Rights Act.

Legislative Progress Through Social Movements

• Congressional action often progresses slowly, yet successful movements engage in drafting laws and lobbying for support.

Importance of Supreme Court Decisions

• The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment is critical for guaranteeing civil rights.

• Supreme Court cases have shaped the interpretation of civil rights over time.

Historical Foundations of the Civil Rights Movement

• A history of discrimination and enslavement leads to ongoing civil rights struggles, referred to as the "long civil rights movement."

The Abolitionist Movement

• Resistance against slavery led by individuals including Frederick Douglass in the early 19th century through public speaking and literature.

Significant Supreme Court Cases

• Dred Scott v. Sanford: Ruling that denied citizenship to Black individuals, stoking national tensions.

The Civil War Amendments

• Following the Civil War, the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments redefined civil rights by abolishing slavery and guaranteeing rights for all citizens.

Reconstruction Era Advances

• Black Americans during Reconstruction pushed for rights; the Civil Rights Act of 1866 affirmed citizenship and equality.

Post-Reconstruction and Jim Crow Laws

• Following Reconstruction, discriminatory Jim Crow laws institutionalized racial segregation upheld by the Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).

Organizing Against Racial Violence

• The NAACP was formed to combat racial violence, advocating through media and demonstrations, leading to a decline in lynching.

Education Equality Movement

• In the 1950s, the NAACP’s challenge culminated in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Civil Rights Movement Developments

• Initiatives like the Montgomery Bus Boycott (Rosa Parks) and the sit-ins by students were pivotal in achieving desegregation.

Major Civil Rights Legislation

• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination in public accommodations and employment based on race, color, sex, or national origin.

• The Voting Rights Act of 1965 strengthened voting protections by eliminating literacy tests and monitoring voter registration.

Ongoing Challenges and Progress

• Following landmark decisions and civil rights acts, issues such as affirmative action and workplace discrimination persist, with significant court cases influencing outcomes.

Extending Civil Rights to Other Groups

• Women's rights, disabilities, LGBTQ rights, and civil rights for Latino, Asian American, and Native American communities have all evolved.

• Notable movements include the fight for equal marriage rights, the #MeToo movement, and advocacy against Islamophobia post-9/11.

The Racial Justice Movement

• The Black Lives Matter movement emerged in response to systemic racism, highlighting ongoing discrimination in policing and criminal justice.

• Emphasizes unity among diverse groups pursuing civil rights.