Unit 8B terms

Here are the definitions for each term:

1. March on Washington, DC (1963) – A massive civil rights demonstration on August 28, 1963, where over 250,000 people gathered to advocate for racial equality and economic justice. It was during this event that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

2. Sweatt v. Painter (1950) – A Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that the University of Texas Law School’s separate facility for Black students was unequal, thus challenging the "separate but equal" doctrine and paving the way for Brown v. Board of Education.

3. Nation of Islam – A Black nationalist and religious organization founded in 1930 that promotes self-sufficiency, economic independence, and racial pride among African Americans. It gained prominence under leaders like Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X.

4. Birmingham Campaign – A 1963 movement led by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to protest racial segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. The campaign involved sit-ins, boycotts, and marches and drew national attention when police used violent tactics against demonstrators, including children.

5. 24th Amendment – Ratified in 1964, this amendment prohibited poll taxes in federal elections, removing a major barrier that had been used to prevent African Americans from voting, particularly in the South.

6. Malcolm X – A prominent civil rights leader and minister in the Nation of Islam who advocated for Black empowerment, self-defense, and racial justice. Later, he left the Nation of Islam, embraced Sunni Islam, and moderated some of his views before his assassination in 1965.

7. Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Landmark legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination, becoming a cornerstone of civil rights progress.

8. George Wallace – The segregationist governor of Alabama who became infamous for his pro-segregation stance, including his 1963 inaugural speech declaring “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.” He attempted to block the desegregation of the University of Alabama.

9. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954) – A Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson’s “separate but equal” doctrine and serving as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement.

10. Executive Order 9981 – Issued by President Harry Truman in 1948, this order desegregated the U.S. military, marking a significant step toward racial equality in federal institutions.

11. Stokely Carmichael – A civil rights activist and leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) who later popularized the term “Black Power.” He emphasized racial pride, self-determination, and independence from white influence.

12. Black Panthers – A revolutionary socialist organization founded in 1966 by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale to advocate for self-defense, social programs, and racial justice. They challenged police brutality and provided community services like free breakfast programs.

13. Freedom Summer – A 1964 campaign to register African American voters in Mississippi, organized by civil rights groups such as SNCC and CORE. Volunteers faced violent resistance, including the infamous murders of activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner.

14. Affirmative Action – Policies aimed at increasing opportunities for historically marginalized groups in education and employment by addressing past discrimination. These policies have been the subject of legal and political debate.

15. Selma Marches – A series of three marches in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to protest voter suppression. The first march, known as "Bloody Sunday," saw peaceful protesters brutally attacked by police. The marches led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Let me know if you’d like further clarification on any of these!