Civil Rights Movement Notes

Impact of Brown v. Board of Education

• Overturns "separate but equal" doctrine.
• Sparks desegregation movements across public services, notably starting in Montgomery.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

• Formed to engage students in the civil rights movement.
• Key strategies include:
• Sit-ins at segregated diners and department stores across the South (1960-1964).
• Partnering with Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) for Freedom Rides in 1961, aimed at desegregating buses.
• Encountered significant resistance and violence from white segregationists.

Federal Government's Role

• Robert Kennedy (RFK) intervenes to protect Freedom Riders, showcasing how civil rights activism leads to government support.
• PresidentKennedy helps organize the March on Washington (August 1963) where Martin Luther King Jr. delivers the "I Have a Dream" speech, supported by Mahalia Jackson.
• Events in Birmingham (1963) lead JFK to propose new civil rights legislation.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Passed under President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) after JFK's assassination.
• Landmark legislation prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
• Demonstrates shift from civil rights activism to legislative changes at the federal level.

JFK's Assassination (1963)

• Shockwave through civil rights community, as JFK was seen as a supporter of their cause.
• Implications include fear and uncertainty about the future of civil rights reforms.

Selma and Voting Rights Act of 1965

• Only 3% of Selma's African American population registered to vote due to Jim Crow laws.
• LBJ's response to Bloody Sunday, where police brutality against peaceful marchers leads to the Voting Rights Act, removing barriers to register voters.
• Emphasizes the role of media coverage in galvanizing public support for civil rights.

Black Panther Party and Malcolm X

• Black Panther Party founded in 1966 to combat police brutality and offer community programs.
• Advocates for self-defense and community support against systemic oppression.
• FBI's COINTELPRO aimed to dismantle black civil rights organizations, including planting informants.
• Malcolm X promoted black nationalism and self-protection, contrasting with the nonviolent approach of MLK.
• His assassination in 1965 signifies increasing tensions and violence against civil rights leaders.

Legacy of Civil Rights Movement

• Assassinations of key leaders (MLK, Malcolm X) reflect violent opposition to the movement's progress.
• Resulting political and social changes manifest through legislation like the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act.
• Set the stage for future advocacy and reform movements including Black Lives Matter.