topic 8, lesson 2: the movement surges forward

Text 1: Student Activists Promote Civil Rights

  • young African Americans challenged segregation w new vigor after schools and racial reforms weren’t enacted quickly

Nonviolent Protests Challenge Segregation

  • Greensboro sit-in= students protested discrimination of white waitress refusing not to serve them

  • “wade-ins” at public beaches and “read ins” at public libraries

Political Organizations Encourage Nonviolent Protest

  • Ella Baker helped young activists establish Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to include all classes of african americans in the struggle to obtain equality

Text 2: Freedom Rides Begin Throughout the South

  • interstate transport targeted nxt bc travel brown states was subject to federal, not state, regulation

Freedom Riders Risk Physical Harm

  • CORE staged “freedom rides”

  • some took dangerous turn; buses got firebombed, mob attacked riders

The President Intervenes

  • Kennedy administration worked out deal with Mississippi riders, police agreed to protect riders

  • Kennedy administration agreed not to intervene when activists arrested for disturbing the peace

Text 3: Public Institutions Open Doors to Minorities

Litigation Against the University of Mississippi

  • James Meredith (veteran) aided by NAACP in going to University of Mississippi (all white), Medgar Evers helped effort

  • governor Ross Barnett wanted to prevent integration

  • Meredith ended up graduating from Columbia in law, was shot while Evers was assassinated

A Letter from Birmingham Jail

  • Birmingham targeted bc it was the most segregated city in the South

  • MLK joined the demonstrations personally, violating court orders

  • King wrote a moving letter explaining why civil rights activists were tired of waiting for reform

  • white moderates were stirred to support movement

  • Public Safety Commissioner of Birmingham unleashed fire hoses and police dogs on protesters; Americans were shocked & asked president to act

Kennedy Addresses Minority Rights

  • George Wallace personally stood in front of school to block African American students; backed down when faced by federal authority

  • Pres. Kennedy delivered address calling for sweeping civil rights legislation

Text 4: Thousands Gather in the Nation’s Capital

  • massive protest brought tgt major political organizations to put pressure on Congress to pass new civil rights bill

  • before March on Washington (one of largest political demonstrations) there was concern abt keeping order but it ended up being peaceful

  • main rally was at Lincoln Memorial, MLK gave “I have a dream” speech

Text 5: A Significant Congressional Vote Addresses Minority Rights

  • SCLC headquarters (a church) was bombed weeks after the march and Kennedy was assassinated months later

  • Lyndon B. Johnson was southerner but immediately threw support behind civil rights cause

  • Democratic senators tried blocking bill by means of filibuster for over 2 months

  • Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed in July banning public segregation and enforcing equal employment