Civil Rights

Reform movements dedicated to abolishing discrimination in the United States

Struggle to be free, achieve equality and rights

Starts with African Americans◦Leads to women’s rights movement◦Gay Rights Movement

What is the Civil Rights Movement?

Plessy vs. Ferguson◦1896 “Separate but Equal”

◦States respond by passing Jim Crow laws Forbade interracial dating and marriage

Separate schools Separate public facilities

Segregation System

Segregation Continues into the 20th Century

◦ African American response Great Migration – move North to

escape discrimination◦ Prejudice and discrimination exists in

the North All-black neighborhoods White workers resent job competition

from blacks

WWII Sets Stage for Civil Rights Movement◦ Demand for soldiers in WWII created shortage of

white workers Opened new opportunities for minorities

◦ Discrimination ended in military Soldiers return determined to fight for own freedom

◦During War, Civil Rights organizations campaign for voting rights and challenge Jim Crow laws

◦FDR responds Issues presidential directive prohibiting discrimination in the workplace

NAACP fought to end segregation◦Trained African-American law students

NAACP Legal Strategy◦Focus on desegregating public schools◦Assembles group of young law students to

prepare cases to take to SC◦Thurgood Marshall placed in charge Win 29 of 32 cases

Challenging Segregation in Court

Brown v. Bd. of Education, Topeka, KS◦May 17, 1954 Segregation deemed unconstitutional “separate is not equal”

Resistance to School Integration◦500 schools desegregate within a year◦Areas of African American majority Whites resist, fear losing control of schools KKK reappears White Citizens Council boycotts

desegregated businesses◦Brown II – 1955 Desegregation “with all deliberate speed”

Reaction to Brown Decision

1948 – Arkansas becomes first state to admit African Americans to state universities

Gov. Orval Faubus – ◦ Ordered Nat’l Guard to turn away black students◦ Fed. judge ordered Faubus to let students into

school

Crisis in Little Rock

◦Little Rock 9 (1954) Eight of nine students agree to go to school

together Elizabeth Eckford doesn’t get phone

message◦Eisenhower acts Placed Nat’l Guard under federal control Ordered 1000 paratroopers into Little Rock Protect Little Rock 9

Civil Rights Act of 1957◦Gave attorney general power over school

desegregation◦Federal gov’t jurisdiction over violations

of African-American voting rights

Boycotting Segregation◦Jo Ann Robinson writes letter to

Montgomery, Alabama Asked that bus drivers not be allowed

to force riders in “colored” section to give up seats

◦Dec 1, 1955 – Rosa Parks refuses to get up

◦Montgomery Improvement Association Organized boycott of buses MLK, Jr. chosen as leader of group

26 yrs old

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Walking for Justice◦Boycott lasts 381 days African Americans refuse to ride buses

Car pools and walk Nonviolent in face of violence

◦1956 – SC outlawed bus segregation Dec 21 – MLK sits in front seat

Changing the World w/Soul Force◦Nonviolent resistance Teachings of Jesus, Thoreau, A. Philip Randolph, Gandhi

◦Philosophy questioned Extreme violence aimed at blacks in the South

Emmett Till

Dr. King and the SCLC

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)◦1957◦Civil Rights leaders and 100 ministers◦“carry on nonviolent crusades against evils of

second-class citizenship”◦Wanted support of ordinary African-Americans◦MLK is president

SNCC – Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee◦SCLC’s pace too slow for college students

Grassroots Movement

Demonstrating for Freedom◦1960 - SNCC stages sit-in Woolworth’s store in Greensboro, NC

TV captures images of white violence

Sparks sit-ins across South

Movement Spreads