starter activity

Watch the clip of Barack Obama giving his acceptance speech after the US elections in 2008. His victory was described as a ‘monumental event in US history’ by one commentator. Why was this so?

What rights did What rights did Black people in Black people in America have by America have by

1945?1945?Provide an outline of the courseProvide an outline of the courseIdentify the social & political Identify the social & political

condition of black Americans & condition of black Americans & ethnic minorities in 1ethnic minorities in 1stst half of half of

C20thC20th

Aims

Course outlineCourse outline

Background to Civil Rights CampaignBackground to Civil Rights Campaign Campaign for Civil Rights (1945-57): Campaign for Civil Rights (1945-57):

impact of WWII; NAACP; legal impact of WWII; NAACP; legal landmarks, e.g. Brown Caselandmarks, e.g. Brown Case

Campaign for Civil Rights (1957-68): Campaign for Civil Rights (1957-68): aims & methods; Black nationalism & aims & methods; Black nationalism & Black Power; MLK & Malcolm XBlack Power; MLK & Malcolm X

Role of federal govt: role of President; Role of federal govt: role of President; Civil Rights ActsCivil Rights Acts

Factors for change: social reforms; Factors for change: social reforms; protest cultureprotest culture

Resistance & obstacles to change: Resistance & obstacles to change: State racism; KKK; poverty cycleState racism; KKK; poverty cycle

Review: nature & extent of Review: nature & extent of discrimination & change by 1968discrimination & change by 1968

Your taskYour task

Your teacher will give you some Your teacher will give you some questions on the background to the questions on the background to the civil rights movement. Read the civil rights movement. Read the appropriate sections of your text appropriate sections of your text book and complete the answers.book and complete the answers.

Booker T Washington WEB Du Bois Marcus Garvey

What do the following images refer to with regard to your background reading?

Sharecroppers

Supreme court

Tuskegee Airmen

KKKAbolition of

slavery

Your taskYour task

Read Sanders, p.32-6. Read Sanders, p.32-6. What were the effects of migration What were the effects of migration

and living together? and living together? What evidence is there of activism in What evidence is there of activism in

this early period? this early period? How effective was federal How effective was federal

intervention?intervention?

What has this picture got to do with the Civil Rights campaign?

Your taskYour task

Compare the conditions of blacks living in Compare the conditions of blacks living in the South with those in the North. the South with those in the North. Sanders, p.37-42; Paterson 109-110Sanders, p.37-42; Paterson 109-110

NorthNorth SouthSouth

SocialSocial

EconomicEconomic

LegalLegal

Your taskYour task

Read Sanders p.42-3 & Paterson Read Sanders p.42-3 & Paterson p.108-109 and list evidence for and p.108-109 and list evidence for and against the idea the civil rights against the idea the civil rights movement was active before 1945.movement was active before 1945.

Thurgood Marshall. Civil rights lawyer & early black activist

Evidence of existence of Evidence of existence of Civil Rights before 1945Civil Rights before 1945

Impact of New Deal, i.e. way black Impact of New Deal, i.e. way black communities discriminated againstcommunities discriminated against

Local studies of community actions, e.g. Local studies of community actions, e.g. Fairclough on Louisiana examined pre-Fairclough on Louisiana examined pre-King TUs, schools, teachers, NAACPKing TUs, schools, teachers, NAACP

Key individuals, e.g. A Philip Randolph Key individuals, e.g. A Philip Randolph & Thurgood Marshall& Thurgood Marshall

Early activism played down during Cold Early activism played down during Cold War eraWar era

Evidence against Civil Evidence against Civil Rights before 1945Rights before 1945

Soldiers politicised by experiences of Soldiers politicised by experiences of War, i.e. fight against fascismWar, i.e. fight against fascism

Historic focus on role of MLKHistoric focus on role of MLK Key test cases, e.g. Rosa Parks, sit-Key test cases, e.g. Rosa Parks, sit-

ins & bus boycottsins & bus boycotts Leading historians, e.g. Fairclough, Leading historians, e.g. Fairclough,

argue earlier developments did not argue earlier developments did not have same impact as later oneshave same impact as later ones

Your taskYour task

Conduct a SWOT analysis of the Civil Conduct a SWOT analysis of the Civil Rights movement in 1945. Rights movement in 1945. Remember:Remember:

SStrengthstrengthsWWeaknesseseaknessesOOpportunitiespportunitiesTThreatshreats

PlenaryPlenary

How well organised was the civil How well organised was the civil rights movement in America in rights movement in America in 1945?1945?

What were the major threats to its What were the major threats to its survival?survival?

What would help the movement What would help the movement gather strength?gather strength?