Agenda• Opener Quiz (as class)• King Notes/Letter Analysis v. Ballot or Bullet• Notes: Birmingham Children’s March (3 slides)• Video Clip: March on Washington-16th St. (41-57)—King

Speech?• Notes: March, Civil Rights Act, Vote, Selma, Voting Rights

Act, Riots (9 slides)• Video Clip (Disc 3, ep. 6 20: 30-30)• Primary Sources• Notes: Malcolm X/Black Power

Meredith Integrates the University of Mississippi

• 1961—James Meredith applies for admission to all-white Univ. of Mississippi– NAACP w/ help of Medgar Evers file suit– September 1962: Fed. Ct. force “Ole Miss” to

desegregate

• Sept. 30, 1962: Riots break out—160 people injured; 2 men killed– Troops step in (State of War in US)

• Oct. 1, 1962 Meredith Registers as a student and takes first class

King & the SCLC Target Birmingham

• King frustrated by events in Mississippi and Alabama and a “defeat” in Albany, GA…doesn’t want non-violent movement to lose momentum

• Birmingham, AL: “Most segregated city in the South”

• The Birmingham Campaign Begins: “Project C”– Marches/Sit-ins

• Demanding desegregation of city’s public accommodations/businesses• Target 3 specific businesses (learned from Albany)

– April 12, 1963• King leads a march violating a court injunction against the protest, knowing it will lead

to his arrest

MLK Jr.—Birmingham Jail

Dr. King and Rev. Abernathy under arrest on Good Friday

King compiles historic “Letters from Birmingham Jail

Letter Birmingham Jail Discussion ?s• Excerpt 1:

– Who was King writing this response to? What clues do you have?– How does King respond to the accusation that the Civil Rights Movement was

extreme? What was King’s point in citing Jesus, Lincoln, and Jefferson?– Why is King hopeful their goal of freedom will be reached?

• Excerpt 2:– Why does King have disdain for the clergymen’s praise of the Birmingham Police

Force?– What is the evil system King accuses the Birmingham Policy Department of helping

to preserve?

• Excerpt 3:– Who does King argue are the real heroes of the South? What examples does he

give?– Why do you think Dr. King makes so many references to Christianity, the

Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence?

MLK Jr.Letter From Birmingham Jail

• “Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, ‘Wait.’ But…when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can’t go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children…Then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.”

• “Justice too long delayed, is justice denied”

Schoolchildren Join the March: May 2-May 5, 1963

• Following King’s Release from Prison…– Schoolchildren join “freedom marches”…why?

• Birmingham Police Chief, Eugene “Bull” Connor, refuses to tolerate Marchers– Uses police dogs/fire hoses on protesters– Protesters flood White House w/ letters requesting

action

• What role did the media play?– Media Exposes Police Violence: Shocks the Nation– Much needed Success

Children’s March: Birmingham 1963

Thousands of men, women, boys, and girls, are arrested for violating Birmingham's segregation laws Young nonviolent warriors under arrest.

Over 2000 kids arrested

Children’s March--Birmingham

With the jails full, student protesters are incarcerated in buildings at the county fair grounds The courage of the children inspires

their elders

Campaign in Birmingham

16th Street Baptist Church — Movement Headquarters.  

Police dogs attack nonviolent marcher

The Children’s Crusade: Birmingham--1963

Police Chief Bull Connor Orders Firehouses on Marchers

Kennedy Backs Civil Rights• Riots erupt in Birmingham following settlement

b/n two sides in Birmingham• June 11, 1963: Gov. George Wallace, AL

– Blocks 2 AA from enrolling at Univ. of Alabama

• June 12, 1963 – Medgar Evers Assassinated

• June 12, 1963: – Kennedy sends proposal to Congress for sweeping civil

rights legislation

March on Washington

• King trying to build support for Civil Rights Act• Push for “Jobs” and “Freedom”• March on Washington (Aug. 28, 1963)

– SCLC, NAACP, SNCC (tensions)– 200,000 citizens meet in Washington– Increases awareness of the movement and builds

momentum for the passage of Civil Rights legislation

– King delivers his “I Have A Dream” speech

March on Washington

March on Washington

March on Washington

March on Washington

KKK Strikes Back: 16th St. Baptist Church Bombing

• 16th St. Baptist Church Bombing

Civil Rights Act of 1964• Signed into law by Lyndon Johnson (7/2/64)

– LBJ uses his connections & knowledge of Congress to pass bill to help break 80 day filibuster

• Significance:– Bans segregation in all public facilities– Federal enforcement of school desegregation– Outlaws discrimination in employment on acct. of race,

color, sex, or national origin– Estbl. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission– Prosecute violators of people’s civil rights

• MLK Jr.: Wins Nobel Peace Prize (1964)