Recent American History

13th Amendment 14th Amendment 15th Amendment

The practice of separating people of different races, classes, or ethnic groups

When Truman was unable to pass laws through Congress to fight civil rights, Truman established the Committees on Civil Rights in 1946.

In 1948, he ordered the end of racial discrimination in the federal government and all three branches of the military

Many Democrats in the South break from Truman

Southern Democrats who did not favor civil rights legislation formed their own political party called The States’ Rights Party or the Dixiecrats and nominated Strom Thurmond as their candidate.

Despite the break of the Democratic Party, Truman still won the election.

After winning the 1948 election Truman attempted to pass a reform package called the Fair Deal. It attempted to carry on Roosevelt’s New Deal agenda but Congress blocked many of the bills.

Two that succeeded was an increase in minimum wage and the inclusion of more workers under Social Security.

“To separate African American children from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely to ever be undone…We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of “separate but equal” has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal”

During the 1940s, psychologists Kenneth Clark and his wife Mamie Phipps Clark tried to demonstrate the negative effects of segregation on black children. They developed a test using four dolls, identical except for the skin color. When asked which doll they liked best, most of the black children chose the white doll. After the testing was completed, Clark concluded that "prejudice, discrimination, and segregation" caused African American children to develop a senses of inferiority and self-hatred. The results of the tests were used during court cases, including Brown v. Board, to show that segregation damaged the personality development of black children.

Brown Two- Second ruling on Brown case - Required States to implement

desegregation with “all deliberate speed”

Why do you think the Brown vs. Board decision is such a

landmark case in history?

Segregation remained widespread in the U.S. after WWII, especially in the South but there were signs of change. The Supreme Court ruling Brown vs. Board heralded the beginning of the modern civil rights movement.

A Chicago boy (14) that was visiting family in Money, MS.

He made advances on a white woman and her husband and brother-in-law felt they had to take revenge.

Till was shot in the head and dumped into the Tallahatchie River.

What/who sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

The Boycott Begins - Dec. 1st, 1955 Rosa Parks refuses to

give up her seat on a segregated Alabama bus

- Arrested for violation of city’s segregation laws

- African Americans across city boycott bus system

- Women’s Political Council (WPC) organized telephone chains, leaflets, and carpools

- Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) created to promote and support boycott

- Martin Luther King Jr. is the leader of MLA and spokesman for boycott

“My friends, I want it to be known that we’re going to work with grim and bold determination to gain justice on the buses in this city. And we are not wrong, we are not wrong in what we are doing. If we are wrong, the Supreme Court and this nation is wrong. If we are wrong, God Almighty is wrong….If we are long, justice is a lie. And we are determined here in Montgomery to work and fight until justice runs down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

- African-American community decides to boycott the Montgomery busses until they integrate (381 days) … nonviolently

- In 1956 federal judges ruled against Montgomery segregation laws - Laid foundation for civil rights struggle in the

1960s

- King became spokesman for the movement … “It was a great ride”

How do you believe African American’s nonviolent tactics appeared to the world versus

white violent tactics?

Place in notes (p.706)• Name two groups that worked to achieve

racial equality.

Group known as Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) organized an attempt to integrate bus stations across the country. Some of these “Riders” were met with violence in some Southern towns.

James Meredith had to be escorted by two federal troops to register to go to Ole Miss in 1962.

Read the passage beginning on page 712 about the events in Birmingham.

Why did civil rights leaders use children to carry out protest in Birmingham?

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.”…I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character…I have a dream that one day the little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.”

Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Banned discrimination in all public

accommodations on the basis of race, sex, religion, or national origin

Changes Description

Educational Attainment

Gave the federal government the power to enforce school desegregation.

Graduation rates for African Americans have risen ever since

Employment Opened white-collar jobs to African Americans

Income Incomes rose drastically.

Migration Patterns Migrated out of the South

Poverty Act helped to pull large percentage of African Americans out of poverty

African American leaders realized they needed a bigger voice in the political arena so they formed the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) led by Fannie Lou Hamer.

What two “things” were keeping blacks from voting?

Banned the payment of poll taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections.

Group of SNCC civil rights workers traveled into MS to help AAs register to vote. Three of those workers were killed in Philadelphia.

Voting Rights Act of 1965 - Outlawed literacy tests and other

tactics used to prevent blacks the right to vote

They got a little “taste” of equality and they wanted

more…

CivilDisobedienc

e Black Power

Martin Luther King Jr.• Non violent tactics• Black Integration• Concentrated in South

Martin Luther King Jr.• Non violent tactics• Black Integration• Concentrated in South

Malcolm X• Violence / Self Defense• Black Separatism • Goals in North & South

Malcolm X• Violence / Self Defense• Black Separatism • Goals in North & South

Name leaders who shaped the Black Power movement.

Emphasized black separatism and pride

Urged African Americans to “define their own goals and lead their own organizations”

Examples: Afros, Black studies classes in

college

Background - Member of Nation of

Islam (Black Muslims)

Beliefs- Contradicted MLK

and nonviolence

- Black separatism and self-defense

“Concerning nonviolence: it is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks. It is legal and lawful to own a shotgun or a rifle. We believe in obeying the laws…The time has come for the American Negro to fight back in self-defense whenever and where ever he is being unjustly and unlawfully attacked”

Group that called for the self-defense of African-Americans from racism .

Often appeared carrying guns.

Which half do you believe was more successful? Why?

The civil rights movement changed course in mid-1960s, moving beyond the South and expanding its goals. Many activists abandoned the strategy of nonviolence.

Shot by James Earl Ray in Memphis, TN

Paradox: Man who dreamed of racial peace lay dead from racial violence

Death sparked urban riots across America

First Half (1950s-1965) Second Half (1965-?)• Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Nonviolence

• Black Integration

•Concentrated in South

• Malcolm X and Black Panthers

• Violence & Self-Defense

• Black Separatism

• Goals in North and South

Difficult to eliminate because it requires

changing people’s beliefs and values

Difficult to eliminate because it requires

changing people’s beliefs and values

1. What are the predominant ethnic and racial groups in your school? If there are different groups; do they get along? Why or why not?

2. Do you think racism still exists today? Is it worse than the 1960s?

1. Why do you think people are prejudice and/or racist?

2. Has Dr. King’s dream come true? Why or why not?

Explosive book by Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique, showed that many women were dissatisfied with their lives.

Many began to call for greater opportunities and fair treatment in work.

Equal Pay Act – required employers to pay female workers the same as a man doing identical work

Title VII – A person cannot be hired, fired, or looked over for a promotions because of their race, gender, religion.

Equal Rights Amendment sought to bar discrimination on the basis of sex.

Roe v. Wade – legalized abortion

Mexican Americans were among the poorest and least-education people in the country.

Cesar Chavez started the Chicano movement with the creation of the United Farm Workers (UFW) Union which organized a strike for farm workers and a national boycott of grapes.

17 million Americans supported the boycott forcing grape growers to give in to demands.

This began other form of protest on behalf of Mexican Americans.

Indians wanted land reform and self-determination.

Many people living in poverty also began to want opportunities granted to them by the national government.

Kennedy vowed to begin a war on poverty after the explosive book The Other America by Michael Harrington.

Kennedy passed the Area Redevelopment Act (ARA)

Johnson carried Kennedy’s work on poverty after his death.

The following are laws passed to fight poverty• Office of Economic Opportunity Head Start Job Corps Volunteers in Service to America

• Medicare & Medicaid• Elementary and Secondary Education Law - $$

to schools in poor areas

Johnson also enacted many civil rights laws already mentioned such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the 24th Amendment, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Much of the Great Society was overshadowed by events in Vietnam.

Johnson also passed important environmental laws such as Clean air and water laws in response to Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring.

Gideon v. Wainwright – declared that the states must provide lawyers for poor defendants charged with serious crimes

Escobedo v. Illinois – granted the accused the right to have a lawyer present during police investigations.

Miranda v. Arizona – accused persons must be informed of their rights when arrested.