The Civil Rights The Civil Rights MovementMovement1954-19601954-1960

Educational Separation in the Educational Separation in the US prior to Brown CaseUS prior to Brown Case

Brown v. Board of Education of TopekaBrown v. Board of Education of Topeka 33rdrd grader grader Linda BrownLinda Brown tried to enroll at an all tried to enroll at an all

whitewhite school and she was refused. school and she was refused.

Linda had to walk Linda had to walk 2121 blocks to her bus stop to blocks to her bus stop to ride to Monroe Elementary (ride to Monroe Elementary (segregatedsegregated black black school) school) 11 mi. away, while Sumner Elementary, a mi. away, while Sumner Elementary, a white school, was only white school, was only 77 blocks from her house. blocks from her house.

May 17, 1954May 17, 1954: Supreme Court : Supreme Court unanimouslyunanimously decided that segregation of black children in decided that segregation of black children in public schools violates public schools violates 1414thth Amendment Amendment

This didn’t end segregation in other public This didn’t end segregation in other public places nor did it say when the schools had to be places nor did it say when the schools had to be desegregateddesegregated, however, it was a big step , however, it was a big step towards civil rights.towards civil rights.

Thurgood MarshallThurgood Marshall

Rosa ParksRosa Parks Dec. 1, 1955Dec. 1, 1955: : 4242 year old year old

Rosa ParksRosa Parks took a seat in took a seat in the first row of the the first row of the “colored” section of the bus.“colored” section of the bus.

Bus begins to fill, and driver Bus begins to fill, and driver tells Rosa and 3 others to tells Rosa and 3 others to standstand – she – she refusedrefused..

Rosa is arrested for Rosa is arrested for ““violatingviolating” ” Montgomery’sMontgomery’s Jim Crow laws.Jim Crow laws.

News of this arrest soon News of this arrest soon spread.spread.

Rosa ParksRosa Parks

Montgomery Bus BoycottMontgomery Bus Boycott In response to Rosa’s arrest, a In response to Rosa’s arrest, a boycottboycott

of the Montgomery of the Montgomery busesbuses was organized was organized – – NAACPNAACP

The churches of Montgomery were The churches of Montgomery were organized, including Dexter Ave. Baptist organized, including Dexter Ave. Baptist Church – pastor is Church – pastor is 2626 year old year old Martin Martin Luther King JrLuther King Jr..

MLK was elected to head the MLK was elected to head the organization of the movement.organization of the movement.

Af. Ams. consisted of Af. Ams. consisted of 75%75% of the riders. of the riders.

Montgomery Bus BoycottMontgomery Bus Boycott The boycott was so The boycott was so successfulsuccessful that that

they extended it from they extended it from 11 day to day to 381381 – – enduring the hardships of enduring the hardships of walkingwalking everywhere.everywhere.

In In 19561956, the Supreme Court found , the Supreme Court found that segregation on Alabama buses that segregation on Alabama buses was was unconstitutionalunconstitutional..

Dec. 21, 1956Dec. 21, 1956: King and other Af. : King and other Af. Ams. rode the buses for the first time.Ams. rode the buses for the first time.

home.att.net www.holtlaborlibrary.org www.blackvoices.com www.africanaonline.com www.mccsc.edu

MLK Jr.MLK Jr. The success of the Montgomery bus boycott The success of the Montgomery bus boycott

strengthenedstrengthened MLK’s belief that MLK’s belief that non-violentnon-violent protest was the most protest was the most effectiveeffective tool for tool for gaining civil rights.gaining civil rights.

King quickly became the most visible and King quickly became the most visible and eloquent eloquent spokespersonspokesperson of the CR Movement of the CR Movement

Helped to est. the Helped to est. the Southern Christian Southern Christian Leadership ConferenceLeadership Conference (SCLC) in (SCLC) in 19571957..

In In 19601960, King helped to est. the , King helped to est. the Student Student Nonviolent Coordination CommitteeNonviolent Coordination Committee (SNCC) (SNCC)

SCLCSCLC

Opposed Opposed discriminatidiscriminationon in in publicpublic places, places, voting, and voting, and employmentemployment

SNCCSNCC

Young Young students who students who coordinated coordinated sit-inssit-ins, , marchesmarches, and , and Freedom Freedom RidesRides

Resisting DesegregationResisting Desegregation The Supreme Court ordered The Supreme Court ordered

school districts to school districts to desegregatedesegregate “with all “with all deliberatedeliberate speed” speed”

Many did, but “deliberate Many did, but “deliberate speed” was speed” was interpretedinterpreted differently in the differently in the Deep SouthDeep South – – resistanceresistance soon began to soon began to develop.develop.

Little Rock, Arkansas, 1957Little Rock, Arkansas, 1957: : Gov. Gov. Orval FaubusOrval Faubus uses the uses the state’s state’s Ntl GuardNtl Guard to prevent to prevent 99 Af. Am. students from Af. Am. students from entering the city’s entering the city’s publicpublic high school.high school.

Resisting DesegregationResisting Desegregation EisenhowerEisenhower took took

control of the Ntl. control of the Ntl. Guard and enforced Guard and enforced the the BrownBrown decision. decision.

19581958: “: “privateprivate” ” academies est. – academies est. – blocked Af. Ams. blocked Af. Ams. from enteringfrom entering

It soon became clear It soon became clear that that moremore than than courtcourt decision would be decision would be needed to needed to endend segregation.segregation.