The Civil Rights The Civil Rights Movement—Key EventsMovement—Key Events

(Part I)(Part I)

NOTESNOTES

Essential/Guiding Question:Essential/Guiding Question:How can society be How can society be changed?changed?

II.II. The Modern Civil Rights Movement The Modern Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968)(1955-1968)A.A. Because of the failure of Because of the failure of

Reconstruction, the whites in power in Reconstruction, the whites in power in the south were able to keep African-the south were able to keep African-Americans down politically, socially and Americans down politically, socially and economically. In the one-hundred economically. In the one-hundred years after the Civil War, nothing had years after the Civil War, nothing had really changed and political and really changed and political and cultural institutions were stacked cultural institutions were stacked against African-Americans, preventing against African-Americans, preventing any attempts to change.any attempts to change.

B.B. But things started to change But things started to change during the world wars. during the world wars. 1.1. During World War I and During World War I and

World War II, job World War II, job opportunities in Northern opportunities in Northern cities caused a mass-cities caused a mass-migration of African-migration of African-Americans to northern cities Americans to northern cities called the Great Migration. called the Great Migration.

a.a. These opportunities were These opportunities were created by the increased created by the increased production need for the war production need for the war efforts and they were opened efforts and they were opened for African-Americans because for African-Americans because so many white men had to so many white men had to leave their jobs to fight the leave their jobs to fight the wars. wars.

b.b. For those who were able to move For those who were able to move north, the move promised north, the move promised economic advancement and better economic advancement and better treatment. While things were treatment. While things were better in the north, African-better in the north, African-Americans still faced fierce Americans still faced fierce discrimination and were not discrimination and were not offered the same opportunities as offered the same opportunities as whites. Competition for jobs whites. Competition for jobs fueled racism.fueled racism.

2.2. World War II (1939-1945) helped spark World War II (1939-1945) helped spark demand for change. One-million demand for change. One-million African-Americans served in the armed African-Americans served in the armed forces—mostly in non-combat forces—mostly in non-combat capacities (the service was segregated)capacities (the service was segregated)—as the U.S. fought against fascist —as the U.S. fought against fascist regimes in Italy and Germany. When regimes in Italy and Germany. When the servicemen returned home, they the servicemen returned home, they were determined to fight for freedom were determined to fight for freedom and equality. and equality.

C.C. During this one-hundred year span, During this one-hundred year span, segregation was the law of the land.segregation was the law of the land.

1.1. Jim Crow laws separated blacks and Jim Crow laws separated blacks and whites in every aspect of life. whites in every aspect of life. When segregation was challenged When segregation was challenged in the Supreme Court in the Plessy in the Supreme Court in the Plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896, the Court v. Ferguson case in 1896, the Court ruled that segregation was legal if ruled that segregation was legal if facilities were “separate but facilities were “separate but equal.” equal.”

2.2. The National Association The National Association for the Advancement of for the Advancement of Colored People Colored People (NAACP), formed in 1909 (NAACP), formed in 1909 to challenge segregation to challenge segregation in the court system.in the court system.

3.3. Brown v. the Board of Education of Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954)Topeka, Kansas (1954)

a.a. Linda Brown, an eight year old, was Linda Brown, an eight year old, was denied admission to an all-white denied admission to an all-white elementary school four blocks from elementary school four blocks from her house. She was told she had to her house. She was told she had to attend the nearest all-black school, attend the nearest all-black school, twenty-one blocks away. Her twenty-one blocks away. Her parents sued and the case reached parents sued and the case reached the Supreme Court.the Supreme Court.

b.b. In a landmark decision, the In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court unanimously Supreme Court unanimously stuck down segregation because stuck down segregation because it was a violation of the it was a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. Segregation Protection Clause. Segregation was now unconstitutional and, was now unconstitutional and, therefore, illegal.therefore, illegal.

c.c. Making segregation illegal Making segregation illegal was one thing, enforcing it was one thing, enforcing it was another. While some was another. While some communities desegregated communities desegregated schools without any major schools without any major problems, there were many problems, there were many places where people fought places where people fought it.it.

d.d. Resistance to desegregation Resistance to desegregation caused the Supreme Court to caused the Supreme Court to make a second ruling on the make a second ruling on the Brown case in 1955, referred to Brown case in 1955, referred to as Brown II. It ordered the as Brown II. It ordered the integration of public school to integration of public school to be implemented “with all be implemented “with all deliberate speed.”deliberate speed.”

e.e. In 1957, nine African-American In 1957, nine African-American students (called the “Little Rock students (called the “Little Rock Nine”) were kept from Nine”) were kept from attending Central High School in attending Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas by Little Rock, Arkansas by Governor Orval Faubus, who Governor Orval Faubus, who ordered the National Guard to ordered the National Guard to keep the students out.keep the students out.

1)1) A federal judge ordered the school A federal judge ordered the school to admit the students. The NAACP to admit the students. The NAACP arranged to escort the students to arranged to escort the students to school, but could not reach one of school, but could not reach one of them, Elizabeth Eckford, who set them, Elizabeth Eckford, who set off to school alone. Images of the off to school alone. Images of the abusive crowds Eckford faced abusive crowds Eckford faced helped put a human face on the helped put a human face on the issue. issue.

““ [The Arkansas national guardsmen] glared at [The Arkansas national guardsmen] glared at me with a mean look and I was very frightened me with a mean look and I was very frightened and didn’t know what to do. I turned around and didn’t know what to do. I turned around and the crowd came toward me. They moved and the crowd came toward me. They moved closer and closer. Somebody started yelling closer and closer. Somebody started yelling ‘Lynch her! Lynch her!’ I tried to see a friendly ‘Lynch her! Lynch her!’ I tried to see a friendly face somewhere in the mob – someone who face somewhere in the mob – someone who maybe would help. I looked into the face of an maybe would help. I looked into the face of an old woman and it seemed a kind face, but old woman and it seemed a kind face, but when I looked at her again, she spat at me.” when I looked at her again, she spat at me.”

- Elizabeth Eckford- Elizabeth Eckford

2)2) President Dwight D. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who tried to Eisenhower, who tried to stay out of the issue, was stay out of the issue, was compelled to act. The compelled to act. The National Guard was put National Guard was put under federal control and under federal control and ordered troops to escort the ordered troops to escort the students to class.students to class.

3)3) Despite daily escorts to Despite daily escorts to class, the Little Rock Nine, class, the Little Rock Nine, like others fighting like others fighting segregation, faced segregation, faced harassment. Organizations harassment. Organizations like the KKK regained like the KKK regained strength, fueled by the strength, fueled by the issue.issue.

4)4) Congress passed the first civil Congress passed the first civil rights act since Reconstruction rights act since Reconstruction as a result of all the tension. as a result of all the tension. The Civil Rights Act of 1957 gave The Civil Rights Act of 1957 gave the U.S. attorney general the U.S. attorney general greater power over school greater power over school segregation and federal courts segregation and federal courts jurisdiction over violations of jurisdiction over violations of voting rights cases.voting rights cases.

4.4. The Montgomery Bus BoycottThe Montgomery Bus Boycott

a.a. In December of 1955, the NAACP In December of 1955, the NAACP took on segregation in the public took on segregation in the public transit system in Montgomery, transit system in Montgomery, Alabama. In the South, African-Alabama. In the South, African-Americans were required by law to Americans were required by law to sit in the “colored” section of the sit in the “colored” section of the bus. Blacks were also expected to bus. Blacks were also expected to give up their seats to white people give up their seats to white people if the bus got full. if the bus got full.

b.b. The African-American communities The African-American communities were beginning to organize well-were beginning to organize well-thought out ways to challenge the thought out ways to challenge the injustices black people faced. Many of injustices black people faced. Many of the leaders were ministers, such as Dr. the leaders were ministers, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As the elected Martin Luther King, Jr. As the elected leader of the Montgomery leader of the Montgomery Improvement Association, King sought Improvement Association, King sought to bring attention to segregation to bring attention to segregation through peaceful protests and civil through peaceful protests and civil disobedience.disobedience.

1)1) King was greatly King was greatly influenced by influenced by Mohandas K. Gandhi’s Mohandas K. Gandhi’s approach to gaining approach to gaining independence for independence for India from the British.India from the British.

2)2) Protests were Protests were designed to get news designed to get news coverage to bring the coverage to bring the issue to the attention issue to the attention to the whole country.to the whole country.

3)3) Civil disobedience is the Civil disobedience is the refusal to obey an unjust refusal to obey an unjust law. When practicing this law. When practicing this protest method, a protester protest method, a protester gets arrested in order to gets arrested in order to bring attention to the bring attention to the problem.problem.

c.c. Rosa Parks—an NAACP Rosa Parks—an NAACP secretary and seamstress—and secretary and seamstress—and three other African-Americans three other African-Americans were told by the bus driver to were told by the bus driver to surrender their seats to whites. surrender their seats to whites. Parks refused and was Parks refused and was arrested. Now the law could arrested. Now the law could be challenged in the court be challenged in the court system.system.

d.d. In response to Park’s arrest, In response to Park’s arrest, African-American leaders—many African-American leaders—many of whom were ministers like Dr. of whom were ministers like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—organized Martin Luther King, Jr.—organized a boycott of the Montgomery bus a boycott of the Montgomery bus system. To make the boycott system. To make the boycott work, it took a considerable work, it took a considerable amount of organization, including amount of organization, including arranging carpools to get people arranging carpools to get people to and from work.to and from work.

““ During the rush hours the sidewalks were During the rush hours the sidewalks were crowded with laborers and domestic crowded with laborers and domestic workers, many of them well past middle age, workers, many of them well past middle age, trudging patiently to their jobs and home trudging patiently to their jobs and home again, sometimes as much as twelve miles. again, sometimes as much as twelve miles. They knew why they walked, and the They knew why they walked, and the knowledge was evident in the way they knowledge was evident in the way they carried themselves. And as I watched them I carried themselves. And as I watched them I knew that there is nothing more majestic knew that there is nothing more majestic than the determined courage of individuals than the determined courage of individuals willing to suffer and sacrifice for their willing to suffer and sacrifice for their freedom and dignity.”freedom and dignity.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr.- Martin Luther King, Jr.

e.e. The boycott lasted 381 The boycott lasted 381 days. In 1956, due to the days. In 1956, due to the attention the boycott attention the boycott brought to the issue, the brought to the issue, the Supreme Court outlawed Supreme Court outlawed bus segregation.bus segregation.

f.f. The Montgomery Bus Boycott The Montgomery Bus Boycott was remarkable because it was remarkable because it showed how well leaders had showed how well leaders had organized the African-American organized the African-American community. The protests community. The protests remained peaceful, even after remained peaceful, even after King’s house was bombed.King’s house was bombed.