What was life like for Black Americans before Rosa Parks?Aims (pick which level your working at):

Grade G-D Work: Some evidence and explanation of different conditions faced by black people in USA before Rosa Parks.

Grade C/B: Detailed evidence and explanations of what USA was like for black Americans, laid out with historical

language/style evident.

Grade A/A*: Detailed analysis of the variety of conditions facing black Americans sourced from a range of locations and

all evidence entirely relevant and focused

StarterThis is a picture of Rosa Parks.

What do you think she did during 1955?

Rosa Parks – The Bus Boycott

Year 9 September - December: Controlled Assessment on USA (2

lessons a week) worth 25% of final grade. (examined early November in class)

What is a Controlled Assessment:?

• Controlled Assessments were introduced to replace coursework.

• They give you a chance to show off your historical skills and understanding away from the exam hall.

• It is marked out of 50 and worth 25% of your final grade.

• We shall spend 20 or so periods studying the role several different important people played in helping Black People to get Civil Rights in the USA.

• You will then have 8 hours (spread over several lessons) to answer a question set by the exam board.

• Unlike an exam you will: - Write it in the classroom- Have access to your notes - Be able to redraft it if you wish.- Only have to answer ONE question.

• It is a great chance to get some high marks on board early on in the course!

Big Question 1: What was America like for black people before Rosa Parks?

The economy during the 20’s

• Had been increasing in the 1920s• Better advertising• America has always been rich in natural

resources such as coal, iron, oil and fertile land.

• Industry improved – by 1929 America produced about 46% of the worlds industrial goods.

• There were 3 new industries- electricity, motor vehicles and chemicals.

HOWEVER – Jim Crow Laws

Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enacted in the Southern and border states of the United States and in

force between 1876 and 1964 that required racial segregation, especially of African-Americans, in all public

facilities.

                                                                 

Examples of segregation•1914: Louisiana required separate entrances for blacks and whites.

•1915: Oklahoma segregated telephone booths.

•1920: Mississippi made it a crime to advocate or publish “arguments or suggestions in favour of social equalities or of interracial between whites and Negro’s”.

•Arkansas had segregation at racetracks.

•Texas prohibited integrated boxing matches.

• Kentucky required separate schools, and also that no textbook would be issued to a black would ever be reissued or redistributed, they also prohibited interracial marriage.

• Georgia bared black ministers from performing a marriage between white couples.

• New Orleans created segregated red light districts for white and blacks prostitutes.

Discrimination

Schools, housing and jobs. Lynch Law

No change after WW1

‘Jim Crow’ an insulting term for a black person.

Separate hotels, restaurants, buses, water fountains etc.

KKK

The white hooded KKK burnt churches of the black population, murdered, raped, castrated etc and they were rarely caught as most senior law officers in the South were high ranking KKK men or sympathetic with their aims - which was a white protestant south. Even white people who had contacts with the blacks had reason to fear the KKK.

Only WASP’s could belong to it —  White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. It is a common myth that the KKK targeted only the Blacks - also hated were the Jews, Catholics, liberals etc but most hatred was directed against the poor black families in the south who were very vulnerable to attack.

Source Work:

• Using the sources provided.

Now ...• Write a detailed answer explaining the

different types of racism experienced by black people before WW2

• Include:• An introduction• 2 paragraphs supported by evidence

(aim for at least 3 sources). If you can, also try and add provenance connected to one source

• A conclusion

Plenary

• List 5 words you would use to describe life for Black Americans before Rosa Parks