Civil Rights Movement

1. Expansion & Challenges Civil Rights Movement

2. Voting Issues • Voter Education Project (VEP) • Founded by SNCC & CORE ’62 • Registered blacks to vote > lots of opposition • Greatest challenge = Mississippi > terror tactics • 24th Amendment • Banned taxes on citizens who vote • Freedom Summer 1964 • College students registered African Americans (mostly SNCC volunteers) • Volunteers mainly white, northern & upper middle class • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gYKcZCWv-w • Education equality • Mississippi spent $82/year on white students vs. $22/ year on black students

3. Mississippi • Crisis in Mississippi • 1 volunteer went missing June ’64 • 3 others were arrested for speeding after investigating a church bombing • After arrest, they were never heard from again • LBJ announced major manhunt > bodies found • Results • Dec. ’64, 21 suspects were arrested for murder (most were KKK members) • State dropped charges but put on federal trial for violation of civil rights • *1st time conviction in Mississippi for killing civil rights workers • Freedom Summer was a success despite murder • Taught 3000+ students & registered 17,000 to vote

4. Selma Campaign • Jan. ’65 MLK campaigned for voting with marches • By end of Jan, 2000+ marchers were arrested but police acted with restraint • MLK & marchers gained national attention on TV • MLK announced a 4-day march from Selma to Montgomery to protest death of a marcher by state troopers • http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/15/us/1965-selma-to-montgomery-march-fast-facts/ • Gov. George Wallace said march wouldn’t be tolerated • Mar. 7, 1965, 600 began 54-mile march on bridge outside Selma but police blocked • Police fired on marchers (shown on TV) • MLK not present at march but vowed to resume march

5. Legislation • Civil Rights Act of 1964 • Initiated by JFK but passed by LBJ • No discrimination in public areas or employment • No unequal voting requirements • Voting Rights Act of 1965 • No literacy (or other types of tests) to prevent black voters • *1 of most important pieces of Civil Rights legislation • Within 3 weeks of passage, 27,000+ African Americans in Mississippi, Alabama & Louisiana were registered to vote

6. Segregation & Unrest • De jure segregation • Segregation by law • Ends when laws that created it are repealed • De facto segregation • Exists thru custom & practice • *More difficult to overcome • Ex: Blacks couldn’t buy / rent in white neighborhoods; banks made loans difficult • Watts 1965 • 35,000 took part in 6-day riot destroying entire city blocks • 3000 arrested, 34 killed • Detroit July 1967 • Week of violence • 43 deaths, 1000s of injuries & arrests • Kerner Commission • Investigated causes of violence • *Blamed poverty & discrimination

8. Fractures in the Movement • Most whites saw the civil rights movement as unified but it was actually very diverse • 1st signs of trouble = Freedom Summer 1964 because as harassment of CORE/SNCC workers in Mississippi increased, some rejected philosophy of non-violence • Also weakened when NAACP, CORE & SCLC favored compromise at MFDP while SNCC felt betrayed

9. Black Power Movement • May 1966 • Stokely Carmichael replaced moderate leadership of John Lewis as head of SNCC • Carmichael abandoned the philosophy of non-violence • March Against Fear 1966 > after arrested, he raised a clenched fist in salute & shouted defiance • Slogan became: Black Power • Carmichael • Recognized the need for economic & political power • “This is the twenty-seventh time I have been arrested - & I ain’t going to jail no more. The only way we’re going to stop them white men from whippin’ us is to take over. We been saying freedom for 6 years - & we ain’t got nothin’. What we gonna start now is ‘Black Power.” – Stokely Carmichael June 17, 1966

11. Black Panthers • Black Power appealed to many young African Americans • Inspired by Huey Newton & Bobby Seale who founded Black Panthers Party Oct. 1966 • They rejected nonviolence & called for a violent revolution as a means to liberation • Some carried guns & monitored neighborhoods against police brutality • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F56O3kZ9qr0

12. Black Muslims • 1 of largest & most influential groups was the Nation of Islam • Based on Islamic religion, it was founded in 1930 & members were Black Muslims • Led by Elijah Muhammad who taught the message of black nationalism, self-discipline & self-reliance • Nation of Islam forbade smoking, gambling, alcohol & stressed cleanliness, thriftiness, & conservative dress • In the 1960s, they had 65,000 followers

13. Malcolm X • Fiery minister of Black Muslims • Offered message of hope, defiance & black pride • Initially critical of MLK & nonviolence but in 1964, he broke with the Black Muslims & after visiting an Islamic holy site in Saudi Arabia, became a changed man • He preached black power but cooperated with other civil rights leaders & called for racial harmony • Feb. 1965 Malcolm X was assassinated by Black Muslims for being a “traitor”

16. Assassination of MLK Jr. • MLK realized economic issues needed to be included • Went to Memphis, TN in March ’68 to help city workers in march against discrimination & pay • He led a march & rally at City Hall • The next day, James Earl Ray shot & killed MLK Jr. with a high-powered rifle as he stood on the balcony of a motel • Within hours of MLK Jr.’s death, riots erupted in 120+ cities • Within 3 weeks, 46 were dead, 2,600 were injured, & 21,000 were arrested • Nearly 55,000 troops were required to restore order