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Some background: Plessy v. Ferguson 1896 court case – said laws segregation was legal, so long as the facilities are “equal.”. De-Jure Segregation – Segregation that was mandated by law. De-Facto Segregation – Segregation that occurred even though it wasn’t illegal.
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Some background: Plessy v. Ferguson 1896 court case – said laws segregation was legal, so long as the facilities are “equal.”
De-Jure Segregation – Segregation that was mandated by law. De-Facto Segregation – Segregation that occurred even though it wasn’t illegal. The Fight Against Segregation NAACP – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People – supported court cases that limited segregation CORE – Congress of Racial Equality – Organized sit-ins to try and desegregate restaurants.
1955 – Rosa Parks refuses to give her seat up to a white man and is arrested for violating Montgomery Alabama law.
Montgomery Bus Boycott • Montgomery civil rights leaders, including a young Martin Luther King Jr., organize a boycott of Montgomery’s buses. Boycott lasted a year, Supreme Court ruled that laws requiring segregation on buses were unconstitutional.
Brown vs. the Board of Education (1954) – Ruled that the segregation of Public Schools was unconstitutional – violated 14th amendment.
Crisis in Little Rock 1957- Little Rock Arkansas forced to integrate schools. Governor of Arkansas sent in Arkansas National Guard to prevent integration. Eisenhower responds to sending in Army to force the issue. “DO WHAT I SAY” -Ike
Civil Rights Act of 1957: Created a civil rights division within department of justice – gave federal government more authority to enforce voting rights. Created Commission on Civil Rights to investigate allegations of denial of voting rights.
James Meredith, escorted to school by army in Mississippi. Police use fire hoses against non-violent protestors in Birmingham. Events such as the continued resistance to integration in education led to organized protests in Birmingham Alabama, led by Martin Luther King Police response was brutal and often violent. MLK – Letter from a Birmingham Jail
To rally support for a new civil rights bill, MLK organized a march on Washington in late 1963. There he gave his famous “I have a dream” speech.
Major Civil Rights Legislation: • Civil Rights Act of 1964 • Made segregation illegal in most public places of accommodation • Gave citizens equal access to restaurants, parks, libraries, and theaters. • Created Equal Opportunity Employment Commission – monitored job discrimination. • Voting Rights Act of 1965 • Allowed the Federal government to get involved in voting registration – helped eliminate discrimination in voting.
The Other Alternative: Black Nationalism and the Nation of Islam Nation of Islam – led by Elija Muhammed – advocated black nationalism, not necessarily focused on Islam. Believed African Americans should separate from whites. Did not advocate violence, but did advocate self defense. Malcolm X – prominent member of Nation of Islam. Left group in 1964.
Assassination of Martin Luther King: April 4, 1968 – Memphis Tennessee http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nfLvFC-Olc MLK’s last speech … eeerie foreshadowing
Not Just in the North: Eyes on the Prize – Boston Busing