The Civil Rights Struggle

1. The Civil Rights Struggle Ch. 21, Sec 1, 2, 3

2. Civil Rights movement began with end of Civil War. • Accelerated after WWII. • Several factors contributed to civil rights movement. • African American Migration-after Civil War, large movement from south to northern cities; alliances with political machines. • New Deal-Democrats went after black votes, blacks in prominent gov’t positions. • World War II-Black workers gained political power due to need for labor; Holocaust opened eyes to discrimination. • Rise of the NAACP-challenged segregation laws, Plessy v. Ferguson, won small victories that began to snowball.

5. Brown v. Board of Education • NAACP’s biggest case. • 1951-Oliver Brown sued Topeka, Kansas Board of Education to allow 8 year old daughter to attend nearby all-white school. • Bussed to distant all-black school. • Through appeals process, case reached US Supreme Court. • May 17, 1954- Supreme Court issued ruling on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas case.

6. Oliver Brown

7. Unanimous decision-Court ruled that “separate but equal” unconstitutional, could not be applied to public education. • Separate was inherently unequal. • Local school boards must desegregate with all deliberate speed. • Reactions to decision mixed. • Black citizens happy, white citizens either happy, okay if desegregation was peaceful, or very angry. • Ike privately disagreed, but swore to obey. • Southern whites very resistant. • Georgia governor Herman Talmadge promised no segregation, KKK became more active. • 90 southern congressmen signed Southern Manifesto, stating that Court ruling violated states’ rights.

10. Talmadge

12. Montgomery Bus Boycott • Southern buses segregated: white in front, black in back. • Expected to give up seats if white section full. • Montgomery, Alabama, December 1955-Rosa Parkssat at front of black section. • White man got on, no seats, driver ordered Parks to get up; she refused, even when threatened with arrest. • Parks arrested, ordered to stand trial for violation of segregation laws.

16. Montgomery civil rights leaders organized Montgomery bus boycott. • No black citizens ride buses until company changes policy. • Rev. Martin Luther King became spokesman for boycott. • Majority of black citizens in Montgomery boycotted buses. • Bus company lost money, refused to change policy until Supreme Court ruled bus segregation unconstitutional. • Boycott encouraged civil rights leaders.

20. Little Rock, Arkansas • 1957-Arkansas Governor OrvilFaubus decided he couldn’t keep order he had to enforce integration. • Bringing together different races. • Sent in Arkansas National Guard to Central High School in Little Rock to turn away 9 black students. • Challenge to Supreme Court & Constitution. • Ike federalized (put under federal control)AR National Guard, sent in 101st Airborne to enforce integration. • Showed USA that Ike would follow Court decision.

21. Gov. OrvilFaubus

24. Hispanics also suffered under segregation. • TX-Delgado v. Bastrop ISD-segregation of Hispanic kids in schools illegal. • League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) led many cases to end segregation against Hispanics.

25. Civil Rights Leaders • Civil Rights movement was grass-roots; no central organization coordinating. • Many people, organizations worked together in struggle. • National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) • Led the way in Brown v. Board of Education. • Challenged laws preventing black citizens from exercising rights. • Pushed anti-lynching bills. • Challenged segregation laws. • Appealed to educated, middle & upper class blacks, liberal whites.

27. National Urban League. • Focused on economic issues. • Helped southern blacks moving into northern cities find homes, jobs, receive fair treatment at work. • Helped immigrant families as well. • Insisted that black factory workers have opportunity to learn skills that could lead to promotion.

29. Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). • Interracial, like NAACP. • Focused on bringing about change through peaceful confrontation. • Demonstrated in WWII against segregation in Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Detroit. • All groups advocated nonviolence, as violence would hurt cause.

31. 1957-Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leader began Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). • Shifted focus of resistance to southern states. • Dr. King emerged in major leadership role. • Followed Gandhi’s practice of nonviolent resistance. • Do not resist, even if attacked. • King gained national reputation due to Montgomery Bus Boycott. • Involved in every major civil rights event, earned Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

34. College students played big role in movement. • 1960-SCLC began Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in Raleigh, NC. • Helped students get more involved in struggle. • Where older organizations wanted slow and steady change, SNCC pushed for more radical change faster. • Well-suited to student youth and energy. • SNCC members more willing to take risks, face anger of white society.

36. Tensions escalate • CORE & SNCC began campaign of sit-ins. • Occupy public place and force owners to serve or have disruption & loss of trade. • Sit-ins at lunch counters, restaurants, cafes. • Thousands involved all over South. • Often faced violence from patrons, owners, public; almost always arrested. • King told SNCC members that arrest was “badge of honor”. • In 1960, 70,000 participated in sit-ins, 3,600 served time.

39. 1960-Boynton v. Virginia desegregated bus station terminals & cafes. • Interstate buses already desegregated. • 1961-CORE & SNCC tested new law with Freedom Rides. • Ride buses from north into south, eat & rest at desegregated terminals. • 13 black & white riders on two buses. • In Alabama, armed mob met buses. • Slashed tires, burned buses. • CORE begged SNCC Riders to quit, but they refused.

43. Riders were arrested repeatedly as they moved south. • US was shocked at treatment of Riders. • Gov’t sent Federal Marshalls to accompany later Riders. • Due to Riders, Interstate Commerce Commission desegregated all interstate transportation. • Buses, planes, trains. • Communities that did not comply sued in federal court.

45. “Ole Miss” • 1961-James Meredith wanted to transfer from Jackson State college to all-white U. of Miss. • Application rejected, NAACP sued that he was denied based on race. • Supreme Court sided with Meredith. • Miss. Governor Ross Barnett personally blocked door, said no way. • JFK sent Federal Marshalls to let him in. • White mob rioted, destroyed cop cars. • 2 killed, hundreds hurt; JFK sent in troops to restore order. • Marshalls escorted Meredith for months to class.

48. Meredith was later shot on a civil rights march.

49. Birmingham • April 1963, King and SCLC went to Birmingham, AL. • 40% black, “most segregated city in USA”. • SCLC planned boycotts, sit-ins, attempts to integrate local churches. • King said he planned to stay as long as it took. • During protest marches, Police Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor arrested King, others. • In jail, King wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail” • Said that action must happen, if we wait, then desegregation will never happen.