All men are created equal…

1. All men are created equal… The Civil Rights Movement

2. What was life like for African Americans? • Jim Crow • DE JURE - sanctioned by law vs. DE FACTO – unwritten customs or traditions segregation • Public Lynching • Sharecropping • Northern Ghettos • Higher rates of poverty and illiteracy as well as lower rates of homeownership and life expectancy

3. Why now? Why the 1950’s? • Public sacrifice in two wars (not including service in the American Revolution and the Civil War): still no rights at home… • Ability to participate in the Olympics but FDR wouldn’t even shake Jesse Owen’s hand • A. Philip Randolph(1941) – WWII labor rights • Lead march on Washington that pushed through #8802 – banned discrimination in defense industries • Legacy of the Hypocrisy = Jews? • Continuation of the woman’s movement

4. Inspiration Comes in All Forms • An American Dilemma by Gunnar Myrdal – shown a light on prejudice in the forefront of American consciousness • Mohandas Gandhi • Indian leader who used nonviolence to protest the British control of India • Henry David Thoreau • author, poet, abolitionist, and promoter of civil disobedience to an unjust state • 1940s – creation of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) • Founded by James Farmer • Focused on using non-violent methods to gain civil rights • Executive Order #9981 – desegregation of the armed forces

5. Key Leaders in the Early Civil Rights Movement • Booker T. Washington – Patience to equality • WEB DuBois – Equality NOW • Marcus Garvey – Back to Africa Movement • NAACP (1909) – Housing, Voting, Anti-Lynching

6. Early Supreme Court Battles • NAACP wants legal battles • Thurgood Marshall (1st African American on the Court 1967) leads the charge • Sweatt v. Painter (1950) • Separate wasn’t creating equality in higher education • Texas created a separate but not equal Black law school • McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents (1950) • If separate not possible, equal must be followed

7. The Big One: Brown v. Board (1954) • May 1954 • 9-0 ruling, separate is inherently unequal • Chief Justice Earl Warren – wrote the decision for the case • BROWN II – follow up ruling schools to desegregate “with all deliberate speed” across the nation

8. The Backlash • The Emmett Till Case, 1955 • Proves White racism can operate with impunity and without any fear of the justice system • Anger replaces fear • Rallies African Americans to action • His mother made sure that that body was shown in an open casket…why? • The two men charged with the crime were found not guilty by an all white jury

9. Continuing Racism • “The Southern Manifesto” 1956 – 100 Congressman vow to oppose the ruling of Brown v. Board • KKK becomes more active • White Citizens’ Councils vow to fight integration • Used political and economic pressure against those who favored integration

10. The Infamous Arrest, 1955 • In Montgomery, Alabama 2/3 of the bus riders were black • According to Jim Crow laws, they had to sit in the back or give up seats to white riders if the bus was full • Rosa Parks • 1 December 1955 she refused to give up her seat to a white man on the bus • She was arrested and charged • African American leaders in the community met to discuss what to do

11. Montgomery Bus Boycott • 5 December 1955 – African Americans boycotted the busses • 40,000 African Americans walked, biked, or carpooled to work for 382 days (this lasted longer than the Berlin Airlift) • Bus companies lost significant money • Bus segregation law was finally lifted • Martin Luther King Jr. is going to emerge as an effective leader during this time

12. Little Rock 1957 • Arkansas Gov. OrvalFaubus refuses integration (state’s rights vs. federal rights) • Orders the state national guard to refuse entrance of the students • Mob supports the governor • People from all over the country stand in front of Central High School to protest the integration of the students • Eisenhower forces integration with the 101st Airborne

13. The World Watched…

14. The 101st are brought in

15. Civil Rights Act of 1957 • Ike created US Civil Rights Commission to investigate racial violations in states • Used Federal power to protect voting rights of African Americans • This was the first Civil Rights act passes by Congress since Reconstruction

16. The Emergence of a Leader: Martin Luther King Jr.

17. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Civil Rights Movement • One of the most famous leaders of the Civil Rights movement • 1955 he become involved in the Montgomery Bus Boycott • The national start to his Civil Rights career • Promoted desegregation through peace • Named Time’s Man of the Year in 1963 • Youngest individual to ever win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964

18. The Philosophy of the Movement: Civil Disobedience • 1957 MLK and Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) • SCLC founded by MLK and Ralph Abernathy • Black Churches led protests with Gandhi’s successful philosophy • Nonviolent civil disobedience • Urged African Americans to avoid hating whites, to work towards unity • Media covered the protests, viewers saw the daily inequities suffered by Southern African Americans • Televised violence led to mass public sympathy

19. The Sit-In Movement • Inspired by non-violence, students break color barriers of Jim Crow • 1960 – Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, NC • Four college students ordered coffee and doughnuts and were refused service, so they sat at the counter until closing • Spurred other sit-ins, wade-ins, and read-ins across the South

21. Integrating High Education • Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was formed in 1960 • Founded by Elle Baker at Shaw University • Goal was to create a grass-roots movement that involved all classes of African Americans in the struggle to defeat racism • Joined with CORE to promote civil disobedience in schools • Want future leaders and push enrolling illegally • NAACP used legal means • 1961 – University of Georgia is forced to accept two African American students

22. Freedom Rides • 1961 – CORE sponsored test of bus integration in the South from Boynton v. Virginia (1960) • They defied lawful segregation by using “white” restrooms and sat at the front of the bus • Buses were bombed and the riders attacked

24. JFK Forced to Act • To stop the violence, JFK orders Federal Transportation Commission (FTC) to desegregate interstate transportation • Reached an agreement with Mississippi’s leaders • Police and state troopers would protect the riders • In return, JFK would not intervene with Mississippi authorities arrested the activists and jailed them for disturbing the peace

25. James Meredith • Meredith was ex-Army Air Corp • 1962 – Meredith enrolls in all white Ole Miss law school • Gov. Ross Barnett won’t integrate • Medgar Evers and NAACP won court case to force him • White mob tries to stop, Fed. Marshals sent in by JFK • By the time the rioting ended, 160 people were injured and 2 had been killed • He graduated from Ole Miss in 1963 and pursued a law degree at Columbia University

26. The Price of the Struggle • Evers was shot and killed – 1963 • Meredith was shot and wounded - 1966

27. A Challenge to the Capital of Segregation • Birmingham, Alabama • 1963 - SCLC marches (against the law) Good Friday • Eugene “Bull” Connor used dogs and hoses on young marchers

28. Eugene “Bull” Connor

29. A Promise of Equality from the President • In wake of Birmingham, JFK promised Federal changes and help • African American groups coordinate to march on DC to press for change • 11 June 1963 – JFK called civil rights a “moral issue” and he stated unequivocally that the nation had an obligation to “fulfill its promise” of giving all Americans “equal rights and equal opportunities”

30. March on Washington • More than 20,000 Black and White Americans celebrated with joyous songs, prayers, and speeches • March was lead by group of important clergymen, civil rights leaders, and politicians • Tension between the patient old guard and frustrated, bolder youth activists • MLK’s “I Have a Dream” Speech was the highlight of the event

31. Tragedy Destroys the Hope • In revenge for Birmingham and DC marches, Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church is bombed • 4 children killed • 22 November 1963 - JFK assassinated in Dallas, Texas • LBJ is sworn in as president

32. Civil Rights Act of 1964 • Banned segregation in public facilities • Allowed Justice Dept. to prosecute discrimination • Created Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Southern Democrats Tried to Filibuster the Act. Strom Thurmond read a phone book for 24 hours!!!