The Civil Rights Era

1. The Civil Rights Era • Student made

2. The Beginning • Ever since slavery began, there have been racist feeling toward the African American race • The black people were forced to work on plantations and considered subhuman and could be bought and sold as property With these activities and feeling going around, it is no surprise that the black people were still harshlydiscriminated against after they were freed • They were not allowed to vote and didn't hold any civil rights • Even after amendments to the constitution let them vote, many scared the brave black voters by beating and killing them • Of course, many black and white people had tried to end discrimination but it had never gained much support until the early 1950's • This is around the time that groups of brave African Americans held protests and spoke out against racists • Great leaders began to emerge such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks • Though the courts, the black people got schools unsegregated and bus seats open to anyone

3. Continuationof The Beginning • However all of these protests held took a great amount of bravery because hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan were trying to scare the black people away from anything that would gain them equality in society • These groups, along with angry white mobs, violently attacked any African Americans that took a stand and fought slavery • Eventually, the bravery of the black people paid of and segregation was abolished • However, they fight for equality was not over • The majority of white people still had racist feeling against blacks and stopped them from getting a good education and a well paying job • The fight for equality is not over, but with the courage of people like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and many other, we have come a long way. • Ku Klux Klan • Targets mostly blacks but also Roman Catholics and Jews • Marched through towns with their pointed hoods making threats against people they disliked • Burned crosses on lawns • Beat, mutilated, and killed anyone they considered "subhuman • Bombed black churches and other buildings • Tried to keep black from voting and try to deter and stop all civil rights movements • Controlled many people through fear

4. Important People • Malcolm X • His father was murdered by the KKK and his mother had a nervous breakdown so he was an orphan • He became a prominent spokes person for the Black Muslims in 1960 • In 1963, when he said the death of president Kennedy was like "the chickens coming home to roost", he was "kicked out" of the group • 1964 he founded the Organization of African American Unity • He was on the radio, television, and made public appearances to try and gain support and revolutionize the way racism was fought • He was more extreme than other MLK and sometimes called other black leaders of being "unwitting tools of the white liberals"Rosa Parks • Famous for staying at the front of the bus when a white person told her to move • She was "tired of being told what to do” • Arrested for her actions • Her actions resulted in the bus boycott lead by MLK

5. Continuation of Important People • Lost her job and had to move • She worked as a fundraiser for the NAACP • Before the bus incident she had been a secretary for the NAACP • Had tried to vote before but was deterredDr. Martin Luther King Jr. • Most famous for his "I have a dream speech" in which almost 200,000 people attended in 1963 • Before his speech, he founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which aimed to stop racial segregation • He wanted to have nonviolent ways of fighting discrimination In 1959, he studied with Ghandi and his principles of nonviolent persuasion • He lead many boycotts, marches, and speeches to rally support and end segregation • One of the most powerful and influential leaders in the fight against racism and segregation

6. Segregation and discrimination • Segregation became a way of life for the people in the South • Colored people were not allowed to use the same facilities as the white people (bathrooms, drinking fountains, schools etc.) • Supremacy groups such as the KKK, destroyed Negro property and burned crosses to demoralize the African Americans • hardly any African Americans voted due to pressure from hateful whites • Blacks usually lived in the “lesser” parts of town, because they were not allowed into the usually nicer white areas • Little Rock 9 was 9 black students attended an all white school, they were viciously attacked by their peers; Military troops had to assist the children school • KKK members bombed a church on Sunday; it killed 4 school girls • Black people began to fight back • 1955-Montgomery Bus Boycott- Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus; she was arrested and the Negroes began to boycott public buses • Blacks formed organized sit-ins to negatively impact the stores that didn’t serve them (blacks) • Freedom Riders-They were people who traveled on buses and emphasized the blacks right to vote; many were beaten and almost burned to death

7. The Movement • African Americans eagerly defended themselves from segregation • Martin Luther King Jr. gave speeches to rally up fellows citizens, and protest against discrimination • NAACP wins Brown vs. Board of Education-1954 (Linda Brown) • 1957- Dr. King forms SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) to help with better coordination of civil rights groups • In the early 1960’s, the groups helped end segregation in many restaurants, stores, schools and public buildings • Dr. King made his famous “I have a dream” speech • Blacks begin to make improvements in governmental and social status • Jackie Robinson became the first African American professional baseball player-1947 • 1950-Ralph J. Bunche was the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize • 1967-Thurgood Marshall-he was first black Supreme Court Justice • Discrimination and segregation finally began to clear