Struggle for Civil Rights

1. Struggle for Civil Rights (TCI) Interactive Slide Lecture

2. I. Separate But Equal?

3. I. Separate But Equal? • Jim Crow laws • segregate all public facilities • 1896- Plessy V. Ferguson • “separate but equal” is lawful • 1954- Brown V. Board of Education , Topeka Kansas. • W/ help of NAACP case went to the S.C.

4. II. The Warren Court

5. II. The Warren Court • Thurgood Marshall- NAACP lawyer (later became a SC judge) argues for Brown family. • Separation disadvantaged blacks • Court decision unanimous • Striking down Plessy decision of 1896. • Ended legal foundation for segregation • Earl Warren- “segregation gave black children a feeling of “inferiority” & sep. schools were inherently unequal. • In 1946, as governor of CA, he signed legislation ending segregation (separate but equal) as a result of: • Mendez V. Westminster

6. III. Backlash to Brown

7. III. Backlash to Brown • Massive resistance to desegregation especially in the south • Civil rights leaders tested SC ruling • 1957- Central High School in Little Rock Arkansas. • “The Arkansas 9” • State Troopers stopped them from entering • Elizabeth Eckford Testimonial….. • Eisenhower sends federal troops escort black students.

8. IV. Segregated City Bus

9. IV. Segregated City Bus • Dec 1, 1955 Rosa Parks arrested in Montgomery Alabama • Blacks organized a boycott of buses • Emergence of MLK jr. • Lasted 54 weeks • Dec 21 1956, Supreme Court ruled that segregated city buses unconstitutional • Marked the beginning of a series of non-violent protests to end segregation.

10. V. Martin Luther King Jr

11. V. Martin Luther King Jr • Baptist minister from Atlanta • Went to college at 15 • PHD from Boston University • Middle Class religious family • Preached non- violent approach to protest (civil disobedience) • Influenced by Gandhi • Asked blacks adopt attitude of “Christian Love” • Tactics drew violent response from oppressors. • Approach designed to draw intense media attention • Images of protestors and their oppressors seen all over the country \ • Hoped images would elicit outrage over treatment of southern blacks • Put pressure on Fed. Gov’t to take action.

12. VI. Sit-Ins/Protests

13. VI. Sit-Ins/Protests • FEB 1960- Greensboro N.C. • 4 black college students • Woolworth’s lunch counter- ordered coffee • Denied service and stayed till store closed • 400 more by the end of the week • Sit ins spread to 7 other N.C. cities. • SNCC is formed- organizes sit ins in 100 cities • Student lead protest group • By end of 1960- 70,000 people involved in sit-ins • Protestors endured beatings, racial slurs and drinks & food poured onto them.

14. VII. Jim Crow in Bus terminals

15. VII. Jim crow in Bus Terminals • segregated waiting rooms, ticket counters, bathrooms, drinking fountains • Constant reminders of inequality • After Montgomery, SC outlawed seg. In bus terminals • But in the south, ruling was ignored and executive branch did nothing to enforce the law

16. VIII. Freedom Riders

17. VIII. Freedom Rides • May 1961- organized by CORE • Congress Of Racial Equality • Blacks and Whites • 3 week bus trip through south • Washington DC to New Orleans • Goal was to publicize lack of compliance of desegregation in public transportation (Jim Crow) • After 10 days- bus is firebombed in Alabama • riders beaten • 1 man spent rest of his life in a wheelchair • 1000 angry whites waited in Montgomery, not 1 policeman • Attny General Bobby Kennedy • First tried to persuade freedom riders to stop tactic • When they refused, he forced the Interstate Commerce Commission/bus companies to comply with federal law.

18. IX. Violence in Birmingham

19. IX. Violence in Birmingham • Birmingham, Alabama – 1963-64 • police known for racism and brutality. • Most segregated city in south • Also scene of the most notorious white southern reaction to CRM • MLK organized protests in B-Ham, • Goal was to provoke violent reaction from police force which would be filmed by TC crews • Eugene “Bull” Conner used brutal attacks, dogs, water cannons against peaceful protestors • Created a Media Frenzy • MLK and 100’s jailed (famous letter)

20. X. Civil Rights and T.V.

21. X. Civil Rights and T.V. • B-ham protests and reactions shown on T.V. nightly and seen by millions • JFK sent federal mediators • In the end whites agree to integrate and hire more blacks • KKK members bomb 16thst. Baptist Church in B-Ham • 4 children die in explosion

22. Warm Up #3 • Do you think King’s use of non-violent protest was effective? Why or why not? • Why was Television so vital to King’s Tactics?

23. XI. March on Washington 1963

24. XI. March on Washington 1963 • Shortly after B-ham JFK sponsors Comprehensive CR Bill to congress • The bill outlawed disc. in • Hotels, restaurants, employment and unions • Designed to speed up school desegregation • Remove last barrier to black voting rights • Stiff opposition from southern congressmen • Fearing the bill would die in Congress, CR leaders organized massive march to support the bill • Kennedy feared it would hurt the cause

25. XI. March On Washington 1963

26. XI. March On Washington 1963 • 250,000 gather in Washington • 8/3/1963 “I have a Dream” -MLK

27. XII. Johnson and Civil Rights

28. XII. Johnson and Civil Rights • JFK Dies 11/22/63- - CRM loses great ally • LBJ promises to pick up where JFK left off • Moved quickly so secure passage of CR bill • Rallied public support for CRM • Directed Bill through 2 month filibuster! • 1964- signed Civil Rights Act into law • Most significant piece of CR legislation • Prohibited segregation in public facilities • Outlawed literacy tests and illegal voting standards • Prohibited disc. In employment and labor

29. XIII. March on Selma

30. XIII. March on Selma • Freedom Summer- black voter registration campaign (1964) • 100’s of northern college Ss come to help register black voters • 80,000 register in Mississippi • Jan. 1965 MLK comes to Selma, Alabama. • To bring attention to denial of black voting rights • 5 day march from Selma to Montgomery • 50,000 participate. • 3 ½ months later – Voting Rights Act signed

31. XIV. Malcolm

32. XIV. Malcolm X • After prison, joined Black Muslim Organization/Church • Became a leader and a national speaker • Different approach to CRM than MLK: • Black Nationalism • Preached separation, not integration. • Black owned Business and political institutions • Pride in Culture and Heritage • Fight back, with violence if necessary • “By any means Necessary” • Many Black commuities embrace Black Nationalism • 1963- X was excommunicated from his Church • FEB 1965 Assassinated

33. XV. Protest through Riots

34. XV. Protest through Riots • CRM had little change to daily lives especially in North • Unemployment ,High Crime rate, Undesirable urban conditions • Aug of 1965- Watts riots • 6 days of rioting, 35 dead, $200 mil in damage. • 1965 and 1966- New York, Chicago San Francisco • 1967- 67 other cities • Johnson creates the “KernerComission” to look into the cause. • Conclusion: lack of opportunity caused anger, hopelessness and violence . • For many urban African- Americans, Black Nationalism/Black Power Message seemed far more relevant to the philosophies of MLK.

35. Huey Newton- The Black Panther Party

36. Huey Newton- The Black Panther Party • Oakland, CA- late 1960’s • Put Black Power ideas into practice • Self defense, black pride, political and economic independence etc. • Schools to teach black history, literacy • Breakfast programs for children • Voter Registration • Patrolled their own neighborhoods (with weapons) • By mid 1970’s movement died down • Many leaders jailed, harassed by police or dead • Some improvements were realized • Presence pressured gov’t officials to address problems of urban blacks

37. XVII. Assassination of MLK

38. XVII. Assassination of MLK • April 4, 1968…Memphis Tennessee • by James Earl Ray