CIVIL SOCIETY PROTEST 1950S TO 1990S:
The American Civil Rights
Movement
(Source-based question)
DEFINITIONS
Segregation: the racial separation of all public amenities
Supreme Court: the highest court in the U.S.; its function is to make sure that all state and
federal laws are in line with the principles set out in the Constitution
Federal government: the central national government in Washington DC
Civil disobedience: Peaceful protest in which people violate laws they think are unfair or
unconstitutional
• Sheriffs: government officials acting on behalf of the courts to make sure that federal
laws are met in every state
THE ORIGIN AND REASONS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
IN THE USA (BACKGROUND INFORMATION ONLY)
During the American Civil War, African-Americans were released
New laws gave them their voting rights
Whites in the southern states still made sure the rights of African-Americans were deprived
Legislation took away African-Americans' voting rights
Strict segregation laws were promulgated
Ku Klux Klan white secret association used violence and fear to enforce the segregation laws
•
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NAACP
The NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) was
established in 1909
They fought against segregation and discrimination
During World War II, many African-Americans worked in war industries
More than 1 million African-Americans have fought in the U.S. military
• After the war, African-Americans were determined to put an end to
• segregation
BROWN AGAINST THE EDUCATION COUNCIL
OF TOPEKA COURT CASE
• In 1950, the NAACP challenged the public education
• sector in a court case
• Brown against the Education Council of Topeka
• The local school in Topeka refused that a black learner be enrolled in the white
primary school
• The NCAAP referred the case to the Supreme Court
• 1954 -Verdict: Segregation in the public education system is illegal
• In terms of the ruling, most schools and public amenities remained segregated
•
THE ROLE, IMPACT AND INFLUENCE
OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR
Martin Luther King was a member of the NAACP
His involvement in the Montgomery bus boycott made him a hero
Was in favor of non-violent protest
He founded the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Goal: To train civil rights activists to deal with police, and media
Brilliant public speaker speeches focus on impunity, prejudice and protest
Philosophy: Civil disobedience (non-violent protest)
Believed that black people and white people could live together in equality and friendship
Many times, arrested during his campaigns
• Received Nobel Peace Prize in 1964
THE INFLUENCE OF (GANDHI) AND PASSIVE RESISTANCE
Martin Luther King's policy of non-violent resistance was influenced by
the philosophy of Mahatma Ghandi
Ghandi stayed in South Africa for 20 years
He led non-violent protests against the discrimination of the Indian
community
After his return to India- he used non-violent resistance against the
British rule too
Ghandi's tactics: strikes, marches and refusal to obey unfair laws
• India independently acquired india in 1974
FORMS OF PROTEST BY CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE:
Beliefs and actions of the Civil Rights Movement
Non-violent protest by acts of civil disobedience
Mass action through various forms of
peaceful resisting
Marches
Newspaper petitions
Sitting Strikes
Songs
• Voter Registration Campaigns
1 Dec 1955:Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a
white man
Open challenge of the segregation laws
She was arrested violating a segregation law
The black community boycotted the city's bus service
MONTGOMERY The Montgomery Improvement Association (HIA) is
BUS BOYCOTT formed
1955, SIT-, Martin Luther King minister of Montgomery –first
PROTEST president of MIA
MARCHES
Boycott lasts a year
Bus company loses 65% of its revenue
White racists set churches on fire in the black
communities
SUPREME COURT RULING ON THE ROSA
PARKS CASE
Success:
Segregation on buses is against the Constitution of the US
• Rosa parks have inspired others to stand up for their rights
SIT-INS AND OTHER FORMS OF PROTEST
By the end of the 1950s, Afro—Americans were frustrated about slow change
Black and white student supported the SNCC (Student Non-violent Co-ordinating Committee)
1960 :SNCC students held a "sit-ins at Woolworths Greensboro" at a dinner counter in the
department store-4 students refused to move until they were served
Black student was not allowed to use the restaurant facilities
Sit-ins- spread further to other states- non-violence action resulted into insults and attacks from
whites
70,000 student join protect action followed : "kneel -ins, read- ins", wade-ins at public pools" etc..
• Public support for desegregation increase-in Nashville and many Southern towns- desegregated
public facilities accrued
“FREEDOM RIDERS"
Thousands of black and white people have engaged in non-violent civil
disobedience
Claim desegregation of public amenities
Other Civil Rights activists have become "freedom riders" on interstate buses
Hope of integration of buses and bus stations in the southern states
Goal with freedom riders: Seek media attention to force the federal government
to do more for civil rights
• Many of the freedom riders were assaulted by angry whites
"FREEDOM SUMMER OF 1964"
James Meredith black student is enrolled at University of Mississippi
Upon arrival, he is attacked by thousands of white student and angry white
residents
50,000 Army troops are sent to restore the order
In the "Freedom Summer of 1964, black and white Civil Rights members went
to Mississippi to open "Freedom Schools"
• African-Americans were encouraged to register as voters
SUCCESS OF "FREEDOM
SCHOOLS"
60,000 new black voters registered
Success: from the Freedom riders
INTERSTATE BUS SYSTEM IS
DESEGREGATED
LINCOLN MEMORIAL MARCH: 28 AUGUST1963
Civil rights members held massive protest marches
in the capital – Washington DC
250,000 protest attendees
At the Lincoln Memorial Stone- claim total racial
equality ;civil rights and job for all
• Peacefully March
SUCCESS OF THE
LINCOLN MEMORIAL
MARCH
Martin Luther's speech: "I have a dream"
The support for the Civil Rights Movement
has grown
•
BIRMINGHAM CAMPAIGN
Birmingham police and Police Chief Bull Connor were known for their racism
They also had ties to the Ku Klux Klan
King arranges a march in Birmingham
Goal: To draw attention to ongoing segregation in Birmingham
Police use violence to suppress the peaceful protest:
Electric cattle shock sticks, dogs and fire hoses
1000 Protesters Are Arrested—Including Martin Luther King
Tensions remained—September 1963, four black children were killed in a
church by a Ku Klux Klan—bomb
•
BIRMINGHAM CAMPAIGN
SUCCESS: BIRMINGHAM CAMPAIGN
President Kennedy ordered the
protesters to be released
• Segregation is ended
SELMA MONTGOMERY MARCHES;
7 March 1965, the Civil Rights Movement arranged a march in Selma, Montgomery
Selma was known for his racist and brutal sheriff- Jim Clark
Only 2.4% of African-Americans were registered
Although the march was banned from Selma to Montgomery, it continued
• 600 Protesters Were Brutally Attacked by Police : Bloody Sunday
• 9 March second March planned but was banned-confronted with state troopers
• Protesters return back
• 21 March 1965 3rd march organized declared as legal –march successful
SUCCESS OF THE SELMA MONTGOMERY
MARCHES
Support for the Civil Rights Movement has grown
African-Americans have registered in Selma
• 6 August 1965 Voting Rights Act was sign by President
Johnson
SCHOOL DESEGREGATION: CASE STUDY
(LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS)
Despite the Supreme Court ruling in 1954, segregation was
still present in the public school system of the southern states
Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas was one of the
best schools in the south
1957 saw 9 black student trying to enroll
The governor of Arkansas called up state troopers (National
Guard) to prevent learners from entering school
Outside the school, angry whites gathered and directed insults
against the 9 students
SUCCESS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
IN LITTLE ROCK
President Eisenhower intervened
1000 Federal troops were sent to
maintain order
For six weeks, troops remained
until tensions declined
•
SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM GAINS.
In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was promulgated
Segregation and discrimination are prohibited in all facilities
King and the SCLC urged African-Americans to register as voters
Within 18 months, half a million black voters were on the voter's lists
1965: Voting Rights Act was accepted- this helped to end discrimination in the southern states
Long-term: peaceful protest could bring meaningful change
Was an inspiration to other parts of the world where racial discrimination occurred
•
