IB History Paper 1: Civil Rights
What was the problem with voting in 1965?
Only 2 million black voters amongst a possible 5 million.
What was the impact of Little Rock?
The US had a negative foreign image in the media. Integration was limited as by 1964, less than 5% black students attended desegregated schools. Overall, state-sponsored segregation remained in southern schools.
What constitutional law case argued for segregation?
1896 Plessy v Ferguson stated that if separate conditions for blacks and whites were equal, segregation was constitutional.
What was the constitutional milestone for education in the US?
1954 Brown v Board of Education in Topeka. June 1951 - Oliver Brown brought his case to the Topeka State court for the integration of Topeka's schools but was refused. May 1954 - The NAACP filed a class action suit of 13 parents against the Board. The Supreme court ruled that segregation by race in public schools was unconstitutional.
What event demonstrated the application of the Brown v Board ruling?
1957 Little Rock Nine. The Little Rock Arkansas school board adhered to the BvB ruling and accepted 9 African-American Applications to Little Rock Central High.
What role did the Federal government play in Little Rock?
20 Sept: Judge Ronald Davies ordered Faubus to withdraw the national guard. 24 Sept: President Eisenhower sent 1200 troops to protect the Little Rock Nine and escort them to class.
What were the violent outcomes of the Freedom Summer?
6000 white knights of the KKK's campaign of arson and murder led to 30 black homes and 37 black churches getting firebombed. Up to 80 volunteers were beaten by racist mobs/police officers.
What were the economic impacts of the boycott?
70% of bus users were black, affecting bus companies. Instead, lifts were organised and black taxi companies charged 10 cents per ride.
What was the overall impact of sit-ins?
By 1961, more than 800 towns and cities had desegregated public areas. The non-violent approach of the students won them support on an international and national level.
Who organised the 1964 Freedom Summer?
CORE, SNCC and the NAACP.
What was the name of the student who accidentally became the centre of the mob's attacks?
Elizabeth Eckford who arrived to the school alone by mistake.
Who was Emmett Till? (1955)
Emmett Till was a 14 year old boy from the North who was beaten to death after allegedly wolf-whistling at a White woman. His mother publicised the murder through an open coffin funeral; the killers were acquited by an all-white jury.
What opposition was there to the Little Rock Nine attending the formerly all white school?
Governor Orval Faubus claimed "blood would run in the streets" if the students attempted to attend school. The Pulaski County issued an injunction to halt integration (this was reversed by the Federal District Judge Ronald Davies). 4 Sept 1957 - Segregationists blocked access to the school and Faubus sent the National Guard to keep the peace and support the protestors. 23 September: The Nine students entered the school by a side door but were met with an angry mob of 1000 white Americans.
What role did Robert Kennedy play in the freedom rides?
He had to order 400 US marshalls from the North to protect the people part of the movement. In Nov. 1961, he petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission to enforce desegregation.
Why did JFK introduce a bill for Civil rights in Congress in 1963?
He, due to him arguing for a new Civil Rights act, gained 70% of the black vote. It aimed to give black people equality in public housing and education.
What type of violence did the freedom riders face?
In Alabama, one of the buses were firebombed and a mob kept the doors shut to burn the riders to death. Photographs of the beaten riders and their attack featured in major newspapers.
What was the significance of Greensboro in the Sit-ins?
In February 1960, 4 black students in Greensboro sat at a White only lunch counter in a Woolworth's store. By the third day, 2 of the 65 seats in the store were occupied with black students. These were the first of the sit-ins.
What is the link between Emmett Till and the Civil Rights Movement?
It demonstrated the violence against African Americans. Rosa Parks said she was affected by the death the day she refused to give up her seat on the bus.
What was the duration of the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
It lasted 381 days with approximately 20 000 black people involved in the boycott on a daily basis.
What did the Civil Rights Act do?
It made racial discrimination in public places illegal. Equal Employment Opportunities. Businesses would be monitored and cut off from federal funds if there was evidence of racial discrimination.
What was the significance of Brown v Board?
It was a rejection of Plessy v Ferguson.
When and how was the Voting Rights Act introduced?
It was introduced in August 1965. Although it was opposed by southern politicians, it was passed by majorities in the House of representatives (333 to 48) and the Senate (77 to 19).
What was the impact of the sit-in on Woolworths?
Its sales dropped by 1/3 nationwide, leading to management desegregating in July 1960.
What murder was associated with the Freedom Summer?
James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner were murdered by the KKK in June 1964. 3 years later, the deputy Sherriff and six others were convicted in connection to the deaths.
What role did LBJ play in the Civil Right Act?
July 1964 - LBJ pushed for the passing of the Civil Right Act.
Jim Crow Laws
Laws introduced by the Southern States to encourage a "separate but equal" approach to segregation.
What was disenfranchisement?
Legal methods used by the Southern states to prevent blacks from voting. A 1890 registration poll tax and literacy tests excluded poor and illiterate African Americans. A grandfather clause was also introduced. By 1900, only 3% black people could vote in Southern states.
How did Rosa Parks spark a boycott?
Local Rights activists such as Martin Luther King and Ralph Abernathy planned a rally on the 5th to start their challenge to transport segregation laws. 20 000 people were involved in the Monday Boycott and 7000 attended the evening rally.
What approach did students of the sit-ins take?
Non-violence resistance; a "jail, no bail" policy.
What were the more positive outcomes of the Freedom Summer?
Over 70 000 students took part in the Freedom summers - 80 000 people joined the Mississippi Freedom Party. 41 Freedom schools were established and more than 3000 African-American Youth attended.
Who was Rosa Parks? (1955)
Rosa Parks was an active member of the NAACP and a respected member of the black community. 1 December 1955, Parks refused to give up her seat according to transport laws. She was arrested and on the 5th, she appeared in court and fined $10.
How was the Montgomery Bus Boycott resisted?
Some employers sacked workers taking part in the boycott. A "no boycott" law in Montgomery led to the Boycott leaders getting arrested. MLK and other leaders' homes were firebombed. There was general, daily harassment of the protestors.
What committees were put in place to implement the Civil Rights Act?
The Fair Employment Practices Committee and the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee.
What was the outcome of the boycott?
The Federal court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional. The Montgomery city officials appealed the case in the Supreme court who upheld the decision. 20 December 1956 - the boycott ended when King, Abernathy and other leaders travelled on an integrated bus.
What group demonstrated the violence against African Americans?
The Klu Klux Klan; began a widespread vigilante group that aimed to resist reconstruction in the US. Their acts of brutality included whipping senior citizens, lynching and burning churches. They also attacked sympathetic whites.
How was the aim of politically representing black people tackled?
The Mississippi Freedom Party was formed and led by Fannie Lou Hamer. Over 80 000 people joined the Party and 68 delegates attended the Democratic Party Convention in Atlantic City and challenged the attendance of the all-white Mississippi delegation.
How was there central leadership in the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) was created to oversee the continuation and maintenance of the boycott. MLK was chosed to lead the MIA and his baptist church was used as a base for the campaign.
Who was involved in the Freedom Rides and where did they take place?
The National director of CORE, James Farmer and 12 volunteers travelled from Washington DC to Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi on two buses.
What role did the SNCC play in the freedom rides?
The SNCC sent in reinforcements following the rider's attacks. Over the next six months, over 1000 people took part in the rides.
How was the aim of ending political disenfranchisement tackled?
The SNCC sent white northern college students as volunteers to Mississippi to train black people to pass voter registration and set up community projects called Freedom Schools.
What occured during the March 1965 Selma to Montgomery March?
The marchers were stopped by state troops. Marchers were attacked with batons and teargas. Johnson sent a federal troop escort so the marchers could complete their march.
What was the aim of the Freedom Summers?
They aimed to 1) end the political disenfranchisement of African Americans in the Deep South. 2) To politically represent black people.
What did the organisation CORE attempt to do in May 1961?
They arranged freedom Rides to test the Supreme Court's December 1960 decision to integrate all interstate bus stations/terminals.