Unit 8: Civil and Social Rights

Plessy v Ferguson

1896 Established separate but equal in the U.S.

Brown v Board

1954 Ruled that separate blacks and whites in schools was unconstitutional

Gideon v Wainright

1963 Ruled criminals must be provided with a lawyer

Civil Rights Act

1964 Outlawed discrimination in voting, education, and public access

Voting Rights Act

1965 Banned literacy tests and empowered feds to oversee registration and election

Roe v Wade

1973 Allowed legal abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy

Wounded Knee

1973 Native American massacre that was the final clash between the federal troops and Sioux Native Americans

Cesar Chavez

Activist that fought for rights of migrant farm workers. Created United Farm-workers Union

NAACP

African American organization crucial to bringing racially unjust cases to court

What non violent and violent approaches were utilized by various groups to achieve civil rights?

African Americans: Years of boycotts, sit-ins, and other nonviolent protests led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., inspired the March on Washington. The march was planned to pressure Congress to pass civil rights legislation. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, the crowd of over 200,000 nonviolent demonstrations, influenced public opinion toward favoring civil rights legislation. For all their progress, many African Americans were prevented from voting in the South. The Voting Rights Act of 195 outlawed literacy tests and allowed the federal government to oversee voter registration. Along with the 24th Amendment, outlawing the poll tax, the act caused African American voter registration to increase dramatically. Women: Women's rights groups became active and vocal in the early 1960s. Women used a variety of nonviolent methods to gain support for women's issues. They held marches and rallies, lobbied government officials, and used the legal system. Native Americans: The Red Power movement gained public attention as a response the termination policy. Termination was the government's place to develop "independence" for Native Americans by withdraw assistance like health care. 700 Native Americans representing 64 Native American nations met in Chicago to oppose the termination movement. The Red Power movement became violent at times: 1969 occupation of Alcatraz Island; 1972 takeover of the Bureau of Indian Affairs headquarters; and, the 1973 standoff with Federal Marshalls at Wounded Knee in South Dakota. Hispanics: Hispanic workers became more vocal in their demands for better pay. Cesar Chavez and the National Farm Workers Association drew attention to their cause by striking in front of grocery stores. The Chicano movement became active, which was similar to Black Power, worked to instill ethnic pride.

How were social movements of the 1960's & 1970's similar?

Age: One similarity between the various social movements was the energy and activism provided by the youth, particularly college students. This time period is remembered for student activism and militancy as college campuses saw both nonviolent protests and riots. Methods: Social movements usually began with nonviolent methods. All groups used boycotts, sit-ins, lawsuits, rallies, and marches to spread their message. Racial or Ethnic Pride: "Power" was the key word in many of the social movements. Red Power- Native American cultural identity, Brown Power- Hispanic ethnic pride, Black Power- collective African American power to achieve equality, Flower Power- anti-war movement to indicate choice of peace over war.

Regents of Cal v Bakke

Allowed race to be a factor of college consideration

Equal Rights Amendment

Amendment that guaranteed equal rights to women

Betty Friedan

American writer, activist, and feminist sparking 2nd wave of feminism. Founded National Organization for Women

Rosa Parks

Arrested for refusing to give up a bus seat to a white man

Malcom X

Believed in Nation of Islam. Initially wanted blacks separate from whites then supported integration and equality

Medgar Evans

Black civil rights activist from Mississippi to overturn segregation of University of Mississippi

SNCC

Black civil rights group that emerged from a student meeting. Protests war

Black Panthers

Black revolutionary party created to patrol blacks

Freedom Riders

Buses rode through the South to confront segregation laws

Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil rights activist that encouraged civil rights to blacks especially in the south

SCLC

Civil rights group closely associated with Martin Luther King Jr.

Congress of Racial Equality

Civil rights organization that was one of the big four, created when movement began to grow

March on Washington

Civil rights protest in Washington

Social Activism

Efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic or environmental issues

Jackie Robinson

First black to play major league baseball

Sit-ins

Form of protest where large groups of people sat to prevent productivity

Gray Panthers

Fought for retired Americans and issues they faced with old age

Little Rock Nine

Group of 9 blacks that were initially prevented from entering a racially segregated school

Nation of Islam

Islamic religious movement founded to improve spiritual, mental, social, and economic conditions for blacks

Identify 1960's era presidents and evaluate their success and failures domestically?

Kennedy: Deficit spending to stimulate the economy; Equal Pay Act; New Frontier - improve economy, improve education, improve healthcare, extend civil rights. Johnson: Great Society (included support for education and arts); Equal Opportunity Act (War on Poverty); Civil Rights Act (outlawed discrimination in the workplace). Nixon: New Federalism (return power to the states); Environmental laws (EPA, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act); civil rights and affirmative action.

Delores Huerta

Labor leader and civil rights activist who was an early member of National Farm-workers Union

Thurgood Marshall

Led NAACP legal team to end segregation in schools

National Urban League

Non-partisan civil rights organization on behalf of blacks rights

How did the role of women change in the United States from post WWII to present?

Post WWII: Women left the workforce as veterans returned to civilian jobs. Many women married and raised families. Suburbs grew and the baby boom was underway. 1960s and 1970s: Women were active in the civil rights movements discovered they were still second-class citizens. Women were moving back into the workforce and there was growing rebellion against the traditional role of a suburban housewife. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination on the basis of sex, color, religions, or national origin. The National Organization for Women was founded to demand equal rights for women in the workplace, schools, and the justice system. The first goal was the Equal Rights Amendment which was passed, but failed to be ratified by states. Present: There are more women in the workplace than ever. Both married and single women are active in careers, especially in some careers that women were excluded from (law and medicine). However, women still tend to have lower paying jobs and have limits on the professional levels they can reach (glass ceiling). Even though there are more women in the workforce, there are many living in poverty. These are frequently single mothers who bear the cost of caring for their children and providing for all household expenses.

Title IX

Prohibits discrimination on basis of gender in any federally funded program or activity

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Protested racial segregation on buses by walking

Identify the key figures and organization in shaping the Civil Rights Movement and Black Power Movement?

Rosa Parks: Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. Her arrest led to the Montgomery bus boycott, the beginning of the post-WWII Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Advocated nonviolent protests. King and followers were victims of threats and violence, but continued to meet threats with, patience, faith, and the refusal to back down. The Montgomery bus boycott gave King national attention. SNCC: The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was composed mostly of young African Americans. They stage the Freedom Summer to help African Americans in Mississippi register to vote. Malcolm X: Malcolm X, a Nation of Islam minister, took a more militant response to civil rights. He preached self-reliance and self-protection and supported separation of races in order for African Americans to retain uniqueness and racial unity. Stokely Carmichael: Coined the term "Black Power." Whites perceived it to mean a violent, militant movement. Carmichael intended it to be for African Americans to use their collective power to achieve equality. Black Panthers: Black Panthers set up armed patrols in urban neighborhoods to protect African Americans from police brutality. They also provided free breakfasts for poor children. For white America, the Black Panthers symbolized the most militant side of the Civil Rights Movement.

How did the building of coalitions between African Americans, whites and other groups assist in achieving integration and equal rights?

Sit-in Protests: African Americans would sit at lunch counters that refused to serve blacks. There were instances of black students being assisted by whites and other minorities in this nonviolent protest. They produced a peaceful front even when being treated harshly. March on Washington: More than 200,000 people converged in Washington, D.C. They represented many different backgrounds, but all came to support civil rights. Over 25% were white. Freedom Summer: A push by the SNCC to help African Americans in Mississippi register to vote. Work was conducted by volunteers, most were upper middle-class white students from northern states. Poor People's Campaign: The goal of the event was to demonstrate the diversity of the nation's poor. The protest itself was a failure, but it was an attempt to show the nation that poverty was not confined to any one ethnic group.

Affirmative Action

The equal opportunity employment measures that employers are required to adopt

American Indian Movement

The protest for fair treatment among American Indians

Analyze the attempts to extend New Deal legislation through Great Society and the success and failure of these programs to promote social and economic stability?

Truman: Proposed his Fair Deal to strengthen New Deal reforms. A hostile congress refused most of his proposals. Eisenhower: Did not repeal any New Deal programs and increased spending in many areas. Continued Social Security, the minimum wage and provided funding for the interstate highway system and science education. Kennedy: Carried on New Deal legislation and improved some parts of it. Continued Social Security, increased the minimum wage, and improve the welfare system. Johnson: Did more than any other president to extend New Deal legislation. The goal of his War on Poverty was to end poverty and injustice for every child. His Great Society program included: Medicare, Medicaid, Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, Economic Opportunity Act (Job Corps), Head Start, etc.

United Farm Workers

Union that formed to support migrant workers and Latino rights