Civil Rights
What new things did the 1920s KKK believe in?
"Bad things" were associated with the big city and the rural people wanted a return to their religion and Anglo Saxon ways- WASP. They had seen many of their "folks" leave for the city during the Populist Movement. Immigration after the war also caused alarm...their taking our jobs, different culture/religion, etc... By the mid-1920's the KKK have over 5 million members.
By 1960, less than ____% of blacks in the south went to integrated schools.
1
How many Blacks had served in WWII in segregated units?
1 million
What 3 things did Booker T. Washing believe that African Americans needed to TEMPORARILY give up until they could gain economic stability?
1) Political power, 2) Insistence on Civil Rights, 3) Higher Education
What amendments did Reconstruction bring about?
13th, 14th, and 15th
By 1950, ____ million black citizens lived in the US. ______-_______ of which were living under Jim Crow Laws in the South (de jure segregation.)
15, two-thirds
By 1966, _________ Blacks registered to vote in Alabama. Black registration went up _____% in Mississippi.
166,000 and 400
What was RFK doing in 1968?
1968 was an election year, and Robert Kennedy was running for the Democratic nomination. LBJ had decided not to run due to the US involvement in the Vietnam War.
Only _____% of eligible southern blacks were registered to vote and fewer than _____% in the deep southern states.
20,5
How long did the riot last?
6 days
What did JFK portray himself as in the election of 1960?
A civil rights crusader
What did the commission studying the riot say the cause was?
A commission studied the riot and concluded that it was caused by high unemployment, poor schools, and inferior living conditions.
How did the bus boycott affect members of the black community? How did it affect the bus company?
A large portion of blacks rode the bus. In fact, the majority of the bus company's business was Black. The Black citizens walked, used taxis, had their employers pick them up, but most used an elaborate car-pooling system that was created for the boycott. The boycott financially devastated the bus company.
What happened five days after the passage of the Voting Rights Act?
A riot erupted in Watts, a black section of LA
Who helped carry Truman to a second term?
African Americans
What did Malcolm X do after JFK's assassination?
After JFK's assassination in 1963, X gave a statement saying basically that JFK deserved it because JFK had failed to stop violence against blacks. The public was furious, so the NOI banned him from public speaking for 6 months. Tensions grew from there with the NOI. X eventually was expelled from the NOI for criticizing Elijah Muhammad and becoming disillusioned with the NOI.
What was the Harlem Renaissance?
Although still oppressed, there were major strides in Black cultural and intellectual fulfillment. African American literature, Blacks graduating from college, and plays/concerts dealing with Black life increased. The creation and spreading of jazz and the blues. As a result, African Americans became proud of their culture and saw more opportunities to thrive by living separately. This flourishing of Black culture spread to other cities. If you've heard of Langston Hughes, the poet, he's part of this movement.
As time went on, how did people start to feel about SCLC and MLK?
As time went by many organizations felt that the SCLC and MLK were overpowering and "media-hounds"...that they would overshadow any organization that they worked with.
At the time of Brown v Board, how many states had segregated schools?
At this time 17 southern states & DC had segregated schools. Four other states allowed the school district to decide segregation.
What timeline for desegregating was established by Brown II?
Blacks must be admitted to public schools as soon as practicable. Obstacles to integration must be removed in an effective manner (obstacles would be things like busing, large enough buildings, etc..), Local communities must make a prompt start toward compliance of Brown I, Communities that have started timetables toward integration might be given extra time if they prove that their requests were in the public's interest and showed good-faith compliance
_____________ quickly complied, but the _____________ states dug in their heels.
Border States, Southern
What was Malcolm X's background?
Born in 1925 in Nebraska. His real name was Malcolm Little. His dad was a minister who was killed by white supremacists. His dad had supported Marcus Garvey. X was a high school dropout and eventually moved to Harlem where he got involved in drugs, robbery, gambling, & prostitution. He was arrested in January of 1946 for robbery and gun possession. He was 20 at the time and was sentenced to 8 to 10 years. His brother wrote to him telling him about the Nation of Islam and asking him to join. During his sentence he studied the NOI and became committed to his self-education. He was released from prison in August of 1952.
What was the loophole in the Brown v Board I ruling?
Brown I stated that schools must desegregate, but it didn't state how or when.
Who killed Evers and what happened to him?
Byron de la Beckwith was the white assassin. He was a member of the White Citizens' Council (similar to the Klan). He went to trial twice, both ended in hung juries. The jurors were all white. He was finally brought to justice in 1994 when he was found guilty and put in prison. He died in prison in 2001.
What is JFK's time in office referred to?
Camelot
What happened to Central HS the year after the Little Rock Nine attended?
Central HS closed at the end of the school year for 2 years. When it reopened only 3 Blacks attended.
Who wrote the opinion on Brown v Board I? What did it state?
Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote the opinion, which was unanimous. The decision struck down "separate but equal" because "separate...is inherently unequal."
Due to Truman, what became a permanent feature of the Democratic platform?
Civil Rights
What is the background of the Little Rock Crisis (1957)?
Civil Rights activists had pushed for the desegregation of schools in Arkansas. Remember that most southern schools were not following B v. B. Activists in Little Rock found nine Black students whose families agreed to allow their kids to enroll in Central High School in Little Rock. Approximately 2000 White kids attended the school, and no African Americans.
What did Connor do to stop protesters?
Connor used attack dogs, electric prods, hoses, and tear gas to stop the protestors. The high pressure water hoses they used on the kids (and all participants) were strong enough to knock bricks loose from buildings. So many people had been arrested over the time that it took over 4 hours to distribute breakfast in jail and the other facilities the city had to use to hold the protestors.
What were the material effects of the Watts Riot?
Damage was confined to businesses. The rioters looted and then set the businesses on fire. Homes weren't attacked (although some caught on fire b/c they were close to businesses). It took 14,000 National Guardsmen to restore order. 34 people were killed. 1,000 were injured, 4,000 were arrested, and property damage was estimated at $200 million.
Who was President Truman?
Democratic president from 1945-1953, Truman was the first president to try to alter racial discrimination. He wasn't very successful, but he did try.
What else did the Freedom Riders help with?
Desegregating restaurants and helping with voter registration
What type of leader was WEB DuBois?
DuBois was a "militant" black leader. The term militant is based on 1900's terms because he was seen as so extreme. He is not really considered "militant" when compared to aggressive leaders in the 1960's (Malcolm X for example)
What did MLK do in April and May of 1963 in regards to Birmingham?
During April & May of 1963 MLK launched a campaign against discrimination in Birmingham. This was the most segregated city in the US. It was a KKK stronghold. The campaign aimed at integrating public facilities and opening jobs for blacks. The campaign would involve protests, sit-ins, etc... MLK was banking on the idea that any campaign here would draw trouble and therefore national attention. He was right.
What did Truman try to get passed during his first term? Was this successful, and, if not, why?
During his first term he tried to get Congress to pass a permanent Fair Employment Practices Commission and a Civil Rights Commission. He also wanted to pass legislation that would deny federal monies to any state that segregates (de jure). The Southerner Democrats were able to block all of these.
What was life like for black citizens in the North and West?
Even in the north/west, blacks were concentrated and segregated into neighborhoods, paid less, and socially discriminated against (de facto segregation).
Who was Medgar Evers?
Evers was a member of the NAACP in Mississippi. He had helped to desegregate the University of Mississippi. He had also helped to establish several boycotts.
What happened following the first sit-in?
February 3: More Blacks came. 63 of the 65 seats at the Woolworth's lunch area were taken. February 4: Even more join the protest. The sit-ins continue at the Woolworth's but spread to another store across the street. February 6: "Black Saturday" - 100's of students protest (sit-in) all over downtown Greensboro. Within two months sit-ins spread to 54 cities in 9 states. On July 25, 1960 the first Black ate a meal at Woolworth. In a week, over 300 Blacks had been served there.
Who was Booker T. Washington?
Foremost Black leader until his death in 1915. Born a slave to a female slave and an unidentified white man. His background is evident in his philosophy. Founded the Tuskegee Institute which was a vocational school (1881)
What organization did DuBois find? Explain the group as well.
Founded the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) in 1909 after a savage race riot in Springfield, IL. A group of white progressives joined with DuBois to push for racial equality. NAACP merged white liberalism with black militancy. He was the only black among the top officers. The NAACP will be the group most responsible for taking discrimination cases to the Supreme Court. They also orchestrated boycotts. The NAACP is still active today.
What is the background to the first sit-in?
Four Black students from a tech college went the lunch counter at Woolworth's. They only served whites. They ordered coffee but were refused service. They ended up sitting at the counter from 4:30-5:30.
Why were frustrations growing?
Frustrations began to grow because of little economic gain in urban areas. In the north (and CA) segregation occurred by segregating residential areas (de facto)...not facilities. Once you got out of the south, there weren't Jim Crow Laws (de jure segregation). MLK and the like had been fighting for the Southern Blacks. The protests, sit-ins, marches, Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act had little to no effect on northern blacks.
What was Marcus Garvey's background?
Garvey was raised in Jamaica under a color-based caste system. His background is evident in his philosophy.
What catapulted MLK into the national spotlight?
He became the leader (organized the boycott) and voice of the Montgomery Bus Boycott
What did DuBois believe?
He believed civil rights based on absolute equality with Whites. He attacked BTW's accommodation policy. DuBois will continuously challenge BTW's leadership in the civil rights movement. DuBois, like BTW stressed education, but felt that blacks should not "settle" for a vocational (technical) education. He stressed the need for higher education. He believed that accommodation would only set the bar at its lowest level.
What did Booker T. Washington believe?
He believed that Blacks should be trained in a skill so that they could get involved in the economy. The next generation would then get an academic education. In order to succeed and "be taken seriously" Blacks must have economic stability.
What organization did Garvey establish in 1914? What was their focus?
He established the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) in 1914 in Jamaica. In 1916 he headquartered the UNIA in Harlem. The UNIA focused on racial pride, economic self-sufficiency, and the formation of an independent black nation in Africa.
What happened to DuBois as time went on?
He eventually became incredibly frustrated with the other board members of the NAACP and resigned in 1934. His philosophy was becoming more militant and began to clash with the NAACP's concept of integration. He eventually left for Ghana in a self-imposed exile. He also eventually became a member of the Communist Party. DuBois died in 1963 in Africa.
What happened to X in the NOI?
He eventually worked his way up to the number 2 position...just below Elijah. He was assigned a temple in Harlem...a major NOI temple.
How did Garvey feel about white people?
He felt that every white man was essentially a Klansman. Showed "appreciation" to the KKK for being honest and not hypocritical. At least with the Klan, Blacks knew who they were dealing with... other whites were hypocrites.
What is MLK considered the leader of?
He is considered the leader of the Non-Violent Civil Rights Movement.
What did DuBois see Garvey as and why?
He saw him as "the most dangerous enemy of the Negro race" because of Garvey's view of separatism
What did JFK (prompted by RFK) do after another riot against Freedom Riders in Montgomery?
He sent federal troops to the south to protect the Freedom Riders.
What did Booker T. Washington stress in his beliefs?
He stressed accommodation to white demands, and Black economic progress through agriculture and mechanical schools and training. He stressed a slow and gradual change in rights for African Americans. Education and training in the technical fields was the best way to achieve economic security. Political rights would follow, but only after Blacks "proved themselves to Whites" through educational and economic advancement.
What did LBJ want to do in regards to JFK's tax bill and civil rights bill?
He wanted to secure Kennedy's tax bill and civil rights bill in 1964 (the one that JFK had discussed the night the Evers died). "Let us continue" he asked Congress to pass the two bills as a tribute to JFK.
What did Marcus Garvey believe?
He was a separatist and began a movement that centered on Black Nationalism and racial redemption. His brand of Black Nationalism had three components—unity, pride in the African cultural heritage, and complete autonomy. There was a heavy focus on the growth of Black owned businesses (especially international businesses). He has some of the same beliefs as BTW. He wanted to change black heritage from inferior to pride. "Black isn't a crime, it's a virtue." He believed in separatism (not integration) and economic self-reliance. By economically advancing in a separate business, Blacks could accomplish anything and "redeem" the race. For example, he started the Black Star Line in 1919. This was a steamship corporation to demonstrate black competence and strengthen bonds among blacks worldwide. He believed that forming a state an independent state in Africa was the answer to the injustice found in the US. Wanted Black history to be taught in schools.
Was Booker T. Washington a separatist? And, if so, to what extent?
He was also somewhat of a separatist. The idea is that Blacks would need to separate themselves from Whites for a period while Blacks were concentrating on their economic stability. But he didn't believe that Blacks should never interact and eventually incorporate into White society. They just needed to work on economic stability first.
Why did JFK's fight for civil rights lag once he was in office?
He was blocked by Southern Democrats in Congress
What is WEB DuBois background?
He was born a free man in Massachusetts in 1868. His background is evident in his philosophy. Harvard educated. First Black person to get a doctorate from Harvard.
What was JFK's domestic policy? Did it work?
His domestic policy was known as "New Frontier." This was to focus on federal aid for the poor, health care, education, decaying urban areas, etc... In all, the New Frontier was considered a failure. Most of the reforms were stopped by Congress (even though it was held by Democrats in both houses. The Southern Democrats tended to vote against him because of his growing support of the Civil Rights Movement.
Who was JFK's running mate and why?
His running mate was Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) from Texas. He was the majority leader in the Senate and very influential. JFK hoped that LBJ would help to pick up the southern vote.
What was the background to Plessy v Ferguson (1896)?
Homer Plessey (1/8 Black) took a seat in a railroad car reserved for Whites. He wanted to test the Jim Crow laws (specifically w/ the 14th amendment). He refused to move when the conductor asked him to and was arrested. The case went to the Supreme Court based on the 14th Amendment.
What is the background to Sweatt v Painter (1950)?
In 1946 Heman Sweatt, a Black man, applied for admission to the University of Texas Law School (1946). He met all eligibility requirements - except race. Sweatt was denied entrance because he was black. There was no other law school in Texas for Blacks. Sweatt sued. (If you care: Painter was the president of the UT Law School)
What happened with Boynton v Virginia in 1960?
In 1960 the Supreme Court outlawed segregation on interstate buses and trains {Boynton vs. Virginia (1960) desegregated restaurants and interstate busing and bus terminals}
What did the Panthers do in 1967 in California?
In 1967 a Panther group walked into the California capitol building with weapons to protest a bill that would outlaw unconcealed weapons.
What is the background to SNCC?
In April 1960, southern black students formed the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee to give more focus and force to student driven protests...like sit-ins. More and more young black students had become impatient with the SCLC and NAACP's methods. SNCC was a peaceful group...passive resistance/non-violent. Fewer than 200 students belonged to SNCC but their influence was widespread.
What was the background to the MLK assassination?
In April of 1968 MLK traveled to Memphis to support a strike of city garbage workers for better wages and conditions. On April 3, he delivered a passionate sermon where he said that he had "been to the mountaintop...I may not get there with you to know what we as a people will get to the promise land." The following evening (April 4, 1968) MLK was shot as he was standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. He died instantly at the age of 39. LBJ ordered flags to be flown at half-staff the day of the funeral.
What was the Children's Crusade?
In Birmingham, the protests started with adults, but so many got scared or arrested the campaign began to lose participants. The SCLC called on students to continue the fight. They used elementary, high school, and surrounding college students...called the "Children's Crusade." On May 2, 1963 around 1,000 students marched in place of the adult protestors.
What ended up happening to Garvey?
In May of 1923 Garvey and 3 associates went on trial for fraud in the sale of BSL stock. Garvey was found guilty and sentenced to 5 years (evidence now suggests that he may have not been guilty). He went to prison in February of 1925, and Black leaders protested. President Coolidge finally commuted his sentence in 1927. He was deported to Jamaica and died there in 1940.
In May of 1961, what happened to Freedom Riders in Birmingham, AL?
In May of 1961, Freedom Riders got to Birmingham, AL. They were met by a mob. The bus was burned while the Riders were inside. As they tried to get off of the burning bus, they were met with steel pipes to their heads. The police weren't there because the police chief, "Bull" Connor, had given them the day off to observe Mother's Day. (He knew about the Riders and mob before they got to AL.) The event drew national attention because of the media images of the people being beaten as they exited the burning bus.
What was the Court's ruling in Plessy v Ferguson (1896)?
In a 7 to 1 vote, the SC ruled against Plessy. It said that the state did not violate Plessy's right to travel. This case established "Separate but Equal."
When was the Progressive Era?
It lasted from 1901 to 1920. Sometimes considered to end in 1917 with the end of WWI.
What did the Slaughterhouse Cases ruling mean for African Americans?
It meant that Blacks had no other rights that the 13th & 15th amendments. And, state laws had to apply to all residents...so no other rights had to be extended to all resident Blacks. So long as states treated residents the same as non-residents coming to that state. HUGE LOOPHOLE! EX: A Black man living in GA couldn't sit on a white bus. A Black man from NY visiting GA also had to sit on the Black bus. The SC thought the 14th just dealt with the guarantee that slavery could not come back & voting rights but shouldn't be extended to anything else (like school, economy, etc...)
Why was the Progressive Movement successful?
It was successful because it was a middle class reform movement.
What happened to the Civil Rights Movement in the mid 1960s?
It's at this point (the mid-1960's) that you begin to see a change from the non-violence movement (SNCC, SCLC, CORE, Freedom Riders, MLK) to more violent movements (Black Panthers, NOI, Malcolm X)
What was the goal of the SCLC?
Its aim was to mobilize the vast power of the black churches on behalf of the Civil Rights movement.
When and why was the KKK rebourn?
Its rebirth came in November of 1915 in Georgia. After WWI the membership of the Klan mushroomed. It continued to grow after 1920 because of the postwar fears & rural backlash.
What did JFK encourage SNCC and CORE to do?
JFK also encouraged SNCC, CORE, and other groups to create the Voter Education Project to help register the South's disenfranchised blacks. They travelled into the Deep South and helped teach Southern Blacks how to pass the literacy tests and the process of registering to vote. This was a very dangerous technique. Many of the people who were active in this method were chased out of towns, beaten, and/or killed.
Who killed MLK?
James Earl Ray, a white racist
As a result of Plessy v Ferguson, ____________ spread swiftly through the South.
Jim Crow Laws
Who won the election of 1960 and why?
Kennedy narrowly beat Nixon. The black vote helped JFK because he had helped get MLK out of jail in Georgia. Many believe that the more modern tactics used in the election also helped JFK win. This was the first time presidential debates had been televised. JFK looked healthy, tan & confident. Nixon however was recovering from knee surgery and looked nervous and pale. He also sweated a tremendous amount.
How did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 get passed?
LBJ refused to compromise much on the bill. Instead he relied on public pressure to convince the Republicans to vote for it. If enough Republicans voted for it they could block the Southern vote. With the March of Washington, JFK's assassination, and the media attention on the issue the plan worked. The bill was signed into law on July 2, 1964.
What project did Garvey and others create in 1920? What happened to it?
Liberian Rehabilitation Project, which offered to help Liberia financially. In 1920 the project began raising money for Liberia. He (supposedly) began diverting money from the Project to the Black Star Line b/c it was in financial trouble (the BSL will finally collapse).
What is the background to Brown v Board I?
Linda Brown was 7 years old and lived 5 blocks from a white school. She instead had to walk a mile through a railroad switchyard to the black school.
What did the Supreme Court feel politically and personally pressured to do?
Loosen the Reconstruction Amendments
Who did the non-violent movement appeal to? What about the more violent movement?
MLK and the non-violent movement appealed to the older Black people especially in the South. It also appealed to Middle America. The NOI and Black Panthers appealed more to younger, Black men especially in urban areas, and it generally did not appeal to Middle America.
What did national media attention on the bus boycott do for MLK?
MLK became a nationally known figure. His organization and philosophy will spread throughout the South.
How did MLK feel about the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
MLK had applied a lot of pressure on LBJ to get the bill through, and was mostly happy when it passed. However, it was not the bill that MLK had hoped. In particular, he wanted to see more voting rights and changes with literacy tests and poll taxes. LBJ believed that a bill with that many changes would never pass Congress. So, MLK starts to plan other events to push for an aggressive voting rights bill.
How did MLK feel about SNCC?
MLK had encouraged the creation of SNCC because he thought they would be an extension of SCLC. However, the college students wanted to be independent.
What is considered the end of the modern Civil Rights Movement?
MLK's and RFK's deaths usually marks the end of the modern civil rights movement.
How did Malcolm X feel about the March on Washington?
Malcolm X called it "the Farce on Washington" because he believed it was a prettified image of racial harmony thought up by the president and government.
What did Malcolm X believe in?
Malcolm preached self-defense in language that alarmed moderates in all races. He (and the NOI) advocated the use of violence for self-protection. He mocked the non-violent movement saying that Blacks must protect themselves "by any means necessary" and that "killing is a two way street. He hated how weak the protesters in the South appeared. They looked weak, so why would people take them seriously?! He attacked MLK calling him a "chump" and a "traitor" to the race.
Around 1965, why did tensions between SNCC and SCLC grow? What did this lead to?
Many SNCC members felt they planned and organized the protests and then MLK would waltz in and receive the credit and recognition from the media. As a result of this and slow progress breaking down Jim Crows, many of the SNCC leaders began to question non-violence and wanted to become more militant. SNCC began to oust white members and began to cooperate with Black Panthers more and more. By 1970, the group was defunct.
What did Marshall argue in Brown v Board I?
Marshall argued that separate schools were inherently unequal because it suggested that blacks were inferior...not good enough to go to school with whites. He argued that it caused psychological problems to black kids and therefore violated the 14th Amendment - equal protection clause.
What did Marshall use to argue Sweatt v Painter?
Marshall argued the case under the 14th Amendment - Equal Protection clause.
What were MLK's background and influences?
Martin Luther King, Jr earned his PhD at Boston University. He was influenced by Gandhi's civil disobedience/passive resistance. Passive resistance would use the apparent weakness of Southern Blacks and turn it into a weapon. They would never look aggressive by fighting back...PEACEFUL always. Instead make the Southern Whites look aggressive. This non-violent movement will appeal to Middle America, especially in the North.
How did the media affect the more aggressive movements?
Media will play a huge role in the more aggressive movement of the mid/late-1960s. Just like it helped the non-violent movement, it pushed many whites away from the more radical movement. Rather than filming powerless Blacks being beaten and carried away without reaction by the protester, the media is catching images of riots, shoot outs with cops, and aggressive speech ("killing is a two-way street"). Middle America will begin to turn away from the movement.
What was one of SNCC's more notable ventures?
Most notably, SNCC joined up with CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) to participate in Freedom Rides and to help Blacks register to vote.
Why did the media play an important role in the SCLC and other non-violent groups?
News stations will film the abuses by whites against African Americans who are not reacting violently to the abuses = whites look aggressive, the blacks look innocent and powerless. These images of not reacting to beatings, spitting, being sprayed with fire hoses, etc... will have a tremendous effect on Middle, White America (especially those outside of the South).
What was the Niagara Movement?
Niagara Movement - 1905, 29 Blacks met in Niagara Falls to focus on equal rights and education. (Interestingly, they could not stay on the US side of Niagara because they were Black and not allowed in the hotel. So, they crossed to the Canadian side.) They openly rejected BTW's policies. They created a list of demands such as: end segregation; end discrimination in the courts, the economy and education. The Movement did very little in the US, but it did lay the foundation for the NAACP.
Were Freedom Riders an organized group?
No, this is a technique used by CORE (most of the time) and SNCC (sometimes) and other groups/individuals.
What was the March on Washington?
On August 28, 1963 MLK led 200,000 black and white demonstrators on a peaceful march to show support of proposed civil rights legislation. It took place in front of the Lincoln Memorial and along the reflecting pool.
What happened to Malcolm X on February 21, 1965? Who is thought to be behind it?
On February 21, 1965 X was giving a speech in Manhattan in front of 400 people. X's bodyguards rushed to take care of a disturbance in the crowd. A man rushed the stage and shot X with a sawed off shotgun. Two more men rushed on the stage and shot him with handguns. The crowd caught them and beat them. The men were convicted of first degree murder. It is widely held that Elijah Muhammad had him assassinated.
What did JFK speak about on June 12, 1963? What happened on that same night?
On June 12, 1963 JFK spoke to the nation calling for legislation to provide equal access to all public accommodations as well as voting rights for Blacks. That same night Medgar Evers was assassinated in his driveway. When the shots were fired his wife and children ran outside to see him lying in the driveway. He died 90 minutes later at the hospital.
What is the background to RFK's assassination?
On June 5, 1968 Kennedy won the California Democratic Primary. This put him in position to take the Democratic nomination. That night he gave a speech at the Ambassador Hotel in LA. After the speech, he walked through the kitchen and was shot by Sirhan Sirhan, a 24 year old Palestinian. He was shot at point blank. He officially died in the early hours of June 6.
What happened to James Earl Ray?
On June 8, James Earl Ray was arrested in London, England. On March 9, 1969 he pleaded guilty to the murder and received a 99 year sentence. He recanted his confession a few days later.
What happened after Bloody Sunday?
On March 21st, around 3,200 marchers started on another march from Selma to Montgomery. This time they had the protection from the National Guard sent in by LBJ. They walked 12 miles a day and slept in fields as night. They reached Montgomery on March 25, with 25,000 demonstrators.
What was Bloody Sunday?
On March 7, 1965 around 600 marchers set out to march from Selma, AL to Montgomery, AL. They were marching to bring attention to the lack of voting rights blacks had in the South. They marched for 6 blocks to the Edmund Pettus Bridge where they were met by local and state police. They had been called in by Gov. Wallace. They attached the marchers with billy clubs, tear gas, bull whips, and many were trampled by horses. The attack was televised.
What did a federal judge order in regards to the Little Rock Nine and the Nationa Guard?
On September 20, a federal judge ordered the National Guard removed and the students be allowed to go to Central HS.
What happened to Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963? How did America react?
On a campaign trip to Dallas on November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. All of America and the world were shocked. The events of the assassination were very quick.
What happened on the first day that the Little Rock Nine tried to attend school?
On the first day of school (Sept. 2, 1957), Governor Orville Faubus called out the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the integration of Central High School on the grounds that integrating would threaten public order/safety. The nine students were met by 270 armed troops and a very angry white mob. The students were turned away and not allowed to enter the school.
What did Brown v Board I affect?
One thing that needs to be made clear, B v. B (1954) only affected public schools. Nothing else...not private schools, not public facilities, not restaurants, not theatres, etc... It is considered incredibly important because once the Court said that separate was inherently unequal, you will see the Court strike down Separate but Equal in most other cases.
What happened to Oswald?
Oswald was shot while being transferred by Jack Ruby. Ruby was a local bar owner. The Warren Commission Report investigated the assassination and declared that Oswald acted alone.
What did Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas I overturn?
Plessy v. Ferguson (separate but equal) in public schools.
Who was Bull Connor?
Police chief, "Bull" Connor was determined to crush the protests. Bull actually did more to help the civil rights campaign than to stop it.
Who, what, and when was the military desegregated?
President Truman desegregated the military with Executive Order 9981 in 1948.
How did DC police prepare for the March on Washington and why?
Prior to the march the Washington, DC police and leaders planned for potential backlash/problems. They did not want anything like what had happened in Birmingham to happen in the Nation's capital. They banned the sale of alcohol for the day. No police dogs were allowed. All police were on duty and suburb police had been brought in as well. Preparations for emergency troop deployments were made (if needed).
What was RFK's presidential platform?
RFK's platform centered on the Vietnam War and the disadvantaged in the US (visited the inner-cities, reservations, migrant camps). Also, he was a strong proponent of the Civil Rights movement. During his campaign he spent a great deal of time talking with leaders of all minority groups.
Who was the Republican nominee in the 1960 election?
Richard Nixon (he was Eisenhower's VP)
What happened in response to MLK's death?
Riots spread across the nation at the word of his death...DC, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago.
Whom did JFK name as Attorney General? What did he do?
Robert Kennedy (RFK) RFK proved to be more personally committed to civil rights. He helped push JFK to stay committed to the movement. MLK will also help to push JFK to be more active in the movement.
Who was Rosa Parks and what did she do?
Rosa Parks was a college educated employee of the NAACP and agreed to test the legality of segregated public busing (test case). In December of 1955 she refused to give up her seat on the bus while sitting in the "white section." She was arrested for violating the Jim Crow law. This began the yearlong Black-led boycott of the Montgomery city buses. There had been several other women arrested, but the NAACP felt Parks would be a good defendant.
What two organizations replaced the NAACP as the forefront of the CVM?
SNCC and SCLC
Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas I and Brown II were landmark decisions regarding what?
School desegregation
At the end of Reconstruction, what were African Americans seen as?
Second class citizens
What did Plessy v Ferguson give states the right to do?
Segregate (Examples: More and more public areas, buses/taxis, schools, restaurants, movies, parks, etc... become segregated. If one of a type of business (park, movies, etc...) was available, they would have "colored" day. Signs saying "Whites Only" or "Colored" appeared on entrances and exits, restrooms, water fountains, waiting rooms, and elevators.)
What was there a growth of in the early/mid 1960s?
Separatists, with Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam and, later, the Panthers. They believed that Blacks should separate into their own society...culturally, economically, racially. Whites were oppressors so there could be no black advancement within white society. Also there was a growth of Black Nationalism with groups like the Black Panthers and people like Stokely Carmichael. They wanted to maintain and promote their separate identity as a people of black ancestry. They embraced an African heritage...afros, dashikis, black history, "black is beautiful", African American rather than Negro, products made FOR African Americans, TV programs made FOR African Americans. Nationalism and Separatism usually were promoted together...in varying degrees.
How did people go about challenging the ruling in Plessy v Ferguson?
Since Plessy, the doctrine of "separate but equal" had been established, and the most successful way of challenging the idea had come from finding individual instances of inequality where "separate was not equal." Rather than attacking the concept itself.
Why did Sirhan say he killed RFK?
Sirhan said that he killed RFK for supporting Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967.
What happened to sit-ins? What did the spur?
Sit-ins will continue to spread. It becomes a very powerful form of resistance. They will spark "kneel-ins" at churches, "wade-ins" at pools, etc... They will also be used to protest the Vietnam War.
What do some historians believe in regards to the start of the modern Civil Rights Movement? What do the others believe?
Some historians believe that the desegregation of the military marks the true beginning of the modern Civil Rights Movement...most agree that it starts with the court case Brown vs. Board.
Who was another major figure in the Panthers?
Stokely Carmichael became another major figure in the Panthers. He was heading SNCC in 1966 but changed their non-violent stance. He eventually left SNCC for the Panthers. He coined the phrase "Black Power."
What did Teddy Roosevelt do in regards to Booker T. Washington?
TR had even invited BTW to the White House for lunch while he was president. TR was wildly castigated (criticized) by politicians and the general public. BTW was never invited back to the White House
By 1924, what state legislatures did the KKK have control of?
Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Indiana
Explain the 24th Amendment:
The 24th Amendment was ratified in 1964. It abolished the use of poll taxes in federal elections. However, it said nothing about state and local elections. By 1966, the Supreme Court had mandated that the 24th Amendment (through the 14th Amendment) extended to state and local elections. That means there were no poll taxes of any kind after 1966.
What did the Acts of 1964 and 1965 not address? What happened in the North due to this?
The Acts of 1964 and 1965 did not address economic equality in the North. In the North more than ½ of the Blacks lived in poverty. They for the most part had not had to deal with voting issues or legally segregated facilities. Black militants began to take over the movement in the North. There was a growth of more extreme ideologies in those areas.
What is the background of the Black Panthers?
The Black Panthers were founded in 1966 in Oakland, CA by an ex-convict named Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. Originally called the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 do?
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal to have segregated public facilities, created an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and protected some voting rights.
What caused problems with upholding the Court's decision?
The Court has no authority to enforce or make laws. Therefore, without legislation by Congress and enforcement by the President, schools were left to desegregate based on the "ethical understanding" of the role of the Supreme Court. Basically, if the president or governors were not on bored with the decision then "all deliberate speed" became "all deliberate delay."
What group dedicated to breaking segregation in the South formed due to sit-ins?
The Freedom Riders
What groups was the KKK against? Why?
The KKK was no longer just anti-Black. The threat to the US came from aliens (Italians, Russians) & non-Protestant religions (Jews, Catholics). The KKK was Protestant to the core. It felt that the US values were being threatened by the minority peoples.
What was the background to Browder vs Gayle (1956)?
The NAACP filed the case, Browder vs Gayle (1956). Browder was a Black housewife who had also been arrested for not moving from the White section. (She had actually been arrested before Parks). Gayle was the mayor of Montgomery, AL. A federal court said that laws segregating portions of their buses were unconstitutional because of the Brown decision.
What did the NOI believe in?
The NOI preached a doctrine of self-help, moral discipline, and complete separation of the races. They stressed neatness, abstinence, a division of male and female roles, forbade smoking and drinking and pork. THIS IS NOT THE TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC RELIGION.
What was the Nation of Islam (NOI)?
The NOI was a Black Nationalist and separatist group created in Detroit in 1931 by Elijah Poole. He renamed himself Elijah Muhammad.
Explain The Ten Point Program:
The Panthers were relatively successful with developing programs that helped black communities. Most notably, they created the Ten Point Program. This program focused on bettering black communities. The program centered on medical, legal, and educational aids. For example, they created free breakfast programs, free clinics, pre-school programs. The Ten Point Program demanded several (well, I guess 10 things) actions to be taken...out of those demands came some of these useful programs. But, other actions led to a great deal of violence.
What did JFK create in 1961?
The Peace Corps
What defined the Progressive Era? Were these original concepts?
The Progressive Era was a reform-minded era. However, these were not original concepts. The Populist Movement was the first to look at these subjects, but it was the progressives that took the reforms to a new level. Progressives were righteously moral and believed government and business should be "returned to the people." Reforms like workers' rights, child labor, trust-busting, and direct election of senators shaped the era.
What did the Supreme Court use to make the ruling for the Slaughterhouse Cases?
The Reconstruction Amendments
What was the SCLC?
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was formed in 1957 by MLK. It was based in Atlanta, Georgia.
What did the Supreme Court rule in Sweattt v Painter?
The Supreme Court ruled that UT had to admit Sweatt into the Law School for the 1950-51 school year. They said that the "mere separation from the other white students harmed students' abilities to compete in the legal arena." Because the Black "law school" was so unequal to UT's, the black law students would never be able to compete with others in law.
What did the Supreme Court decide in Browder v Gayle?
The Supreme Court upheld (agreed) the lower federal court ruling in November 1956. That means that city buses could no longer be segregated.
What was the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
The Voting Rights Act was passed in August of 1965. This was a profound act that finally closed the loopholes that the 15th Amendment had created and the Supreme Court had upheld for many years. For the first time since Reconstruction, Blacks became active political participants. The act banned literacy tests and provided federal registrars to ensure that blacks were able to register to vote and actually vote.
What was the background of the Watts Riot?
The Watts Riot began when a white motorcycle cop pulled over a black that had been reported as driving drunk. A group gathered as the cop questioned the driver and his brother. Their mother then made it to the scene. All three were arrested. Police had used a baton on the men. This incited the crowd. Soon after the cops left the riot began.
What did the Watts Riot cause?
The Watts Riot set off four other riots during "the long, hot summers." 1966: Chicago, Cleveland. 1967: Newark, Detroit. The urban riots were initiated by blacks in an effort to destroy "what they could not stomach.
When did the bus boycott end?
The boycott ended in December of 1956
When schools asked for clarification on how/when to desegregate, what was the decision?
The decision was that schools must desegregate with "all deliberate speed." Warren decided that because each of the cases under the Brown I case had different local issues that the local school districts would have to decide how to desegregate. And state & federal courts would have to decide whether the schools were implementing desegregation.
When and where was the first sit-in?
The first sit-in was on February 1, 1960 in Greensboro, NC.
Explain DuBois idea of the "Talented Tenth"
The idea that the privileged Blacks must serve the other 9/10...the "tenth" will lead the others. As years go by, the Talented Tenth will grow in numbers as they help "pull" the other portions of Black society up.
What prompted the desegregation of the military?
The lynching of Black veterans in 1946
What happened at the March?
The march went well. There were no violent incidents. MLK gave his famous "I have a Dream" speech.
What was the Movement in the North like?
The movement also begins "looks different". The movement outside of the South that really gets going in the mid-1960s, is more "radical" and more "aggressive". You start to see the use of weapons, aggressive speech, and more militant clothes (the Panthers).
How did the US reaction to RFK's death?
The nation went numb. Within 5 years, four major US figures had been assassinated: JFK, Malcolm X, MLK, and RFK.
What happened the day after the first sit-in?
The next day 29 Black men and women went to same lunch counter and sat there from 10:30 until the afternoon.
What happened the second time the Little Rock Nine tried to attend school?
The nine students were brought by car and slipped in through a side door. When the mob outside found out that they were inside the building they advanced on the school...500 angry Whites. The police were scared that they could not control the crowd and protect the students. The nine were slipped back out of the school.
What did Bloody Sunday prompt?
The proposal of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
What did Eisenhower do in regards to the community protests regarding the Little Rock Nine?
The protests in the community had become so heated that President Eisenhower sent in 1000 US paratroopers to protect the students and control the mob (Sept. 25). The paratroopers remained in place for the entire school year. This is the first time Eisenhower had actually enforced the B v. B decision.
How did Middle America feel about the riots?
The rise of violence unsettled Middle America. Rioters made the news and MLK became the "voice of reason" for many Middle Americans.
What happened with JFK's tax bill?
The tax cut bill was pushed through first, and it kicked off an economic boom.
Why were there so many members of the KKK?
They catered to the poor & ignorant. Their titles like "Grand Dragon" and "Imperial Wizard" also helped the members feel important. They reassured the insecure and anxious men. They even created family groups for kids, women, & young boys. Even foreigners could join if they had "conformed."
What did the Panthers demand?
They demanded all blacks be released from jail, and blacks should receive back payment (reparations) for slavery from whites.
How did the Radical Republicans fail African Americans?
They failed to truly advance the rights of former slaves
What did the Supreme Court look at when deciding rulings regarding the Reconstruction Amendments?
They looked at the original intent, not at what the law said. They knew that the Radicals passed those amendments just to end slavery, not for equality.
In general, what did the 1870s Slaughterhouse Cases do in terms of African American rights?
They overturned much Reconstruction legislation, limited federal protection for Blacks, and encouraged racial segregation.
What did the Black Panthers do?
They practiced armed self-defense of black communities against the white police...foreign occupying force. They would follow the cops in black neighborhoods and intervened if the cops abused their power. They would often have shootouts with police. They portrayed themselves as defenders of the oppressed against a racist police state. The Panthers developed into a Marxist-type group dealing with class struggles.
What did the Supreme Court rule in the Slaughterhouse Cases?
They ruled that these amendments were meant to guarantee federal privileges, not state privileges. The "privileges & immunities" clause didn't create additional rights; it merely required states to apply its laws equally to non-state residents as well as state residents.
How did the Black Panthers appear?
They usually appeared heavily armed, in black military clothing and wearing dark sunglasses.
What did the Freedom Riders do?
They wanted to test if Boynton v Virginia was being followed. Most southern states did not enforce the court decision. So, in 1961 civil rights activists rode interstate buses (like a Greyhound) into the south.
What literal situation did the Slaughterhouse Cases of 1873 deal with?
They were a series of cases dealing with who could bring animals to be killed in slaughterhouses.
Why were the amendments created?
They were created for political reasons; hardly anyone supported Black suffrage or equality otherwise.
Why weren't the Panthers as successful as they could have been?
They were not as successful as they could have been due to an inconsistency in their leadership. Many of their leaders across the US were, as some point, arrested for engaging in extortion, drug dealing, and other criminal behavior. Also, many of the Panthers had different philosophies...not as unified as the NOI or SCLC. Due to these problems and constant investigations by the FBI they fell apart by the early 1970s.
What did the SCLC do?
They would coordinate and assist local organizations working for equality of Blacks. The SCLC was a non-violent organization and only worked with other like-minded organizations.
What problem did the Progressive Movement face? What did those with money start to realize during the movement?
This group faced the continuing and increasing problem of poverty in an industrialized nation. They began to see poverty not as a moral problem but as a social dilemma for which the community as a whole was responsible. The "haves" also realized that if they give a little then the people would buy their products.
Why did Malcolm change his last name to X?
This stands for the rejection of a slave name and the absence of a proper Muslim name. "Replace the white slave master name which had been imposed upon my paternal forebears by some blue-eyed devil." He eventually changed his last name to Shabazz, however, he was usually always referred to as Malcolm X by the media.
What was the significance of Sweatt v Painter?
This was a major blow to "separate but equal." It will also lay the foundation for overturning Separate but Equal in public schools with Brown v. Board in 1954.
What was significant about Plessy v Ferguson (1896)?
This was a precedent case in all civil rights cases until 1954 with Brown v Board.
How did younger Americans feel about the Eisenhower years? What was the solution to these feelings?
Though the Eisenhower years had been prosperous, it was seen as boring and stale. Younger Americans, especially, were looking for something less traditional and exciting. This was found in John F. Kennedy...a 42 year old Senator from Massachusetts. He became the Democratic nominee. He was younger, handsome, married to a beautiful woman, had two young children and was wealthy. About the only issue was that he was Catholic.
What problems did the Progressive Movement tend to ignore? Why?
Though the progressives were reform-minded, they tended to ignore some of the most pressing problems. Most were unconcerned with racial injustice. Progressivism was geared to the largely white, middle-class, Protestant. These reformers shared the nearly universal belief that Blacks were inherently inferior and socially unassimilated (social Darwinism).
Who was the NAACP's chief legal counsel? What else did he do?
Thurgood Marshall. He later argued the Brown v. Board case and became the first black man on the Supreme Court. He also argued Sweatt v. Painter
What died UT do in response to Sweatt suing?
Very quickly Texas opened a law school for Blacks (1947). It was located in a house on 13th Street in Austin. Students would have some access to the law area of the library and some of the UT law professors. It was grossly unequal to the UT Law School.
What were the results of the Birmingham protests?
Violence and mayhem continued. The national and local medias covered all of it. People across the US saw images of young kids/adults being beaten, sprayed, attacked by dogs, etc... The images and backlash forced the Birmingham city leaders to meet with SCLC. On May 10 it was decided that the city would take down their Jim Crow signs and most places were desegregated. Also, most were released from jail, and "Bull" Connor was fired. The scenes of violence on the protesters helped to push JFK into greater action because of the national attention that it brought.
__________ was condoned in the KKK, but they also created _________________ that would impress their community.
Violence, codes of behavior
Which two leaders became the intellectual voices of the Black community as well as the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance? When did they become the leaders?
WEB Dubois and James Weldon Johnson (Johson taught literature at NY University and Fisk University, also involved in the NAACP) They became the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance when they moved the headquarters of the NAACP to Harlem. Harlem was a predominantly Black area in NYC. The Harlem Renaissance lasted throughout the 1920s.
What had WWII stirred up in the members of the black community?
WWII had generated a new militancy and restlessness among many members of the black community...I served my country yet I'm still racially inferior. This helped to spur the modern civil rights movement.
What did X do after his return?
When he returned he founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU). This group emphasized Black Nationalism in a manner that did not demonize whites. It promoted the idea that all people of African descent across the Americas should work together for the betterment of the race.
How did white segregationists and the KKK react in Birmingham?
White segregationists in the city reacted violently. There were a handful of bombings (near MLK's hotel, and his brother's house). JFK sent the National Guard into Birmingham to maintain peace. In retaliation to the changes made the KKK placed a bomb in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. It went off on a Sunday morning in September 1963 and killed four little girls.
Describe women's rights in the Progressive Era (I don't think this will be on the quiz so I'm not putting any effort into this question)
Women did make in-roads during the Pro. Era. Most Progressives were supporters of Women's rights. The National American Woman Suffrage Association was led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and (later) Carrie Chapman Catt. They stressed federal legislation to get the women voting rights. During the Progressive Era, men began to push women out of higher level positions. EX: 1890's, ¼ of medical school grads were women, but by 1920 only 5% were women. They were being pushed into "women" jobs. The passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 marked the end of the Progressive Era. When the 19th passed, women lost their unifying cause. They didn't change their gender roles. Women were very active during this era. Besides the voting issue, women pushed for improved schools, working conditions, and children's issues.
What did X do after he was thrown out of the NOI?
X travelled to Mecca in April of 1964 to participate in the hajj. He had already converted to traditional Islam. But, while he was there he discovered that races can get along through Islam...race was insignificant in Islamic thought. "He ate dinner with people who had the white removed from their minds, allowing them to live in true brotherhood."
Why did KKK membership begin decreasing in the latter 20s?
because of scandals and increased violence. Remember the Klan never dies, you'll see another growth during the 1950s and early 1960s.
Blacks were _____________ better-off after WWII, but not as good as whites.
economically
Neither Northerners nor Southerners ever thought the amendments meant __________
equality
MLK was an _______________. He believed that Blacks should live and advance in the larger society through personal, educational, business, and political actions/involvements.
integrationist
Courts didn't believe (or want to) they could legislate ___________ at this time
morality
What were some ways in which schools avoided desegregating?
place students into schools by aptitude or conduct, or look at kids'/citizens' ability to "adjust"
What were some examples of life under Jim Crow Laws?
separate schools, trains, waiting rooms, fountains, sections of movies (if not separate movie theatres), telephone booths, entrances, libraries, sections of circuses, etc... "Colored Days" for zoos, parks, etc...