THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT HUMANITIES COURSE OUTLINE: Aims and Methods of the Civil Rights Movement The Role of Martin Luther King Successes by 1975 The Aims and Methods of the Black Power Movement The Role of Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael The Impact of the Black Power Movement

THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT BACKGROUND: After the end of slavery Black Americans were continued to be persecuted. The ‘Jim Crow’ Laws in the South enforced Segregation. This meant that Black people were kept separate from Whites. Blacks had the poorest schools; lowest paid jobs; could not eat in the same restaurants, sit in the same parks or even receive treatment in the same hospitals as whites. Blacks lived in separate neighbourhoods, they were not allowed to vote and they did not expect to receive justice in the courts. The armed forces were even segregated. Finally on public transport Blacks had to sit in separate compartments than whites. In some states marriage between blacks and whites was illegal. Many Blacks moved North to find work and although the North didn’t have segregation, racial discrimination continued. Ultimately poorer education kept the Blacks ‘in their place’ and kept them subservient.

THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT BACKGROUND: Despite poorer education some black people did become well read and educated and therefore analysis of the Black’s situation was called for. Two organisations developed to raise awareness of the inequality: The NAACP the National Association for the advancement of coloured people gained membership of 91,000 Blacks by They concentrated on opposing racism and segregation by means of legal action, public enquiries and other legal and non-violent activities. Others were drawn to Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association. Garvey from Jamaica called for Black people to ‘return to Africa’ and he was the first to coin the slogan ‘Black is Beautiful’. He was a brilliant and charismatic leader who led impressive parades. But his ideas came to nothing as he was arrested and imprisoned for fraud and was later deported to Jamaica. Nevertheless he did inspire a new black consciousness.

THE KU KLUX KLAN The most brutal treatment of blacks came in the form of ‘Lynchings’ and they were common in the South. This is when a black person was chased severely beaten and hung in front of crowds. Those responsible were rarely brought to justice as many policemen, judges, teachers, and politicians were in the white supremist movement, the Ku Klux Klan. Klan members wore all white to protect their identity and were all about protecting the WASPs – the White Anglo-Saxon Protestants.

THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT It was the First World War that changed the Civil Rights Movement. Two Movements developed: Martin Luther King and Peaceful protest and Malcolm X and violence.