Expansion & Challenges Civil Rights Movement

Voting Issues Voter Education Project (VEP) 24th Amendment Founded by SNCC & CORE ’62 Registered blacks to vote > lots of opposition Greatest challenge = Mississippi > terror tactics 24th Amendment Banned taxes on citizens who vote Freedom Summer 1964 College students registered African Americans (mostly SNCC volunteers) Volunteers mainly white, northern & upper middle class https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gYKcZCWv-w Education equality Mississippi spent $82/year on white students vs. $22/ year on black students

Mississippi Crisis in Mississippi Results 1 volunteer went missing June ’64 3 others were arrested for speeding after investigating a church bombing After arrest, they were never heard from again LBJ announced major manhunt > bodies found Results Dec. ’64, 21 suspects were arrested for murder (most were KKK members) State dropped charges but put on federal trial for violation of civil rights *1st time conviction in Mississippi for killing civil rights workers Freedom Summer was a success despite murder Taught 3000+ students & registered 17,000 to vote

Selma Campaign Jan. ’65 MLK campaigned for voting with marches By end of Jan, 2000+ marchers were arrested but police acted with restraint MLK & marchers gained national attention on TV MLK announced a 4-day march from Selma to Montgomery to protest death of a marcher by state troopers http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/15/us/1965-selma-to-montgomery-march-fast-facts/ Gov. George Wallace said march wouldn’t be tolerated Mar. 7, 1965, 600 began 54-mile march on bridge outside Selma but police blocked Police fired on marchers (shown on TV) MLK not present at march but vowed to resume march

Legislation Civil Rights Act of 1964 Voting Rights Act of 1965 No literacy (or other types of tests) to prevent black voters *1 of most important pieces of Civil Rights legislation Within 3 weeks of passage, 27,000+ African Americans in Mississippi, Alabama & Louisiana were registered to vote Civil Rights Act of 1964 Initiated by JFK but passed by LBJ No discrimination in public areas or employment No unequal voting requirements

Segregation & Unrest De jure segregation Segregation by law Ends when laws that created it are repealed De facto segregation Exists thru custom & practice *More difficult to overcome Ex: Blacks couldn’t buy / rent in white neighborhoods; banks made loans difficult Watts 1965 35,000 took part in 6-day riot destroying entire city blocks 3000 arrested, 34 killed Detroit July 1967 Week of violence 43 deaths, 1000s of injuries & arrests Kerner Commission Investigated causes of violence *Blamed poverty & discrimination

Fractures in the Movement Most whites saw the civil rights movement as unified but it was actually very diverse 1st signs of trouble = Freedom Summer 1964 because as harassment of CORE/SNCC workers in Mississippi increased, some rejected philosophy of non-violence Also weakened when NAACP, CORE & SCLC favored compromise at MFDP while SNCC felt betrayed

Black Power Movement May 1966 Carmichael Stokely Carmichael replaced moderate leadership of John Lewis as head of SNCC Carmichael abandoned the philosophy of non-violence March Against Fear 1966 > after arrested, he raised a clenched fist in salute & shouted defiance Slogan became: Black Power Carmichael Recognized the need for economic & political power “This is the twenty-seventh time I have been arrested - & I ain’t going to jail no more. The only way we’re going to stop them white men from whippin’ us is to take over. We been saying freedom for 6 years - & we ain’t got nothin’. What we gonna start now is ‘Black Power.” – Stokely Carmichael June 17, 1966

Black Panthers Black Power appealed to many young African Americans Inspired by Huey Newton & Bobby Seale who founded Black Panthers Party Oct. 1966 They rejected nonviolence & called for a violent revolution as a means to liberation Some carried guns & monitored neighborhoods against police brutality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F56O3kZ9qr0

Black Muslims 1 of largest & most influential groups was the Nation of Islam Based on Islamic religion, it was founded in 1930 & members were Black Muslims Led by Elijah Muhammad who taught the message of black nationalism, self-discipline & self-reliance Nation of Islam forbade smoking, gambling, alcohol & stressed cleanliness, thriftiness, & conservative dress In the 1960s, they had 65,000 followers

Malcolm X Fiery minister of Black Muslims Offered message of hope, defiance & black pride Initially critical of MLK & nonviolence but in 1964, he broke with the Black Muslims & after visiting an Islamic holy site in Saudi Arabia, became a changed man He preached black power but cooperated with other civil rights leaders & called for racial harmony Feb. 1965 Malcolm X was assassinated by Black Muslims for being a “traitor”

Assassination of MLK Jr. MLK realized economic issues needed to be included Went to Memphis, TN in March ’68 to help city workers in march against discrimination & pay He led a march & rally at City Hall The next day, James Earl Ray shot & killed MLK Jr. with a high-powered rifle as he stood on the balcony of a motel Within hours of MLK Jr.’s death, riots erupted in 120+ cities Within 3 weeks, 46 were dead, 2,600 were injured, & 21,000 were arrested Nearly 55,000 troops were required to restore order