What is a “grass roots” political movement?
What is a “grass roots movement”? Individuals can be the agent of change in society Civil Rights Era: What change were individuals seeking?
Background to Civil Rights Era
250 years of slavery…
Reconstruction Amendments 13th ends slavery Southern states forced to ratify to re-enter the Union 14th- guarantees equal rights of citizenship to all born in America 15th- Right to vote cannot be denied based on race
Civil Rights Act of 1875 “All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the accomodations… of inns, public conveyances on land or water, theaters, and other places of public amusement” SUPREME COURT declares unconstitutional in 1883
Plessy v. Ferguson Establishes “separate but equal” Segregation is constitutional
Jim Crowe South
Via intimidation, literacy tests, poll taxes, African Americans effectively disenfranchised in the south
20th Century…. 1909- NAACP formed to fight for equality in courts World War I: Great Migration to the north 1920s: Harlem Renaissance New Deal FDR includes African Americans in public works projects WW2 Million blacks in Armed Forces Part of “Arsenal of Democracy”
Things don’t happen in a vacuum: How do the following “set the stage” for the Civil Rights movement? World War 2 Baby Boom Generation: “Youth Culture of 1950s/ 60s The Cold War New Technology: Television
Executive Order 9981 Truman desegregates the military
Dodgers sign Jackie Robinson Breaks the “color barrier” in professional baseball
NAACP and Thurgood Marshall Goes after “separate but equal” in the courts Focuses on schools 29 out of 32 cases won Becomes 1st Black Supreme Court Justice (1965-1991)
Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas- 1954 Overturns Plessy v. Ferguson "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." 1957: protests to forced desegregation, Charlotte, NC, 1957
South resists- Southern Manifesto Stage is set for the “Civil Rights The Warren court overstepped its authority Southern States can ignore it Stage is set for the “Civil Rights Movement” 1955-1965
Montgomery Bus Boycott Rosa Parks arrested MLK organizes boycott SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Council) African American churches organizes to non-violently protest segregation
1958: Little Rock Nine Eisenhower has army escort black students to high school to force desegration
Things don’t happen in a vacuum: How do the following “set the stage” for the Civil Rights movement? World War 2 Baby Boom Generation: “Youth Culture of 1950s/ 60s The Cold War New Technology: Television
1961- 1965: Height of “the movement” What tactics were used by activists? Role of YOUNG people…. Would you have joined? What were the tangible results by 1965
1960- Sit-ins Starts with 4 college freshmen Spreads quickly
1963- Freedom Riders CORE: Congress of Racial Equality Whites and blacks ride together to southern bus stations Attacked
1963- Birmingham Campaign MLK and thousands arrested Attacked by police On television JFK calls for Civil Rights Act
1964- March on Washington “I have a Dream” Demanding a Civil Rights Act….
1964- Civil Rights Act is passed Bans discrimination in employment & “public accomodations”
1964- Freedom Summer SNCC (“Snik”)- Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Go to Mississippi to get African Americans to register to vote… (4 dead… 80 beaten… 3 blacks killed…. 1062 arrrested…. 37 churches bombed… 30 black homes bombed…)
1965 Voting Rights Act No more literacy tests Extensive FEDERAL gov’t control over elections…
Assignment- 10 points Create a newspaper front page for your assigned event “Splashy” Headline Sub-headline? Date Photo Brief factual summary- PUT YOURSELF THERE, reporting on it that day! What happened? Why? Significance?
1961- 1965: Height of “the movement” What tactics were used by activists? Role of YOUNG people…. Risks taken by joining…. What were the tangible results by 1965\ What now?