Civil Rights Movement Begins Unit 7, Section 3 Civil Rights Movement Begins

Background to Civil Rights Movement 1909 – Formation of NAACP Legal efforts under Thurgood Marshall (1938 – 61) Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters – A. Phillip Randolph First labor union led by Blacks Becomes powerful Civil Rights force in late 30’s – early 40’s Jackie Robinson - baseball

The Segregation System Background: Segregation in the Southern states was the norm until the 1950’s Plessy v. Ferguson (1890) had established doctrine of “separate but equal” Southern states passed Jim Crow laws legally separating the races – segregation 14th and 15th Amendments ignored – local laws enforced Racial prejudice also existed in the North

Jim Crow Laws

Developing Civil Rights Movement World War II sets stage for movement African Americans had served valiantly in the war (Truman later integrates military) African Americans had skillfully filled jobs Civil Rights organizations begin organizing

Brown v. Board of Education Brown v. Board of Education – Warren Court overturns Plessy v. Ferguson (1954) Many Southern states resist school integration Little Rock Nine are refused entry to Little Rock Central High School by Governor and National Guard(1957) President Eisenhower sends in Federal Troops; takes control of Arkansas National Guard 1957 Civil Rights Act puts enforcement of desegregation under federal control

Little Rock Nine

Rosa Parks and Montgomery Rosa Parks, African American woman refuses to give up her bus seat to a white passenger Parks is arrested for stand, event begins Montgomery bus boycott Led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Young pastor from local church Boycott lasts 381 days 1956 – Supreme Court outlaws bus segregation

Emergence of MLK With Montgomery, Martin Luther King becomes major leader of Civil Rights Movement Non-violent resistance inspired by Gandhi Civil Disobedience inspired by Thoreau Massive Demonstration inspired by A. Phillip Randolph Idea is to win public support through peaceful protests Founds SCLC, SNCC is founded by students at Shaw University in Raleigh

The Civil Rights Movement Peaks

The Sit-In Movement (1960) Four African-American students from NC A&T stage sit-in at segregated Woolworth’s Lunch counter in Greensboro Television crews capture scene SNCC sit-ins spread to 48 cities Favorable attention to movement nationwide 1

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Freedom Riders 1956, Supreme Court bans bus segregation on interstate buses Freedom Riders buses into deep South to test decision (1961) Met with violence in Alabama, including a bomb JFK sends Federal Marshalls to escort riders from Montgomery to Jackson, Mississippi 4

Integrating Universities African-American James Meredith wins federal case to attend Ole Miss JFK orders Federal Marshalls to escort him to class over Governor’s resistance Rioting and violence occurs Alabama Governor George Wallace refuses to integrate University of Alabama – literally blocks door himself JFK uses military force to integrate JFK demands Congress pass Civil Rights Bill (1963)

Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama had strict segregationist policies, history of racial violence Seen as ultimate testing grounds for movement April, 1963, MLK is arrested in Birmingham; protestors are met with violent police crackdown TV cameras broadcasts scenes to nation; protests, boycotts and nationwide outcry for city to integrate

March on Washington JFK’s Civil Rights Bill in Congress 100th Anniversary of Emancipation Proclamation, August, 1963 March on Washington organized 250,000 Americans gather at Lincoln Memorial to promote Civil Rights MLK gives famous “I have a Dream” Speech

Civil Rights and the Law July, 1964, LBJ signs CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 Bans segregation in employment and public Enlarges Federal Power to enforce desegregation 24th Amendment of 1964 abolishes poll taxes Freedom Summer of 1964 attempts to register Black Mississippi voters Met with violence Violence in Selma, Alabama as SCLC and SNCC march for voting rights Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminates literacy tests, allows federal election overseers – huge victory

From http://www.learnnc.org Ibid. From http://www.npr.org