Chapter 16-3 Civil Right New Issues Problems continue to face African Americans after the civil rights legislation. Whites refused to live with African Americans in the same neighborhood. Real estate agents, landlords and banks also discriminated against blacks making it difficult for them to find good housing. Almost half of all African American families lived in poverty, and the median income was only 55 percent of that of the average white family. Unemployment for African Americans was twice that of whites. Many African Americans knew that the civil rights movement had made enormous gains, but when they looked at their own circumstances nothing seemed to be changing Their anger and frustration began to rise and finally erupted in violence.

The Watts Riots. Allegation of police brutality led to riots in L.A five days after Pres Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act. 34 people killed and 900 injured. More rioting was coming and broke out in dozens of American cities between 1965 and and 1968.

The Kerner Commission President Johnson appointed the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders to study the causes of the urban riots and make recommendations to prevent them from happening again in the future. The commission blamed white society and white racism for the majority of the problems in the inner city. Due to massive spending for Vietnam President Johnson never endorsed the recommendation of the commission to create new jobs in the inner city and construct new housing .

What was the federal government’s response to race riots?

U.S. Army troops were deployed, and the Kerner Commission recommended reforms to prevent further riots.

The Shift to Economic Rights African American leaders become critical of Martin Luther King Jr’s non-violent strategy. They felt it had not helped their economic situation. In 1965 Dr. King began to focus on economic issues. Dr King met with leaders in Chicago and proposed a new program to clean up the slums. Associations of realtors and bankers also agreed to promote open housing. In theory, mortgages and rental property would be available to everyone, regardless of race. Very little changed.

Black Power 1965 young African Americans living in the slums began to turn away from Dr. King. Some leaders called for more aggressive forms of protest. CORE and SNCC voted to expel all whites from leadership positions within their organizations, believing that African Americans alone should determine the course and direction of their struggle. Young African Americans called for Black Power. A few interpreted black power to mean threat physical self-defense and even violence were acceptable in defense of one’s freedom Black Power also stressed pride in African American culture. Dr. King criticized black power as a philosophy of hopelessness and despair. The idea was very popular in urban neighborhoods where many African Americans resided.

Malcom X and the Nation of Islam Criminal at a young age and spent six years in prison for burglary. Joined the nation of Islam AKA Black Muslims Black Muslims do not hold the same beliefs as mainstream Muslims. The Nation of Islam preached black nationalism following the beliefs of Marcus Garvey. Malcom X the X stood for a symbol 1964 discouraged by scandals involving the Nation of Islam’s leader, he went to the Muslim holy city of Makkah, also called Mecca in Saudi Arabia. After seeing Muslims from many different races worshiping together, he concluded that an integrated society was possible. He broke with the Nation of Islam and criticized their leader Elijah Muhammad. Three Organization members shot and killed him in Feb 1965 while he was giving a speech.

The Black Panthers. An organization for self-defense. They considered themselves the heirs of Malcolm X Believed a revolution was necessary, and they urged African Americans to arm themselves and confront white society in order to force whites to grant them equal rights. The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. By the late 1960 the civil rights movement had fragmented into dozens of competing organizations with different philosophies. April 4,1968 on his hotel balcony in Memphis he was assassinated by a sniper.

April 1968 congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1968 Contained fair housing provision, outlawing discrimination in housing sales and rentals and gave the Justice Dept. authority to bring suits against such discrimination.