The Civil Rights Movement US History II SOL 8a

…..Civil rights for African Americans had been a problem in our country since its birth…

After the Reconstruction freedmen had begun the struggle for equal treatment of the laws.

The Supreme Court Case of Plessy v. Ferguson had the historical decision that “Separate but equal” facilities for blacks and whites were just fine.

…with the U.S. Supreme court telling the country it was okay to segregate the races, Jim Crow laws sprang up all across the south.

After World War II opposition to segregation grew stronger and stronger. A new case went to the Supreme Court. The Case was “Brown v. Board of Education”

The outcome of Brown v. Board of Education was much different than the Plessy v. Ferguson case.

In Brown v. Board of Education The Supreme Court said the “Separation in the public school by its very nature is unequal” The court ordered the desegregation of all public schools.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a large portion of the Civil Rights movement using passive resistance against segregated facilities.

King gave a march and speech in Washington, D.C.

That day in Washington, Dr. King’s speech began with…. “I have a dream….” In this speech King told of his wish for all people of the world to be judged by their integrity not the color of their skin.

Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama, starting the Montgomery bus boycott.

Many others joined in the fight for equality by: organized protests freedom riders sit-ins marches

NAACP W.E.B. Dubois formed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, to help fight for equal rights for African Americans.

There were 2 pieces of legislation that helped with civil rights and equality: 1. Civil Rights Act of Voting Rights Act of 1965

The African American struggle and slow victories helped another struggling group with its fight for equality….the women

…with more and more women working outside the home it was noticed that there were many workplace disadvantages against women.

1.There was discrimination in hiring practices against women.

2. There were lower wages for women than for men doing the same job.

What actions were taken to improve conditions for women after WWII?

Improved conditions gradually came about with the help of the following 3 things. 1. National Organization for Women, NOW

2. Federal legislation to force colleges to give women equal athletic opportunities.

3. The Equal Rights Amendment, ERA, (despite its failure) and a focus on equal opportunity employment, created a wider range of options and advancement for women in business and public service.

This has been another….. Fabulous S. Cole Production! Please Study!!