+ MS Studies Chapter 15

+ Civil Rights in Mississippi The push for Civil Rights in MS/US began after slavery ended in Amendments that helped the fight for Civil Rights in th – abolished slavery 14 th – a. all people born or naturalized were US citizens. b. a person’s rights and property cannot be taken away without due process 15 th – all black males could vote

+ Civil Rights in Mississippi After the Civil War there was rise in segregation Segregation – separation of the races Jim Crow Laws – enforced segregation in the South Not all white Mississippians believed that segregation was needed White liners – were white Mississippians who believed in the complete separation of the races The laws in MS required separate but equal facilities Plessy VS. Ferguson was a US Supreme Court case that enforced segregation in the South

+ Constitution of 1890 The Constitution enforced segregation and disenfranchisement of African Americans after the CW in the following ways Voters had to be able to read and understand part of the constitution Pay a poll tax of $2 every two years Residency Requirements

+ Origins of the Civil Rights Movement Sharecropping and segregation were a little better than slavery The federal government did little to protect the rights of blacks in the South World War II brought about the following changes to the South Ended the Great Depression and created jobs Urbanization brought challenges to segregation African American servicemen were discriminated against by the federal government, when the government hired workers

+ Dixiecrats Prior to the Great Depression African Americans were mainly Republican because it was the party of Lincoln Whites were mainly Democrats However when FDR created the New Deal many African Americans switched to be Democrats As a Result: white Southern Democrats left the Democratic Party and established the Dixiecrats The Dixiecrats believed the Democrats could not win the Presidency without them They were wrong and Harry Truman won the Presidency as a Democrat

+ Organizations that helped with Civil Rights NAACP – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Attempted to end racial discrimination through the court system Most famous case: Brown vs The Board of Education Decision separate but equal facilities were unconstitutional Schools must integrate Problem: The Supreme Court did not give a specific time to integrate CORE – Congress of Racial Equality – fought discrimination through sit-ins Freedom Riders

+ Organizations that helped with Civil Rights SCLC – Southern Christian Leadership Conference Led by Martin Luther King Jr. Attempted to end discrimination through nonviolent protest Marches, protest, and boycotts SNCC- Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Helped integrate public places and helped African Americans register to vote

+ Opposition to Integration Citizen’s Council – an attempt to defend segregation without using violence Klu Klux Klan – used violence on any member of society that did not have their beliefs

+ Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement Martin Luther King Jr. The most celebrated leader of the Civil Rights Movement Believed in gaining equality through nonviolence A lot of his beliefs were biblically based

+ Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement Rosa Parks is consider a leader of the modern Civil Rights Movement Her refusal to give up her seat led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott Montgomery Bus Boycott was successful in overturning the Alabama law

+ Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement James Meredith - First African American admitted to Ole Miss

+ James Meredith Video

+ Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement Medgar Evers Civil Rights Activists in Mississippi First field secretary for the NAACP in Mississippi He led demonstrations, boycotts, and helped with voter registration Due to his high profile job, he was shot and killed in the driveway of his home in Jackson

+ Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement Malcolm X He was an outspoken member of the Nation of Islam Which mixed the beliefs of Islam with black power Black power – advocated black separatism It also supported freedom through any means necessary However he went to Mecca and learned the traditional method of Islam, as a result, he switch to the idea of nonviolent protest He was assassinated because he switched beliefs

+ Ways of Protest Sit-in – when people would go to places that would not accept blacks and they would refuse to leave Wade-in – when people would go to white only beaches and wade in the water as a means of protest Boycott – when people refused to buy things from people that would not serve black people Marches – when people took signs and marched to various places

+ Summer of 1964 “Freedom Summer” A movement to register and educate black voters COFO – Council of Federal Organization led the movement Freedom Schools – explained complicated voter registration procedures A period of time in which civil rights activity reached its climax in Mississippi (especially violence) Philadelphia killings 80 freedom summer workers were beaten 37 churches were either bombed or burned

+ Civil Rights Movement Accomplishments Civil Rights Act of 1964 – ended segregation in public places based on race, religion, gender, or origin: hotels, businesses, restaurants, and stores Voting Rights Act of 1965 – abolished state voting requirements MS public schools became some of the most integrated in the country

+ Civil Rights Movement Accomplishments Three major events that helped the people of America realize the need for Civil Rights laws 1. Crisis at Ole Miss (James Meredith) 2. Assassination of Medgar Evers 3. Violence during Freedom Summer