EOCT CH. 11 Vocabulary

Harry Truman He became the nation’s 33 rd president following the death of FDR and became a supporter of civil rights

Truman’s Decision to integrate the US Military In 1948, he signed legislation integrating the US military. His support of such actions split the Democratic Party over the issue of integration in 1948

Jackie Robinson He became famous as the first African American during the modern era to play baseball in the Major League

Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in which the Court ruled that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional because conditions in segregated schools are not equal. It reversed the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling.

Little Rock Central High School This High School gained national attention after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board decision when the governor refused to obey a federal court order to integrate the school. The governor called in the Arkansas National Guard to prevent nine black students from entering the school, prompting President Eisenhower to nationalize the Guard and send them home. Eisenhower then mobilized elements of the 101 st Airborne to enforce the court’s ruling and make sure that the African-American students safely gained admittance to the school

James Meredith First African American admitted to the University of Mississippi

George Wallace Governor of Alabama who opposed integration and attempted to prevent black students from gaining admittance to the University of Alabama

Atlanta Southern city praised for its peaceful implementation of school segregation during the 50’s and 60’s.

Martin Luther King Jr. In April, an assassin gunned down this man in Memphis, Tenn, leaving others to carry the banner of civil rights in his place. Later that summer, this democratic presidential hopeful, was also assassinated after winning the California primary. Because of his open support for civil rights, many citizens had considered him to be their greatest hope for steering the nation in a positive direction. In the midst of all the chaos and violence, the nation moved ahead with concern and a sense of uncertainty

SCLC Southern Christian Leaders Conference The organization sought to unite leaders from the black community during the civil rights movement. Early on, they tended to rely on voter registration and education within the black community as its major method for pursuing civil rights. They believed that if it could educate average African-American citizens and get the right candidates elected to public office, it could successfully bring about the end of segregation and inequality. However, following their participation in the Albany Movement, a number of their leaders began to appreciate the value of mass demonstrations and public protests as well.

Letter From Birmingham Jail Famous letter written by Dr. King from this jail in Alabama, where he had been arrested following a peaceful civil rights protest. His letter was a response to several white ministers who wrote a statement arguing that the battle for civil rights should be waged in the courts rather than by protests. Kings public response eloquently expressed the reasons he disagreed and proclaimed that civil disobedience was a necessary and acceptable method for achieving equality

Sit-ins Nonviolent protests in which blacks sat in segregated places until they were served or arrested

Montgomery Bus Boycott Early civil rights protest by Dr. King from the jail in Alabama, in which African Americans boycotted public transportation in response to the arrest of Rosa Parks. African Americans refused to use public buses until they were finally integrated. The event made Dr. King a nationally known figure and established him as the recognized leader of the civil rights movement.

SNCC Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee It was a student organization which devoted itself to the use of non-violent protests to demand civil rights for African-Americans.

CORE Congress of Racial Equality It was an organization founded in 1942 and devoted to social change through non-violent action. It is perhaps most noted for organizing the famed “Freedom Rides” of the 60’s

Freedom Rides Integrated bus trips in which civil rights advocates (both black and white) traveled south on buses to test Supreme Court rulings requiring the integration of buses. One famous ride turned violent in Alabama. These rides helped draw national attention to civil rights and create additional support for the movement

Black Power A philosophy that held blacks should take great pride in their African American heritage and be willing to use violence, if necessary, to attain and protect their civil rights

Anti-War Movement Social/political movement of the 1960’s and early 70’s that consisted largely of college students and that was aimed at ending the war in Vietnam

Lyndon Johnson He became president following the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963,. He pushed through civil rights legislation, proposed domestic programs designed to end poverty known as the “Great Society”, and supported affirmative action.

March on Washington Civil rights march in 1963 that consisted of 200,000 civil rights activists demanding equality for all citizens. It culminated in Dr. King’s famous “I have a Dream” speech

Civil Rights Act of 1964 An act passed by Congress which prohibited segregation in public accommodations (hotels, restaurants, theaters) and discrimination in education and employment.

Voting Rights Act of 1965 Legislation passed by Congress in 1965 which authorized the president to suspend literacy tests for voter registration and to send federal officials to register voters in the event that county officials failed to do so. This new law led to a huge increase in African- American voter registration, as well as an increase in the number of African-American candidates elected to public office.

Miranda vs. Arizona Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that a criminal defendant must be informed when they are arrested that they have the right to an attorney and the right not to incriminate themselves

Warren Supreme Court He served as chief justice of the Supreme Court from 1953 until 1969 and oversaw a number of key Supreme Court decisions which led to social change

Great Society President Johnson’s domestic programs which were meant to end poverty and involved large amounts of government spending.

Medicare and Medicaid Important programs introduced as part of Johnson’s “Great Society”. They provide elderly citizens with medical care and is funded by the federal government. The other one provides medical care for lower income families and is partially funded by the states.

1968 This year saw social and political revolutions take place around the world

Democratic National Convention of 1968 Political convention where the Democratic Party nominated its candidate for president and vice president for the 68 election. Large numbers of radicals and protestors descended on the city where the convention was held and, eventually, massive demonstrations got out of hand after convention delegates voted against a Vietnam peace resolution and it became clear that Johnson’s vice president, Hubert Humphrey, would be nominated for president. Police began clubbing those involved in the rally while television cameras caught most of the violence.

Cesar Chavez Founder of the UFW and an advocate for Hispanic, migrant workers, he imitated many of the methods of Dr. King and went to great lengths to improve the conditions under which migrant workers toiled, including personally conducting hunger strikes.

United Farm Workers Organization founded in 1962 and led by Cesar Chavez. It imitated many of the methods used by the civil rights movement as it supported the rights of migrant farm workers, many of which were poor Hispanic immigrants

Environmentalist Movement Movement inspired largely by Rachel Carson that is concerned with preserving the earth’s resources and species of life. It often focuses combating ways in which human beings “negatively affect” the environment

Women’s Movement Movement which rejected traditional gender roles and advocated equality between men and women.

NOW National Organization of Women This organization was founded by Betty Friedan. She was devoted to political activism and feminist causes

Rachel Carson Scientist/writer whose book Silent Spring, helped inspire the modern environmentalist movement

Silent Spring This book was written by Rachel Carson that helped inspire the modern environmentalist movement

EPA Environmental Protection Agency This federal Agency was established for the purpose of enforcing laws aimed at maintaining a safe and clean environment

Earth Day Annual event first celebrated in 1970 which is meant to encourage concern for the environment and draw attention to environmental issues.

Al Gore Former vice president of the US who is currently one of the world’s best known advocates for the modern-day environmentalist movement.

Conservatism Political philosophy which gained support in the 60’s and that believes government should not try to regulate too much. Conservatives would rather keep taxes low and have government that does as little as possible. They believe in personal freedoms and property rights rather than government trying to control how society operates

Barry Goldwater Republican candidate for president in 1964 whose candidacy marked the rise of conservative movement and ended the days of the “Solid South