1. THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
Georgia Studies

2. EARLY ATTEMPTS TO GAIN EQUAL RIGHTS
1896, Plessy V. Ferguson legalized separate-but-equal doctrine
1910, NAACP; worked to gain equal treatment & filed lawsuits against discriminatory laws
NAACP’s goal was to secure civil rights - protections & privileges given to all citizens by the Constitution

3. Postwar Changes Strengthen Protests
WWII was a turning point for race relations in U.S.
African Americans fought & died in WWII just like white soldiers
Many were convinced that they had to stand up for their rights
1947, Pres. Truman set up the President’s Committee on Civil Rights to study the problem of discrimination
1948, Pres. Truman outlawed segregation in the armed forces

4. Challenging Segregation in Education
1950’s, NAACP began fight to end segregation in schools
Black & white schools were not equal! Were white-controlled school boards providing white students with better schools, teachers, books & equipment?
1954, U.S. Supreme Court - Brown v. Board of Education ended racial segregation in schools
Segregation laws violated the 14th Amendment
60 yrs of “court-approved” segregation ended

5. Avoiding Compliance with the Law
Segregationist politicians decided to ignore the U.S. Supreme Court ruling
Massive resistance - if the South put up a fight, maybe the gov’t would back down
1955, General Assembly voted to cut off state funds to any system that integrated its schools
1961, GA begins to integrate schools - 1st two black students enroll in UGA - Charlayne Hunter & Hamilton Holmes

6. Attacking Segregation of Public Facilities: The Montgomery Bus Boycott
1955, Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat to a white passenger
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. organized a bus boycott
The city’s bus revenue fell by 65%
King’s role in the boycott established him as a national civil rights leader
King called for a NONVIOLENT approach to social change

7. The Movement Gains Strength
1957, MLK, Jr. & other leaders formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
SCLC advocated nonviolent protests, peaceful marches, sit-ins & boycotts
1960, students created the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to organize their efforts to end segregation
Julian Bond & Lonnie King became leaders in the Atlanta based organization

8. The Albany Movement

9. Riders were beaten, arrested, & buses were fire-bombed
Freedom Riders
1961, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) & SNCC decided to test the 1955 Supreme Court ruling which outlawed segregation on interstate buses & train stations
“Freedom Riders” boarded buses to show public transportation was still segregated in the South
Riders were beaten, arrested, & buses were fire-bombed
Interstate Commerce Commission issued regulations to end segregated terminals

10. 1963 - A Year of Victory & Tragedy
Civil rights activists turned their attention to Birmingham, Alabama in an effort to integrate public facilities
1,000 African Americans marched through the city demanding access to public facilities
Police Chief Eugene “Bull” Conner released police dogs & turned fire hoses on the marchers
Public facilities are eventually desegregated but violence continued
9/15/63, 16th Street Baptist Church bombed during Sunday School & 4 black children were killed!

11. The March on Washington
Organized to push Pres. Kennedy & Congress into helping the civil rights movement
8/28/63, 250,000 people gather at the
Washington Monument - Whites, Native Americans & Hispanics marched together
Dr. MLK, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech to express his hopes & dreams that society would one day be based on equality

12. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Pres. Kennedy sent the bill to Congress
Outlawed segregation in public facilities
Outlawed discrimination in business & labor unions
Created the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) to stop discrimination in employment based on race, religion or gender
The MOST POWERFUL piece of civil rights legislation & the most controversial

13. The Voting Rights Act of 1965
1964, “Freedom Summer” - volunteers began a voter registration drive in Southern states
1965, Dr. MLK, Jr. & over 500 people marched in support of voting rights in Selma, Alabama
Many were jailed; no more blacks were able to register to vote
Dr. King organized another march from Selma to Montgomery to gain more support
On the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Alabama state troopers beat the marches with nightsticks & whips

14. Voting Rights Continued
Dr. King gained a permit & received protection from federal officials to continue the march
Nearly 25,000 joined the group to complete the march
In response, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Illegal to prevent blacks from voting
18 months later, 1 million blacks registered to vote
1965, 8 black candidates elected to GA State House of Representatives
1st African American woman elected to the legislature-Gertrude Towns Hamilton
1973, Maynard Jackson became 1st black mayor of ATL

15. A Shift in Mood Some wanted to abandon the nonviolent approach
They were frustrated with the slow progress & white resistance
Malcolm X & the Black Muslims preached black pride
Black Panthers preached using violence to achieve equality
Rioting broke out in black neighborhoods & large cities
1968, MLK, Jr. assassinated in Memphis, TN
Efforts con’t through Mrs. Coretta Scott King, Ralph Abernathy, Rev. Jesse Jackson, John Lewis & Julian Bond

16. Civil Rights Victories
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Voting Rights Act 1965
Fair Housing Act 1968
Pres. Johnson appointed Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court; 1st African American justice
1972, minorities hired as policemen, firemen, & workers in other government departments
Increase in the number of black elected officials