1. Ch. 21: Civil Rights

2. Section 1: Taking on Segregation

3. I. Background—Pre-Civil Rights Movement (1950s-1960s)
A. Post-Civil War Amendments
1. 13th Amendment (1865)
a. Abolished slavery

5. 2. In response, Southern states passed “Black Codes.”
Former slaves could not marry whites; serve on juries; travel without a permit; buy property from whites; own a business; and obey a curfew.
The goal was to keep power in white hands.

6. 3. In response the 14th Amendment was passed (1868)
a. Declares that all states must
treat all citizens fairly according
to the law—due process.
b. Declares states must treat all citizens as equals before the law—
equal protection.
c. The goal; was to prevent discrimination and guarantee
rights

7. 4. 15th Amendment (1870)
a. Declares that all citizens cannot
be denied the right to vote
because of race, color or
previous condition of servitude (slavery).
b. Former slaves had increased
political power.

8. 2. Ruled unconstitutional in 1876.Why?
B. Civil Rights Act of 1875
1. Prevented discrimination in public accommodations (restaurants, theaters, stores, etc.)
2. Ruled unconstitutional in
1876.Why?
SC said that discrimination in public accommodations was between individuals and that Congress could not punish individuals for racial discrimination.

9. 3. Following this ruling, Southern states began passing laws (Jim Crow laws) that circumvented the 14th and 15th Amendments.

10. C. Jim Crow
1. In 1890, Louisiana passed a law
requiring, “equal but separate
accommodations for the white
and colored races.”
2. The law was challenged in the
1896 Plessey v. Ferguson case.

11. 3. The SC ruled that, “separate but
equal” did not violate the 14th Amend.
4. Following this ruling, states began passing Jim Crow laws.
Separate schools, streetcars, waiting rooms, train coaches, elevators, restrooms, restaurants, seating in theaters, jury boxes.
5. Segregation was now a legally justified way of life.

12. II. Challenging Segregation in Court A. NAACP est. 1909
1. Created to fight segregation in court.
2. Early leaders included:
Charles Hamilton Houston
Thurgood Marshall

13. B. Primary Target—Schools 1. Through the 1930s, 40s and 50s,
the NAACP slowly chipped away
at segregation in schools.
2. Brown v. Board of Education
(1954)
Landmark case
SC unanimously ended segregation in public schools and the idea of “separate but equal”
Why?
Violated the 14th amend.

14. C. Post-Brown America 1. Reaction was mixed.
Some districts integrated immediately.
Some slowly
Some openly refused (esp. in the South)

15. 2. Crisis in Little Rock, Arkansas (Sep. 1957)
Gov. Orval Faubus ordered the National Guard to block the desegregation of Central High
The “Little Rock Nine” volunteered to be the first AA kids to integrate into Central
President Eisenhower ordered in the US Army
Soldiers escorted the students to class
The entire event was watched on TV
1957, Congress passed a Civil Rights Bill

17. D. The Montgomery Bus Boycott
Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to sit in the colored section of a public bus.
NAACP organized a bus boycott.
Local leaders picked Martin Luther King , Jr. to lead the boycott
AA boycotted the buses for 381 days
King’s home was bombed
1956, the SC outlawed bus segregation

20. 1. Non-violent civil disobedience
III. MLK and SCLC
A. Soul Force
1. Non-violent civil disobedience
Practiced by Mohandas Gandhi in India
Wear down hate with passive resistance
2. Southern Christian Leadership
Conference was formed.
Used AA churches as a base
Organized nonviolent protests

21. 3. SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee)
Formed by college students
Organized sit-ins
Students were beaten, arrested, spit on and suspended from school.
Again, TV, spread these images all over the country.

24. Section 2

25. I. Post-1965
A. The Movement Goes North
1. The North had de facto segregation (by custom and tradition) while in the South is was de jure segregation (by law).
2. Changing Northern segregation would be more difficult because it would require people to change their attitudes and beliefs.

26. 3. Race riots Why? New York—July 1964 Watts, L.A.—August 1965
Detroit—1967
—100s of other cities.
Why?
a. Ending legal segregation was not enough.
b. African-Americans also wanted equality of opportunity in jobs, better housing, fair treatment by police and better schools.

27. B. New Leaders and Black Power 1. Malcolm Little
Known as Malcolm X.
Preached that blacks should separate from white society and armed self-defense.
After a pilgrimage to Mecca, he changed his beliefs and began to talk about cooperation.
Assassinated on Feb. 21, 1965.

28. 2. Stokely Carmichael Split with King.
He felt the movement needed to be more militant.

29. 3. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale
Formed the Blank Panthers in Oakland, California.
Pushed for immediate civil and economic rights.
Much more militant than SCLC.
Set up programs to help the poor.
Many members were arrested by the FBI.

30. II. 1968
A. Assassinations
1. On April 4, 1968 in Memphis, King is assassinated.
Reaction: Race riots erupted in 100s of cities.
2. June—Robert Kennedy is assassinated.

31. B. Civil Rights Legacy 1. Accomplishments: De jure segregation ended.
Civil and Voting Rights Acts passed.
African-Americans gained ethnic and racial identity.
More A.A. on TV.
Political gains.

32. 2. New Issues Housing Job discrimination Urban poverty Education
Racism
Affirmative Action