1. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

2. Civil Rights and Equality “All men are created equal?”
One of the founding principles of our democracy
All citizens are guaranteed equal protection under the law
In theory, Americans have equal rights.
In practice, is this a reality?

3. The Struggle for Equality: African Americans
Slavery and the Civil War Amendments
13th = Abolished Slavery
14th = Guaranteed equal protection and due process.
15th = Gave African Americans the right to vote.
These Amendments go by two names:
The Civil War Amendments
The Reconstruction Amendments

4. The Struggle for Equality: African Americans
Leads to Jim Crow Laws (Post 1877)
Laws passed in the South that required segregation (separation) of blacks and whites in society.
Schools
Public transportation
Restaurants

5. Landmark Court Cases Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Established the “Separate but equal” doctrine
Supreme Court endorsed Jim Crow Laws
The use of race as a criterion of exclusion in public matters was not unreasonable.
Legalized segregation

6. Landmark Court Cases Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Overturned the Plessy case and ended segregation (technically)

7. The Civil Rights Movement
Emmett Till (Summer of 1955)
Fourteen year old African American was murdered for flirting with a white woman by saying, “Bye, baby” to the woman
This has since been found to be a lie on the part of the woman.
This case brought to light brutality of Jim Crow laws in the South

8. The Civil Rights Movement

9. The Civil Rights Movement
Montgomery Bus Boycott (December 1955)
Occurred because Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus where she had been sitting in the colored section

10. The Civil Rights Movement
Little Rock Crisis (1957)
Occurred in Little Rock, Arkansas
The National Guard was called in to prevent integration by the governor; later called the Little Rock Crisis

11. The Civil Rights Movement
Children’s March in Birmingham, AL (1963)- Led by MLK, Jr.
March on Washington, D.C. (1963)
“I have a dream” speech

12. The Civil Rights Movement
Three Civil Rights Acts were passed shortly after the Brown decision:
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Voting Rights Act of 1964
Supposed to help end segregation
Civil Rights Act of 1968

13. The Civil Rights Movement
Mississippi Burning (June 1964)
Three civil rights workers were murdered in Mississippi for trying to help African Americans register to vote.
Their bodies were found in August 1964 after FBI involvement.
Michael Schwerner
James Chaney
Andrew Goodman

14. The Civil Rights Movement
Malcolm Little (Malcolm X)
African American Muslim minister, outspoken leader in the Nation of Islam, and civil rights activist during the 1950s and 60s
Clashed with MLK and the Civil Rights Movement because the Nation of Islam wanted segregation between blacks and whites and promoted black power while MLK promoted peace and integration.

15. The Civil Rights Movement

16. The Civil Rights Movement
Malcolm Little (Malcolm X)
Disillusionment
Occurred in 1962 and 1963
Malcolm X lost faith with the leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammed, for sexual misconduct
He left in 1964 after expressing interest in working with Civil Rights leaders like MKL

17. The Civil Rights Movement
Malcolm Little (Malcolm X)
Malcolm X Assassinated
Killed February 1965
He was assassinated by members of the Nation of Islam while giving a speech
Quote: “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
- Malcolm X

18. Affirmative Action
An action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer discrimination; especially in relation to employment or education
Positive discrimination