Black History Black History Test Prep Test Prep

It takes time to change minds and It takes time to change minds and hearts…hearts…

Frederick DouglassFrederick DouglassFrederick Douglass was born a slave in Maryland in 1818 or 1819. HeFrederick Douglass was born a slave in Maryland in 1818 or 1819. He““stole” himself from his owner by escaping in 1838. Douglass believedstole” himself from his owner by escaping in 1838. Douglass believedthat African Americans should take the lead in fighting for their people'sthat African Americans should take the lead in fighting for their people'sfreedom. And, unlike many white abolitionists, Douglass understood thatfreedom. And, unlike many white abolitionists, Douglass understood thatemancipation meant not just the end of slavery but also equality for blackemancipation meant not just the end of slavery but also equality for blackAmericans. The first page of his autobiography, published in 1845, revealsAmericans. The first page of his autobiography, published in 1845, revealsthat he was not certain of his own age, for he never saw any record of histhat he was not certain of his own age, for he never saw any record of hisbirthday. In fact, Douglass wrote that he never met a slave that knew his orbirthday. In fact, Douglass wrote that he never met a slave that knew his orher own birthday.her own birthday.

AmendmentsAmendments

1414thth Amendment: Gave equal rights to Amendment: Gave equal rights to the African Americans after the Civil War.the African Americans after the Civil War.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

1515thth Amendment: Gave the right to vote Amendment: Gave the right to vote to adult, male African Americans.to adult, male African Americans.

Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws

After the After the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War most states in the most states in the South passed anti-African American legislation. South passed anti-African American legislation. These became known as Jim Crow laws. This These became known as Jim Crow laws. This included laws that discriminated against African included laws that discriminated against African Americans with concern to attendance in public Americans with concern to attendance in public schools and the use of facilities such as schools and the use of facilities such as restaurants, theaters, hotels, cinemas and restaurants, theaters, hotels, cinemas and public baths. Trains and buses were also public baths. Trains and buses were also segregated and in many states marriage segregated and in many states marriage between whites and African American people. between whites and African American people.

Ku Klux KlanKu Klux Klan

After the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan, led After the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan, led by former Confederate General Nathaniel by former Confederate General Nathaniel Bedford Forrest, used terrorist tactics to Bedford Forrest, used terrorist tactics to intimidate former slaves. intimidate former slaves.

They believed it was their job to enforce They believed it was their job to enforce the Jim Crow Laws.the Jim Crow Laws.

NAACPNAACPNational Association for the Advancement of Colored PeopleNational Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Founded by W.E.B. Du Bois in 1909 to promote full racial equalityFounded by W.E.B. Du Bois in 1909 to promote full racial equality

The purpose of NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic The purpose of NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred.equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred.

In its early years, the NAACP concentrated on using the courts to overturn the Jim In its early years, the NAACP concentrated on using the courts to overturn the Jim Crow statutes that legalized racial segregation.Crow statutes that legalized racial segregation.

In the early 1950s the In the early 1950s the National Association for the Advancement of National Association for the Advancement of ColouredColoured People People concentrated on bringing an end to segregation on buses and trains. In concentrated on bringing an end to segregation on buses and trains. In 1952 segregation on inter-state railways was declared unconstitutional by the 1952 segregation on inter-state railways was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme CourtSupreme Court. This was followed in 1954 by a similar judgment concerning inter-. This was followed in 1954 by a similar judgment concerning inter-state buses. However, states in the Deep South continued their own policy of state buses. However, states in the Deep South continued their own policy of transport segregation. This usually involved whites sitting in the front and blacks transport segregation. This usually involved whites sitting in the front and blacks sitting nearest to the front had to give up their seats to any whites that were sitting nearest to the front had to give up their seats to any whites that were standing. standing.

Rosa ParksRosa Parks

Rosa rode the bus each day to and from work. In the South, public Rosa rode the bus each day to and from work. In the South, public buses were still segregated. This meant that the first four rows of buses were still segregated. This meant that the first four rows of the buses were reserved only for whites. The "colored" sections the buses were reserved only for whites. The "colored" sections were at the very back of the bus. The sections were marked by were at the very back of the bus. The sections were marked by moveable signs that the driver was free to move at any time to moveable signs that the driver was free to move at any time to accommodate more or less white people. If whites boarded the accommodate more or less white people. If whites boarded the bus and there was no room, blacks were forced to move, stand or bus and there was no room, blacks were forced to move, stand or leave the bus. They were not allowed to sit directly across the leave the bus. They were not allowed to sit directly across the aisle from a white person. Blacks were forced to board the bus aisle from a white person. Blacks were forced to board the bus from the back to avoid walking past a white person on the front of from the back to avoid walking past a white person on the front of the bus. At times, a black person would pay the driver and walk to the bus. At times, a black person would pay the driver and walk to the back of the bus, but the bus would depart before they could the back of the bus, but the bus would depart before they could get to the door, leaving them standing on the roadside. get to the door, leaving them standing on the roadside.

"People always say that I didn't give up my "People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. I seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in. I the only tired I was, was tired of giving in. I knew someone had to take the first step and I knew someone had to take the first step and I made up my mind not to move. Our made up my mind not to move. Our mistreatment was just not right, and I was tired mistreatment was just not right, and I was tired of it." of it."

Martin Luther King Martin Luther King and the Bus Boycottand the Bus Boycott

Sparked by the arrest of Sparked by the arrest of Rosa ParksRosa Parks on 1 December on 1 December 1955, the Montgomery bus boycott was a 13-month 1955, the Montgomery bus boycott was a 13-month mass protest that ended with the U.S. Supreme Court mass protest that ended with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses is ruling that segregation on public buses is unconstitutional. The unconstitutional. The Montgomery Improvement Montgomery Improvement AssociationAssociation (MIA) coordinated the boycott, and its (MIA) coordinated the boycott, and its president, Martin Luther King, Jr., became a prominent president, Martin Luther King, Jr., became a prominent civil rights leader as international attention focused on civil rights leader as international attention focused on Montgomery. The bus boycott demonstrated the Montgomery. The bus boycott demonstrated the potential for nonviolent mass protest to successfully potential for nonviolent mass protest to successfully challenge racial segregation and served as an example challenge racial segregation and served as an example for other southern campaigns that followed. for other southern campaigns that followed.

Freedom RidersFreedom Riders

Transport segregation continued in some parts of the Transport segregation continued in some parts of the Deep South, so in 1961, a civil rights group, the Deep South, so in 1961, a civil rights group, the Congress of Racial Equality Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) began to organize (CORE) began to organize Freedom RidesFreedom Rides. After three days of training in non-. After three days of training in non-violent techniques, black and white volunteers sat next violent techniques, black and white volunteers sat next to each other as they travelled through the Deep to each other as they travelled through the Deep South. On their journeys they also campaigned against South. On their journeys they also campaigned against other forms of racial discrimination. They sat together, other forms of racial discrimination. They sat together, in segregated restaurants, lunch counters and hotels. in segregated restaurants, lunch counters and hotels. This was especially effective when it concerned large This was especially effective when it concerned large companies who, fearing boycotts in the North, began to companies who, fearing boycotts in the North, began to desegregate their businesses. desegregate their businesses.

Brown vs. Board of Brown vs. Board of EducationEducation

On May 17, 1954, the Supreme On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court unanimously announced Court unanimously announced an end to public segregation in an end to public segregation in schools in the famous schools in the famous Brown Brown vv. . Board of Education of TopekaBoard of Education of Topeka

case.case.

Graphics courtesy of ArtTodayGraphics courtesy of ArtToday

Linda Brown, an eight-year-Linda Brown, an eight-year-old African-American girl, old African-American girl, had been denied had been denied permission to attend an permission to attend an elementary school only elementary school only five blocks from her home five blocks from her home in Topeka, Kansas in Topeka, Kansas because it was an all white because it was an all white school. They wanted her school. They wanted her to attend the all-black to attend the all-black school, 21 blocks away. school, 21 blocks away. Her parents sued the Her parents sued the school system.school system.

Equal Rights (again) Equal Rights (again) for African Americansfor African Americans

Civil Rights Act of 1964Civil Rights Act of 1964 Outlawed major forms of discrimination against Outlawed major forms of discrimination against

African Americans and women, including racial African Americans and women, including racial segregation.segregation.

It ended unequal application of voter registration It ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and by facilities that served the the workplace and by facilities that served the general public. general public.

Right to Vote Act 1965Right to Vote Act 1965 Outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had Outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had

been responsible for the widespread been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans in the U.S. disenfranchisement of African Americans in the U.S.