Chapter 11

A PHILIP RANDOLPH

Civil Rights activist that proposed a march on Washington to protest racial discrimination in

the United States military.This is one of the earliest signs for the Civil

Rights movement that would develop over the next 20-30 years.

Randolph was a key figure to getting the Fair Employment Act passed, prohibiting

discrimination in the national defense industry.

A. PHILLIP RANDOLPH

One of the most violent episodes during the 1940’s in the United

States.Twenty-five blacks and nine whites were killed

during the riot until federal troops finally ended the violence.

This lasted for two days.

DETROIT RIOTS

When Truman became president, he quickly became a supporter of civil rights.

Truman wanted to improve black citizens lives not only for their sake, but also for the

Cold War.Many of Truman’s views caused the

Democratic Party to split, even leading some to believe that Truman would be defeated in the Presidential election.

One thing that Truman did was integrate the United States Military.

HARRY TRUMAN

JACKIE ROBINSON

Robinson became the first African American during the modern era to play baseball in the Major League.

Prior to Robinson baseball was split into separate leagues: Major League Baseball, Negro Leagues.

Robinson showed the success that African Americans could achieve, and showed that he was an equal on

the field.Robinson played for the Dodgers from 1947-1956, playing in six world series (won in 1955), and was

elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962.

ROBINSON’S ROLE

BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION TOPEKA

Entering the 1950’s the Civil Rights movement had begun to gain momentum.

One area they wanted to concentrate on was the de-segregation of public education.

The NAACP sued the Board of Education in Topeka, because it would not let a black girl, Linda Brown,

attend an all-white school.The court case overturned the decision previously

held by Plessy v. Ferguson, stating that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.The Supreme Court, led by Earl Warren, found that separate facilities were inherently unequal because

they did not present minority students with the same opportunities.

BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION TOPEKA,

KANSAS

THURGOOD MARSHALL

Was an attorney for the NAACP, and was the presiding lawyer during the

Brown v. Board case.Marshall became a well-known African

American figure in the U.S.Eventually he became the first African

American ever appointed to the Supreme Court.

THURGOOD MARSHALL

Despite the court decision in Brown, many southern leaders and states were

determined to maintain segregation.In Little Rock, Arkansas, the governor

refused to obey a federal court order to integrate the Little Rock Central High

School in 1957.He called in the National Guard to prevent

the students from entering.President Eisenhower stepped and ensured that the students, the Little Rock Nine, were allowed to gain admittance into the school.

LITTLE ROCK NINE

GOV. GEORGE WALLACE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF

ALABAMA

Wallace was the governor of Alabama during the late 1950’s.

Wallace tried to prevent the integration of the University of Alabama by physically

blocking the entrance. James Meredith was the student trying to gain entrance.

Federal authorities would eventually force Wallace to allow African American students

entrance into the school.Wallace was famous for saying “segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation

forever.

GEORGE WALLACE

MAYOR WILLIAM HARTSFIELD

Atlanta had gained national praise for its handling of the desegregation of

schools.Mayor William Hartsfield managed to

avoid violence and turmoil.Hartsfield used a coalition of black and white community business leaders to

help peacefully deal with race relations.Hartsfield was quoted saying: “Atlanta

is the city too busy to hate.”

ATLANTA

MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT

Segregation had reached as far as the public transit buses used in the city of Montgomery.On December 1, 1955, a bus driver ordered

Rosa Parks to give up her seat to a white passenger. When she refused, the police

arrested her and took her to jail.NAACP leaders selected Martin Luther King

Jr. to lead them in a boycott of the Montgomery bus system.

MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT

The city’s 50,000 blacks united, walking to work or carpooling.

This lasted for over a year costing the city thousands of dollars.

Finally in November 1956, the Supreme Court ruled that buses must be integrated.

The bus boycott was a major victory, and served to make Martin Luther King Jr. the lead

figure for Civil Rights in the United States.

BOYCOTT CONT.

MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT

A Southern Baptist minister, King had risen to his status through the bus boycotts.

When King was arrested he told the people protesting not to break out in violence, it

would only anger them more and give them more evidence to keep the South segregated.This movement would be known as the non-

violent movement during the Civil Rights era.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

SOTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

The bus boycott had also given birth to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

The group chose Dr. King as its first president and sought to unite civil rights leaders

(primarily ministers).Early on they pushed for voter registration and education as their major goals for civil rights.

They believed that if they could educate average African American citizens and get the

right candidates elected, then they could successfully bring about the end of

segregation and inequality.

SCLC

ALBANY MOVEMENT

ALBANY, GEORGIA

However, following their participation in the Albany Movement ( a student

inspired civil rights movement in South Georgia), a number of SCLC

leaders began to appreciate the value of mass demonstration and public

protests as well.

SCLC CONT.

LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL

Dr. King had been arrested following a peaceful civil rights protest in Birmingham

in April 1963.Many white ministers felt civil rights

should be battled in court, not through protests.

While in jail King wrote a letter that expressed the reasons he disagreed with

others and proclaimed that civil disobedience (peaceful refusal to follow

unjust laws) was a necessary and acceptable method for achieving equality.

LETTER FROM A BIRMINGHAM JAIL

MARCH ON WASHINGTON

Due to the Cold War, the federal government feared what other countries

might think about the United States due to the civil rights movement.

This opened the door to protests such as the March on Washington.

Here King delivered what many feel is his most famous speech, his “I Have a Dream

Speech”.

MARCH ON WASHINGTON

“I HAVE A DREAM”

http://www.mlkonline.net/sounds.html

I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH

GREENSBORO SIT-IN

On February 1, 1960, four black college students at North Carolina A&T University protested racial segregation in restaurants

by sitting at a “whites only” lunch counter in a Greensboro, North Carolina Woolworth’s.

When they were ordered to leave, they peacefully refused and were arrested.

Within days, “sit-ins” had spread across North Carolina.

GREENSBORO SIT-IN

The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee developed in response to students gathering in Raleigh, North

Carolina.These students devoted themselves to

the use of non-violent protests to demand civil rights for African

Americans.

SNCC

FREEDOM RIDES

African Americans boarded a bus in Washington D.C. with plans to head South.

The protestors were going to peacefully ride into the South in a response to the segregation

found on buses.Everything was going fine until the bus reached

Anniston, Alabama.In Anniston, a white mob attacked the bus and

set it on fire, and beat every passenger that fled the burning bus.

FREEDOM RIDES

Many of the freedom riders continued their trip.

The U.S. government sent aid with U.S. Marshalls, but many of the Marshalls did not interfere with

arrests being made.The Marshalls feared interference

would result in public disorder.

FREEDOM RIDES CONT.

Formed in 1961, the Congress of Racial Equality, helped to organize the freedom rides that would take place.

CORE would continue to organize other protests throughout the Civil

Rights movement.

CORE

Although both sides were pushing for the same changes, each side viewed the method

for change differently.SNCC and CORE were willing to use more

radical methods than SCLC.Some members of SNCC and CORE began to reject nonviolent protests, and began

what they called “Black Power”.This was a philosophy that held blacks should take great pride in their African

heritage and be willing to use violence if necessary.

SNCC AND CORE VERSUS SCLC

NOVEMBER 22, 1963

After the March on Washington, JFK proposed new civil rights laws.

On November 22, 1963, an assassin by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald shot and killed the

president in Dallas as he rode in an open car with the first lady and the governor of Texas.

The death of JFK left the nation mourning, but also gave the presidency to Lyndon B. Johnson.

JFK ASSASSINATION

LEE HARVEY OSWALD

CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964

Lyndon Johnson strongly urged the House and Senate to pass the civil rights legislation proposed by Kennedy.Despite opposition from Southern

legislators, Johnson pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through.

This act prohibited segregation in public accommodations and discrimination in

education and employment. It also gave the president power to enforce the new law.

This also gave way to the 24th Amendment which outlawed the poll tax.

CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964

BLOODY SUNDAY

SELMA ALABAMA

BLOODY SUNDAY

In 1965, protestors in Selma, Alabama decided to bring national attention to the cause of civil rights by marching 50

miles to the state’s capital in Montgomery.

The march occurred on March 7, 1965.

When 500 marchers reached Selma’s city limits, 200 state troopers and sheriff’s deputies beat them with clubs and

whips, released dogs on them and showered them with tear gas.

BLOODY SUNDAY

Two weeks after Bloody Sunday, Martin Luther King Jr. led more than 3,000 marchers out of Selma, including a core of 300 people who

walked the entire journey.Four days later, they arrived in Montgomery, where King addressed a rally of nearly 40,000

people.On August 6, 1965, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 authorizing 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.

VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965

WARREN COURT

The members of this court made several key Supreme Court decisions to bring about social change.

The court was led by Chief Justice Earl Warren.

Key cases:

Brown v. Board of Edu

Mapp v. Ohio

Gideon v. Wainwright

Miranda v. Arizona

WARREN COURT

MAPP V. OHIO

“YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT…”

JOHNSON’S GREAT SOCIETY

Lyndon Johnson wanted to not only implement civil rights changes, but he also wanted to implement what he called his

Great Society.

This consisted of various proposed programs and centered greatly around Johnson’s declared “War on Poverty”.

Johnson’s role as a Senator allowed him to be successful in pushing through his programs.

GREAT SOCIETY

VOLUNTEERS IN SERVICE TO AMERICA

VISTA

This program mobilized volunteers to work in poorer communities within the United States.

VISTA also established Job Corps for the purpose of educating and training inner-city youth for gainful

employment.

VISTA

JOB CORPS

HEAD START

This program helped to ensure better education for children with low-income families.

This program primarily focuses on Pre-K programs.

HEAD START

HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

ROBERT C. WEAVER

This program oversees housing needs, rehabilitates urban communities, and provides rent assistance to those living in

low-income housing.

The program was initially headed by Robert C. Weaver, the first African American ever appointed to a presidential

cabinet.

HUD

MEDICARE & MEDICAID

Two of Johnson’s most important programs were Medicare and Medicaid.

Medicare is a program funded by the federal government and is meant to provide medical coverage for the elderly.

Medicaid is a health care partially funded by the federal government and partially funded by the states. It serves to

provided health care for low-income families.

MEDICARE & MEDICAID

1968

ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT

Student activist, such as the Students for a Democratic Society, began calling for the removal of troops from

Vietnam.

Protestors filled college campuses and marchers constantly picketed the White House, accusing the president of

heartlessly sending young men to die in the jungles of Southeast Asia.

ANTI-WAR

ASSASSINATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING

On April 4, 1968, an assassin gunned down Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The man responsible for King’s assassination was James Earl Ray.

Dr. King was in Memphis, TN.

King would leave others to carry on the civil rights banner.

MLK JR.

ASSASSINATION OF ROBERT KENNEDY

On June 5, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy finished his victory speech after winning the California primary.

A young Palestinian named Sirhan Sirhan stepped forward in the crowd and shot him at close range.

Because of his support for civil rights, manyu citizens had considered Kennedy to be their greatest hope for steering the

nation in a positive direction.

RFK

DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION 1968

President Johnson was not running for re-election, and many Democrats’ favorite

candidate, RFK, was dead.When Democrats met in Chicago to nominate candidates for president and vice president,

large numbers of radicals and protestors descended on the city and the areas

surrounding the convention.Demonstrations got out of hand after delegates voted against a Vietnam peace resolution and it

became clear that Johnson’s VP, Hubert Humphrey, would be nominated for President.

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

CHICAGO 7

Police in Chicago began clubbing those involved in the rally while television cameras

caught most of the violence.The incident led to the arrest and trial of several protestors called the “Chicago 7”.The trial turned into a virtual circus as the defendants continually mocked the court

proceedings.Five were eventually found guilty, but their

convictions were overturned.These protests would eventually hurt

Humphrey’s chances of winning the election.

CHICAGO 7

UNITED FARM WORKERS

This was founded in 1962 by Cesar Chavez.

It supported the rights of migrant farm workers, many of which were poor Hispanic immigrants.

Chavez went to great lengths to improve the conditions under which migrants workers toiled, including personally

conducting hunger strikes.

Eventually by 1970 a labor agreement was reached.

UNITED FARM WORKERS

THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF WOMEN

Founded by Betty Friedan, it devoted itself to political activism and promoted feminist causes.

Not all women flocked to the women’s movement, however.

Conservative Phyllis Schlafly campaigned vigorously against it, arguing that many women wanted to remain at home, that

there was no more important role that that of a wife and mother.

NOW

THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE

A book penned by Betty Friedan that talked about her own experience in giving up a career to be a homemaker.

She suggested that the idea of women being happy and fulfilled at home was a myth.

Her views helped launch a women’s movement of the 1960’s and 70’s.

This movement was known as Women’s Liberation or Women’s Lib.

THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE

THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT

PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY

ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT

Environmentalist are concerned with preserving the earth’s resources and species of life.

Much of the focus is put on ways to prevent human beings from negatively affecting the environment.

The birth of this movement began in the 1960’s.

ENVIRONMENTALIST MOVEMENT

RACHEL CARSON AND SILENT SPRING

Rachel Carson argued that mankind’s use of certain chemicals (notably pesticides) was poisoning the

environment.

Despite protests from several chemical companies, Carson’s book won critical acclaim and led to the banning of DDT (a common pesticide) and more government restrictions on

various chemicals.

SILENT SPRING

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal agency created by Richard Nixon for the purpose of enforcing laws aimed at maintaining a safe and clean

environment.

EPA

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

An Oscar-winning documentary produced by Vice-President Al Gore.

The documentary focused on the affect that greenhouse gasses have had on the Global Environment.

Gore pointed out that global warming is largely man-made and that it is occurring at rate that will produce catastrophic

consequences.

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

CONSERVATISM

This is the belief that government should not try to regulate too much.

Conservatives would rather keep taxes low and have a government that does a little as

possible.They believe in personal freedoms and property rights rather than government trying to control how society operates.Many conservatives fought against civil rights legislation and Johnson’s Great

Society, because they restricted the right of individuals to choose for themselves.

CONSERVATISM

Barry Goldwater was the conservative hero who rose out of this conservative atmosphere.

Goldwater

BARRY GOLDWATER