Introduction to American Introduction to American Studies IIStudies II

The Civil Rights Movement:The Civil Rights Movement:

The 1950s and 1960sThe 1950s and 1960s

BrownBrown decision decision

Brown Brown v. v. Board of Education of TopekaBoard of Education of Topeka 19541954 Overturned Overturned Plessy Plessy v. v. FergusonFerguson (1896) (1896)

““Separate but equal” facilities are Separate but equal” facilities are constitutionalconstitutional

Unanimous decision written by Chief Unanimous decision written by Chief Justice Earl WarrenJustice Earl Warren

““Separate educational facilities are Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal”inherently unequal”

Violate “equal protection clause” of the Violate “equal protection clause” of the Fourteenth AmendmentFourteenth Amendment

Black Civil Rights MovementBlack Civil Rights Movement NAACPNAACP

National Association for the Advancement of Colored National Association for the Advancement of Colored PeoplePeople

Established 1909Established 1909 Had many Black and white members, most funding Had many Black and white members, most funding

came from rich white sympathizerscame from rich white sympathizers W. E. B. DuBois (1868-1963) was the leading Black W. E. B. DuBois (1868-1963) was the leading Black

member in the first half of the 20member in the first half of the 20thth Century Century Led legal challenges to segregation and attempted to Led legal challenges to segregation and attempted to

have a Federal anti-lynching law passed (unsuccessfully)have a Federal anti-lynching law passed (unsuccessfully) SCLCSCLC

Southern Christian Leadership ConferenceSouthern Christian Leadership Conference Established 1957Established 1957 Made up of ministers from predominately Black churchesMade up of ministers from predominately Black churches First leader was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.First leader was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Best known for organizing “non-violent” resistance to Best known for organizing “non-violent” resistance to

segregation across the Southsegregation across the South

Important EventsImportant Events Montgomery Bus BoycottMontgomery Bus Boycott

1955/561955/56 Rosa Parks, a Black woman refused to give up her seat to a Rosa Parks, a Black woman refused to give up her seat to a

white passenger and was arrestedwhite passenger and was arrested Black citizens of Montgomery, AL organized a 381-day Black citizens of Montgomery, AL organized a 381-day

boycottboycott Lunch-counter sit-insLunch-counter sit-ins

Organized by students to protest segregation in eating Organized by students to protest segregation in eating facilitiesfacilities

First held in Greensboro, NC in 1960First held in Greensboro, NC in 1960 Led to the development of student-led civil rights movementLed to the development of student-led civil rights movement

Freedom Rides (1963)Freedom Rides (1963) Protested segregation in interstate bus transportationProtested segregation in interstate bus transportation

March on Washington (August 28, 1963)March on Washington (August 28, 1963) Massive civil rights protest in Washington, D. C.Massive civil rights protest in Washington, D. C. MLK delivers his famous speech “MLK delivers his famous speech “I have a dreamI have a dream””

End to legal segregationEnd to legal segregation Civil Rights Act of 1964Civil Rights Act of 1964

Based on 14Based on 14thth Amendment Amendment Banned segregation in public facilitiesBanned segregation in public facilities

Voting Rights Act of 1965Voting Rights Act of 1965 Banned discriminatory practices in denying Blacks (and Banned discriminatory practices in denying Blacks (and

others) the right to voteothers) the right to vote Literacy testsLiteracy tests

The 24The 24thth Amendment Amendment Banned “poll taxes” that had been used to deny poor Banned “poll taxes” that had been used to deny poor

Blacks the right to voteBlacks the right to vote Affirmative ActionAffirmative Action

1965, President Johnson issues executive order1965, President Johnson issues executive order "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are

employed, and that employees are treated during employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin." or national origin."

Other groupsOther groups

Successes of the Black civil rights Successes of the Black civil rights movements inspired other groups to movements inspired other groups to actionaction

WomenWomen HispanicsHispanics American IndiansAmerican Indians Gays and lesbiansGays and lesbians

Women’s RightsWomen’s Rights Both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and

Affirmative Action benefited women as Affirmative Action benefited women as much as any other groupmuch as any other group

Equal Rights AmendmentEqual Rights Amendment Proposed in 1971Proposed in 1971 ““Equality of rights under the law shall not be Equality of rights under the law shall not be

denied or abridged by the United States or by denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”any State on account of sex.”

Adopted by only 35 states and therefore did Adopted by only 35 states and therefore did not become a part of the Constitutionnot become a part of the Constitution

SixtiesSixties More and more women in higher education and More and more women in higher education and

the workplacethe workplace Sexual revolutionSexual revolution

Gloria Steinem Gloria Steinem ““After Black Power, Women’sAfter Black Power, Women’s

Liberation”Liberation” Ms. Ms. MagazineMagazine National Women’s Political Caucus National Women’s Political Caucus

Affirmative action benefited women Affirmative action benefited women perhaps more than any other groupperhaps more than any other group

Reproductive rightsReproductive rights Roe Roe v. v. WadeWade (1972) (1972)

Decisions made in first trimester of Decisions made in first trimester of pregnancy are privatepregnancy are private

HispanicsHispanics In the sixties most worked as poorly-paid In the sixties most worked as poorly-paid

farm laborfarm labor United Farm WorkersUnited Farm Workers

Established in 1962Established in 1962 Led by Cesar ChavezLed by Cesar Chavez

Agitated for better conditions and payAgitated for better conditions and pay Organized successful boycotts of produce Organized successful boycotts of produce

and supermarkets that bought sold itand supermarkets that bought sold it Table grapesTable grapes

Led to improved condition and pay for Led to improved condition and pay for farm workersfarm workers

American IndiansAmerican Indians American Indian MovementAmerican Indian Movement

Established in 1968Established in 1968 Brought the plight of Native Americans to public attention through Brought the plight of Native Americans to public attention through

protestsprotests Alcatraz IslandAlcatraz Island

19691969 19-month occupation19-month occupation

Trail of Broken TreatiesTrail of Broken Treaties 19721972 March on Washington and occupation of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) March on Washington and occupation of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

headquartersheadquarters Wounded Knee (SD)Wounded Knee (SD)

19731973 Standoff between AIM members and Federal and Reservation officialsStandoff between AIM members and Federal and Reservation officials Lasted 71 daysLasted 71 days

Pine Ridge (SD)Pine Ridge (SD) 19751975 Two FBI agents killedTwo FBI agents killed Leonard Peltier sentenced to life imprisonment for the murderLeonard Peltier sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder

Gays and lesbiansGays and lesbians Prior to the mid-1960s sexual contact between Prior to the mid-1960s sexual contact between

members of the same sex was illegal in most statesmembers of the same sex was illegal in most states Illinois and California led the way in decriminalizingIllinois and California led the way in decriminalizing Police harassment in cities, in particular New YorkPolice harassment in cities, in particular New York StonewallStonewall

June 27, 1969June 27, 1969 Police raid lower Manhattan bar the Stonewall InnPolice raid lower Manhattan bar the Stonewall Inn Arrested 4 patrons and 2 bartendersArrested 4 patrons and 2 bartenders Crowd gathers and begins to attack the police, who retaliateCrowd gathers and begins to attack the police, who retaliate Next day large protest with more than 4000 participants Next day large protest with more than 4000 participants

protest against police harassmentprotest against police harassment Marks beginning of GLB movement in the Western worldMarks beginning of GLB movement in the Western world

Prior to AIDS crisis of early-mid eighties, limited Prior to AIDS crisis of early-mid eighties, limited political powerpolitical power Inaction by Federal government led to creation of political Inaction by Federal government led to creation of political

movementsmovements Act-upAct-up

Further legal changesFurther legal changes Lawrence et al. Lawrence et al. v. v. Texas Texas (2003) (2003)

State laws banning sodomy are illegalState laws banning sodomy are illegal GoodridgeGoodridge et al. et al. v. v.

Department of Public Health et al.Department of Public Health et al. (2003) (2003) Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decisionMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision Declared that state could not ban same-sex Declared that state could not ban same-sex

couples from obtaining a marriage license couples from obtaining a marriage license under the state constitution’s “equal under the state constitution’s “equal protection” clauseprotection” clause

Mayor of Mayor of San Francisco San Francisco (2004) defies state (2004) defies state law and grants marriage licenses to more law and grants marriage licenses to more than 3,000 same-sex couplesthan 3,000 same-sex couples Marriages declared invalidMarriages declared invalid March 2005 – court declares state ban March 2005 – court declares state ban

unconstitutionalunconstitutional