The Struggle for Civil RightsThe Struggle for Civil Rights

Plessy v. Ferguson- 1896Plessy v. Ferguson- 1896

• ““Separate But Equal Doctrine”Separate But Equal Doctrine”• Made African-Americans 2Made African-Americans 2ndnd class citizens class citizens• Etiquette of proper race relations Etiquette of proper race relations

developeddeveloped• Had to address whites as Mr. and Mrs. Had to address whites as Mr. and Mrs. • Blacks addressed as “boy” and “girl”Blacks addressed as “boy” and “girl”• Black couldn’t challenge whitesBlack couldn’t challenge whites

PLESSEY vs FERGUSONPLESSEY vs FERGUSON

• Supreme Court ruled that segregation Supreme Court ruled that segregation was not Unconstitutional.was not Unconstitutional.

• Created Separate but EqualCreated Separate but Equal

The SouthThe South

• Emmett Till Emmett Till • Visiting relatives in Mississippi from Visiting relatives in Mississippi from

ChicagoChicago• Whistled at a white woman Whistled at a white woman • Was found beaten and thrown in the river Was found beaten and thrown in the river

by a mob of white menby a mob of white men• Funeral was televised- brought national Funeral was televised- brought national

attention to racial tensions in the Southattention to racial tensions in the South

Emmett TillEmmett Till

• Killed while visiting the South.Killed while visiting the South.• The freedoms in the North for African The freedoms in the North for African

Americans did not extend into the Americans did not extend into the South.South.

Brown v. Board of Education- Brown v. Board of Education- May 17, 1954May 17, 1954• Segregated schools were found to be inferior Segregated schools were found to be inferior

because it stigmatized African-Americansbecause it stigmatized African-Americans• Reversed the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of Reversed the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of

“Separate but Equal”“Separate but Equal”• 1957- Governor of Arkansas used National 1957- Governor of Arkansas used National

Guard to prevent 9 black students from Guard to prevent 9 black students from enrolling in Little Rock’s Central High Schoolenrolling in Little Rock’s Central High School

• Eisenhower placed National Guard under Eisenhower placed National Guard under federal control and sent to soldiers to Little federal control and sent to soldiers to Little Rock to allow the 9 students to attendRock to allow the 9 students to attend

Brown vs Board of EducationBrown vs Board of Education

• Said that segregation of schools was Said that segregation of schools was unconstitutional.unconstitutional.

• South refused to integrate.South refused to integrate.

The Little Rock NineThe Little Rock Nine

Passive ResistancePassive Resistance• Montgomery, AlabamaMontgomery, Alabama

• Rosa Parks- refuses to give up her seat to Rosa Parks- refuses to give up her seat to a white persona white person

• Montgomery Improvement Association Montgomery Improvement Association beganbegan• Selected Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as Selected Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as

President President • Advocated non-violent philosophy Advocated non-violent philosophy

Rosa ParksRosa Parks

• Refused to give up seat to white man.Refused to give up seat to white man.• NAACP boycott the buses in NAACP boycott the buses in

Montgomery AL.Montgomery AL.

Students Strengthen Civil Rights Students Strengthen Civil Rights MovementMovement• Greensboro, North Carolina- 2/1/1960Greensboro, North Carolina- 2/1/1960

students remained seated at the lunch students remained seated at the lunch counter until they were served or counter until they were served or arrestedarrested

Manager did not arrest them, theyManager did not arrest them, they

returned to school to get more studentsreturned to school to get more students

New way to protest- “sit-in” New way to protest- “sit-in”

Passive Resistance Passive Resistance

• Passive resistance becomes popular.Passive resistance becomes popular.• White and black students participate in White and black students participate in

“Sit ins”“Sit ins”

Election of 1960 Election of 1960

• African-Americans helped Kennedy win African-Americans helped Kennedy win the presidency in 1960. the presidency in 1960.

• Believed he would support civil rightsBelieved he would support civil rights

Kennedy ElectedKennedy Elected

• African Americans support helped African Americans support helped Kennedy win the electionKennedy win the election

SCLC- prepared Project C SCLC- prepared Project C (Confrontation)- Birmingham, AL(Confrontation)- Birmingham, AL• Planned to provoke confrontation with Planned to provoke confrontation with

white officials- hoped it would be white officials- hoped it would be televised and attract sympathy from televised and attract sympathy from white Northerners. white Northerners.

• Children marched into the city- fire Children marched into the city- fire hoses were usedhoses were used

African Americans used the African Americans used the press and public opinion to help press and public opinion to help their causetheir cause

March on Washington- March on Washington- Aug. 28, 1963Aug. 28, 1963• 250,000 gathered at the Lincoln 250,000 gathered at the Lincoln

Memorial Memorial • Black and White marchers protested Black and White marchers protested

against segregated facilitiesagainst segregated facilities• Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a

Dream Speech” Dream Speech”

March on Washington Aug, 1963March on Washington Aug, 1963

• Protested segregationProtested segregation• I have a Dream speechI have a Dream speech

Civil Rights Act of 1964Civil Rights Act of 1964

• President Lyndon B. Johnson pushed President Lyndon B. Johnson pushed this through Congressthis through Congress

• Eliminated “whites only” public facilitiesEliminated “whites only” public facilities• Title VII outlawed racial bias during Title VII outlawed racial bias during

hiring process by employershiring process by employers

Civil Rights Act of 1964Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Eliminated “Whites Only” facilitiesEliminated “Whites Only” facilities• No racial bias in hiring for jobsNo racial bias in hiring for jobs

Racial Barriers Remained in Racial Barriers Remained in South South • Medgar Evers- civil rights leader shot to Medgar Evers- civil rights leader shot to

death in Jackson, Mississippideath in Jackson, Mississippi• Encouraged many blacks to voteEncouraged many blacks to vote• Civil rights workers continued voter Civil rights workers continued voter

registration campaigns. registration campaigns.

Racial Barriers in SouthRacial Barriers in South

• Voting campaigns often ended in death.Voting campaigns often ended in death.

Mississippi Summer ProjectMississippi Summer Project• White volunteers came to work in White volunteers came to work in

MississippiMississippi• Presence brought national attentionPresence brought national attention• 3 volunteers- 2 white, 1 black turn up missing3 volunteers- 2 white, 1 black turn up missing• Were on their way to investigate a church Were on their way to investigate a church

bombing in Mississippibombing in Mississippi• Murdered by KKK and law enforcement Murdered by KKK and law enforcement

personnel personnel

White Volunteers from the NorthWhite Volunteers from the North

• They were beat up, or disappeared. They were beat up, or disappeared.

Militant Black ConsciousnessMilitant Black Consciousness

• Malcolm X (Malcolm Little) Malcolm X (Malcolm Little) • Grew up in povertyGrew up in poverty• Lost hope that he could succeed in a white Lost hope that he could succeed in a white

societysociety• Ended up in jail Ended up in jail

Militant Black Consciousness Militant Black Consciousness (con’t)(con’t)• While in jail received a letter from his While in jail received a letter from his

brother teaching him about the Nation of brother teaching him about the Nation of IslamIslam

• 1964- formed a new organization- 1964- formed a new organization- Organization of Afro-American UnityOrganization of Afro-American Unity

• 1965- assassinated while giving a 1965- assassinated while giving a speech in New Yorkspeech in New York

Militant Black ConsciousnessMilitant Black Consciousness(Con’t) (Con’t) • Members of Nation of Islam convicted Members of Nation of Islam convicted

of Malcolm X’s murderof Malcolm X’s murder• Started rise of “Black Power” Started rise of “Black Power”

MilitantsMilitants

• Malcolm XMalcolm X• Formed the Nation of IslamFormed the Nation of Islam• Wanted to use force, instead of passive Wanted to use force, instead of passive

resistanceresistance

Militant Black ConsciousnessMilitant Black Consciousness(Con’t)(Con’t)• Black Panther PartyBlack Panther Party

• Goal: gain political office for Goal: gain political office for African-Americans throughout the African-Americans throughout the SouthSouth

• Militant in demands for “land, Militant in demands for “land, bread, housing, education, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace”. clothing, justice and peace”.

• King very critical of black militant King very critical of black militant groups- thought it weakened groups- thought it weakened support of Whitessupport of Whites

Martin Luther King Martin Luther King

• Thought that the militants would cause Thought that the militants would cause loss of white support.loss of white support.

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Jr.

• April 4, 1968- assassinated in MemphisApril 4, 1968- assassinated in Memphis• Led to new wave of urban violenceLed to new wave of urban violence• Poverty still remained high among Poverty still remained high among

African-Americans even though African-Americans even though segregation had ended. segregation had ended.

Martin Luther KingMartin Luther King

• Assassinated April 14Assassinated April 14thth 1968 in 1968 in Memphis Tennesee.Memphis Tennesee.