Civil Rights Laws Of 1964-5 Flashcards
Successes of Civil Rights act of 1964
Banned discrimination in voting, public spaces and in jobs (equal opportunities comission enforced this)
Gave government power to enforce school desegregation and remove funding from state schools that discriminated
Limitations of Civil Rights act of 1964
Still difficult to register in many states
Equal opportunities council had limited staff
Many in South found ways around it
Successes of Voting Rights act of 1965
Set up one voter registration requirement (same test for all if there was one)
Federal government officials ran registration in some staes (those where under 50% of qualified were registered)
Limitations of Voting Rights act of 1965
Although 29,593 had been registered by the end of 1965, it was still a slow process
Many black americans were still frustrated about how little their lives had already improved
Kennedy’s standpoint on civil rights
Supported civil rights but needed support of voters and congress
Kennedy’s role in civil rights
Appointed black people to high level jobs
Pressed for laws but was assassinated before civil rights bill was passed
Intervened using executive orders (mississippi uni)
Personally pressed for escorts for the freedom riders
Who did Kennedy appoint to high level jobs
Thurgood Marshall in the courts
Robert Weaver in his administration
Johnson’s role in civil rights
Secured Civil Rights act and Voting Rights act
Used executive order by federalising state national guard in Alabama to escort marchers
Personally pressed southern politicians to support civil rights bill
Who did Johnson appoint to high level jobs
Thurgood Marshall into the supreme court
Patricia Harris as US ambassador
Johnson’s position as a Southerner
Used this to gain support from the Dixiecrats who he knew
Limitations of Kennedy and Johnson
Needed support from voters
Southerners wouldn’t support a president who opted for civil rights
Congress had to support them
Didn’t want to intervene too much and only in extreme cases
