MLK's assassination

Question 1

MLK’s assassination

Answer 1

4th April 1968, Memphis Tenessee.
MLK was shot on his balcony

Question 2

James Earl Ray

Answer 2

arrested in London in June 1968, extradited and sentanced to 99 years in prison for MLK’s murder. Earl made several attempts to appeal against the verdict. King family unnsuccessful in proving there was a US Government conspiracy

Question 3

Short term consequences of MLK’s assassination: riots

Answer 3

in 172 towns and cities across the US. By 9th of April (day of king’s funeral) 32 black people died, 3500 seriously injured, 27,000 arrested and $450,000 of damage caused

Question 4

Short term consequences of MLK’s assassination: poor peoples campaign

Answer 4

planned by king and went ahead after his death. A large group of integergrated poor marchers set up camp in washington. As warned by many SCLC leaders it failed due to protesters arguing and rain. only lasted a few weeks

Question 5

Short term consequences of MLK’s assassination: 1968 civil rights act

Answer 5

…was quickly passed. Included a section about fair housing, covering rental housing and housing sales made after Act was passed. Made punishment for rioting more severe and gave civil rights workers federal protection.

Question 6

Long term consequences of MLK’s assassination: national civil rights groups…

Answer 6

lost membership, funding and support from white people. Less white support caused by Civil rights and voter rights acts, Northern riots, and kings death accelerated white oppisition

Question 7

Long term consequences of MLK’s assassination: black americans…

Answer 7

became more radical. in 1969 the SNCC changed the N in its name from non-violent to National and lost almost all of its original members. black people became more militant and white people became less suportive of equality, meaning more conflict

Question 8

president Nixon’s involvement in civil rights

Answer 8

became president in 1969
-gave funding and training to black people starting businesses
-gave tax breaks to white businesses opening branches in black neighbourhoods
-gave black people jobs in white house (James Farmer, former CORE official, given high level job in health, education and welfare)

Question 9

Events before MLK’s assassination

Answer 9

king went to memphis to support garbage strike.
march 28th- police counter protesters
riot began in one section of the crowd but police attcked whole crowd
April 3rd MLK makes mountain top speech and says he would die before reaching the “promised land”
sho day after, seen as the last hope for nonviolence and racial equality

Question 10

Evidence of civil rights progress by 1975

Answer 10

Topeka: school desegregation
1955 bus boycott: MIA desegregated buses
Nixon’s changed encouraged voluntary integration
voter registration act

Question 11

evidence of continued discrimination by 1975

Answer 11

Mongomery: police discrimination
MLK’s assassination
1960s riots
montgomery bus stops still segregated.