Early African-American Civil Rights

Question 1

What immediate setbacks did African Americans face after the Lincoln Presidency?

Answer 1

Lincoln’s successor Andrew Johnson restored self governance to the Southern States. They introduced what came to be known as black codes.

Question 2

What were Jim Crow Laws?

Answer 2

State and Local laws which enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States. This created a “separate but equal status for African-Americans”.

Question 3

What did the racial stereotype “Sambo” mean?

Answer 3

A perpetual child who was not capable of living as an independent adult. A loyal and content servant. Defence to slavery and segregation.

Question 4

What did the racial stereotype “Coon” mean?

Answer 4

Used to dehumanise as it was an abbreviation of racoon. Lazy, easily frightened, chronically idle, inarticulate, buffoon. A subtle difference is that the coon acted childish but was an adult.

Question 5

What key ideals did the KKK follow?

Answer 5

They were incredibly anti-immigrant, anti-communist and extremely racist.

Question 6

When was the KKK founded and how was it organised?

Answer 6

It was founded in 1866, it was designed to be an invisible Empire of the South and was led by a Grand Wizard assisted by Genii, Dragons, Titans and Cyclops.

Question 7

What tactics did the KKK use in the 1870s?

Answer 7

They had spread to all Southern States, they sent white-hooded horsemen into the countryside to encourage African Americans not to vote, this could lead to kidnapping, whipping, cross burning and lynching.

Question 8

Why did the KKK decline during the later stages of the 1870s?

Answer 8

President Grant put in place the Force Act which sent thousands of troops into the South who proceeded to carry out mass arrests.

Question 9

Why did the KKK have a revival at the start of the 1900s?

Answer 9

White protestant groups revived it, burning crosses, staging rallies, marches and parades which denounced immigrants, catholics, Jews, blacks and organised Labour.

Question 10

How many people did the KKK lynch between 1915 and 1930?

Answer 10

They lynched 579 African Americans and 65 white civil rights supporters.

Question 11

Explain Plessy v Ferguson?

Answer 11

In 1896 Homer Plessy decided to test the Jim Crow laws. He sat in a white railroad car and when asked to move but he refused. He was then tried but appealed to the Supreme Court but lost and essentially made segregation legal provided it was “separate but equal”.

Question 12

What federal intervention did Woodrow Wilson and Warren G Harding carry out?

Answer 12

Woodrow Wilson was in fact in favour of segregation and even endorsed The Birth of The Nation which was a pro White Supremacy film.

Warren G Harding spoke out against Lynching but was too committed to Laissez-Faire.

Question 13

When and who was the NAACP founded by?

Answer 13

The NAACP was founded on February 12th 1909 by Moorfield Storey, Mary White Ovington and W.E.B. Du Bois.

Question 14

What was the mission of the NAACP?

Answer 14

They wanted to provide political, educational, social and economic equality of rights for all people and to eliminate racism and racial discrimination, fight for the legal rights of African Americans.

Question 15

From what years did the Great Migration take place?

Answer 15

The Great Migration took place from 1917-1932.

Question 16

Why did the Great Migration Occur?

Answer 16

There was still immense discrimination present in the Southern US as State legislature upheld segregation whilst the KKK went on rampages.

The US entry into the First World War created a huge demand for Jobs in the North in the industrial sector.

Question 17

What other factor in the South encouraged migration Northwards?

Answer 17

There had been incredibly heavy rainfall in the South which was made worse by an outbreak of Boll Weevil which devastated crops in the years 1915 - 1916 which battered the Southern Agriculture sector.

Question 18

What factors in the North encouraged the Great Migration?

Answer 18

Educational oppurtunities were far better for African Americans in the North than the South.

The Northern media also heavily encouraged migration to the North.

Question 19

How many African Americans migrated North between the Years 1916-1970?

Answer 19

Over 6 million people made the journey North.

Question 20

What was the impact of the Great Migration on Cities?

Answer 20

The population of Northern Cities increased drastically, segregation varied from city to city but most of the time it led to the creation of separate black communities leading to a process of Ghettoisation.

Question 21

How did businessmen and landlords react to the Great Migration?

Answer 21

Businessmen exploited black people as cheap labour with them often being paid far less than white people, landlords also exploited them by not maintaining their property.

Question 22

What was the Political impact of the Great Migration?

Answer 22

Black people began to assert more influence through the black vote, mayors and prospective senators realised how important the inner city vote was to victory. Especially in Chicago.

Question 23

What caused the Black vote to drift away from the Republican Party?

Answer 23

Initially black voters supported the Republican Party as they abolished slavery however, under FDR the Democrat party completely changed.

Question 24

How did FDR gain the Black vote during his 1932 Presidential campaign?

Answer 24

He appointed some black advisors during his campaign which garnered him some support however, he had to maintain the Anti-Civil Rights vote in the South so he did little more.

Question 25

What did FDR promise in regards to New Deal?

Answer 25

He promised that his pubic works programs would be colourblind however, a lot of African-Americans were turned away from jobs in favour of white people leaving many disappointed.

Question 26

What did FDR pass in June 1941?

Answer 26

He passed executive order 8802 also known as the fair employment act. Segregation continued but racial discrimination in the defence industry was banned. More paternal as he needed as many people in war work as possible.

Question 27

How many Black people fought for the US army in the Second World War?

Answer 27

Over 3 million Black people served in the armed forces yet still struggled to get jobs back in the US.

Question 28

How did A. Phillip Randolph successfully put pressure on the Federal Government?

Answer 28

In May 1941 he successfully led a railway strike and threatened a further 100’000 person march on Washington if discrimination was not banned in the defence sector.

Question 29

What happened in 1939 in regards to poverty in Black Communities?

Answer 29

Over 2 million people signed a petition which called for federal aid to move back to Africa.

Question 30

What was the response to the influx of Black Workers in the North by 1943?

Answer 30

Many people resented the influx and strikes and racial violence took place leading to the creation of Race Relations Committees to ease the tension.

Question 31

What political impact did the War have on African Americans?

Answer 31

Two African Americans were elected to congress, William L. Dawson in 1943 and Adam Clayton Powell Jr in 1945.

Question 32

What impact did the war have on Black soldiers?

Answer 32

The Courage shown by black soldiers greatly increased their support amongst white soldiers especially.

Question 33

What did Truman do in regards to the Armed Forces?

Answer 33

Truman Passed executive order 9980 and 9981 which de segregated the federal workforce and the armed forces although this was election year.

Question 34

What did Truman Propose but fail to pass in regards to civil rights?

Answer 34

He wanted to end lynching, fight segregation and end unfair employment laws however, congress blocked him from doing so.

Question 35

What was the Separatist argument?

Answer 35

Black Americans were never going to truly achieve equality so instead they should embrace segregation and achieve equality within it.

Question 36

What did Separatists argue in regards to Children?

Answer 36

They believed that living separately would allow children to develop without feeling that they’re inherently inferior.

Question 37

What did Marcus Garvey do?

Answer 37

He created the Universal Negro Improvement Association which proposed that African Americans should in fact return to Africa.