3) Issue Of Civil Rights Flashcards
(129 cards)
1
Q
What did WW2 highlight?
A
The racism and discrimination that existed in the USA and its armed forces. This was a clear paradox because the USA was fighting against a racist state.
2
Q
Which army did black Americans form and enlist in?
A
The Jim Crow army- they were aware that they would have to serve in segregated units.
3
Q
What progress was evident for black Americans during WW2?
A
- The US supreme commander General Eisenhower supported integrated camp come back to unit and there were hundreds of black officers in the army and the Marines.
– By the end of the war 58 black sailors out of a force of almost 3. 5 million had risen to the rank of officer.
– Desegregation in the Navy came in 1946 and the other services in 1948
4
Q
What were job opportunities for black Americans like during WW2?
A
Job opportunities in factories for black American women and older black men increased by were often treated poorly.
5
Q
Which campaign was created after Pittsburgh corner newspaper readers commented on the second class status of black Americans during war time?
A
The double V campaign
6
Q
During the war how many black Americans migrated from the south to the USA’s industrial centres?
A
Over 400,000
7
Q
How did the number of black Americans employed in government service rise?
A
It rose from 50,000-200,000 and 2 million black Americans were involved in industry.
8
Q
By the end of war what was the employment by black Americans like?
A
The number of jobs held by black Americans was at an all time high.
9
Q
What effect did the migration of many black Americans to the industrial cities in the North have?
A
It increased racial tension, this increase lead to race riots in 47 cities. Worst was Detroit in June when 25 black and 9 white were killed.
10
Q
Where else were there race riots?
A
At 9 black army training camps, where soldiers resented their unequal treatment.
11
Q
What did an awareness of racial discrimination lead to during ww2?
A
An increase in membership of the National Association for the Advancement of coloured people (NAACP) during the war 50,000 to 450,000.
12
Q
What did James Farmer found in 1942?
A
A new organisation called the congress of racial equality (CORE), it was inspired by the non violent tactics of Ghandi - used the ideas of sit-ins ect…
13
Q
How did civil rights split the democrats in 1948?
A
Truman wanted to pass a civil rights bill and proposed an anti-lynching bill which the Dixiecrats rejected.
14
Q
What did Truman’s ‘fair deal’ offer?
A
Hope
15
Q
What did Truman set up in 1946 and who opposed it?
A
Truman set up a committee on civil rights. Republicans and Dixiecrats continued to block measures, the most important reform was the desegregation of the armed forces in 1948.
16
Q
Why were black Americans in a better position to demand their full civil rights as American citizens after WW2?
A
Because of their efforts in WW2, their plight was constantly noticed by Truman who made countless speeches and though no new laws were introduced, he raised the nation’s awareness of the problems of civil rights. Confidence of NAACP was sufficiently high by late 1940s.
17
Q
Which laws were passed in southern states at the end of the 19th century to segregate blacks from whites in daily life?
A
The Jim Crow laws
18
Q
What was the separate but equal doctrine?
A
That if separate conditions for blacks and whites were equal then segregation was constitutional.
19
Q
Why was the separate by equal doctrine not true?
A
Many US states had segregated schools and South Carolina spent 3x more on white education than black education.
20
Q
What was the first ever case to challenge segregation?
A
Brown vs Topeka which originated in Topeka, Kansas
21
Q
What was the Brown vs Topeka case?
A
Linda Brown’s parents wanted her to attend a Neighbourhood school rather rather than the school for black Americans which was far away. Lawyers from the NAACP led by Thurgood Marshall presented evidence to the Supreme Court that separate education was psychologically harmful.
22
Q
How did the Supreme Court respond to the Brown vs Topeka case?
A
On May 17th 1954, chief justice warran of the Supreme Court gave a closing judgement banning segregation in education. However the judgement did not specify how integration should be carried out apart from at the earliest possible speed.
23
Q
How did some states take advantage of the Brown vs Topeka ruling?
A
Although some areas began to desegregate and by 19 57 over 30,000 black children were attending schools that had been formally segregated, there were still 2.4 million black children still being educated in Jim Crow schools
24
Q
How many senators and congressmen from the southern states signed the southern manifesto a document opposing racial integration in education?
A
More than 100
25
Over the next two years how many laws and resolutions did southern state legislators pass to prevent the brown decision from being enforced?
Over 450
26
What happened at Little Rock high school in 1957?
Little Brook high school decided to let nine black students to in role. On the 3rd of September 1957 and nine students led by Elizabeth Eckford were prevented from entering by the state governor Orval Faubus who ordered National Guard meant to block their entry. The following day the Guardsman were removed by faubus and the students run the gauntlet of a vicious white crowd
27
Why were the events at Little Rock ironic?
Press and TV coverage in the USA and across the world was An embarrassment to a country which put itself forward as the champion of freedom and equality.
28
How did Eisenhower respond to the events at Little Rock?
Eisenhower sent the 101st airborne division to little rock, each of the nine were assigned to a personal bodyguard.
29
How did Faubus respond to Eisenhower’s reaction to Little Rock?
He closed all schools in Arkansas is to prevent integration, many white and black students had no schooling for a year, schools in Arkansas were re-opened in 1959 following a Supreme Court ruling that schools must integrate.
30
What was the role of the Supreme Court in the James Meredith case?
They upheld a federal decision to force Mississippi university to accept black student James Meredith.
31
What action did Kennedy take in the James Meredith case?
He sent 320 federal Marshals to escort Meredith onto campus. There were riots and two people were killed. 166 Marshals and 210 demonstrators were wounded.
32
How did Governor Wallace react to the James Meredith case?
He tried to stop black Americans enrolling at university.
33
What happened to Rosa Parks on 1st December 1955?
Rosa Parks boarded a bus in Montgomery and sat with three other black people. When a white man was left standing, the bus driver asked before to move as according to the law black and white people could not share the same row. Three of the mood but Parks refused. Parts were subsequently arrested.
34
What did the Montgomery women’s political council decide to do on the day of Rosa park’s trial?
To hold a one day boycott of all the buses.
35
How did local civil rights activists become invoked in the Montgomery bus boycott?
Local civil rights activist became involved e.g. Martin Luther King. They held a meeting to plan a rally for the trial, at the meeting the Montgomery improvement Association (MIA) was set up.
36
Why was king chose to lead the MIA?
He was new to Montgomery.
37
How many people were involved in the Monday boycott and the one on 5th December?
20,000 and 7000 attended the rally and heard MLK make an inspirational speech.
38
What happened to Rosa parks at her trial?
She was fined $10 for her office and the MIA decided to continue the boycott until its demands were met.
39
What happened to bus companies during the bus boycott?
They lost money
40
What were organised to replace buses for the boycotters?
Churches bought cars to take people to and from work however this created problems because there had to be specific pick up points where people were often harassed by the police.
41
What were the violent reactions to the Montgomery bus boycott?
- Boycott has faced intimidation led by the Montgomery white citizens council (membership of this world to 12,000 x 19 56)
– King and others had their houses firebombed
42
Why were 90 leading civil rights activists including king and parks arrested in February 1956?
For organising an illegal boycott. King was sentenced to 386 days in jail but instead he paid $1000
43
What did the press do in the summer of 1956?
They covered events more closely helping to raise awareness of racism in the south.
44
What did the MIA do with the issue of segregation on transport?
They took it to a federal district court and it accepted that it was unconstitutional but the Montgomery city officials appealed and the case went to the Supreme Court however the boycott was successful and ended on December 20, 1956 when king and other leaders travelled on an integrated bus.
45
Why was the Montgomery bus boycott significant?
- Should the economic power of the black community
– highlighted the benefits of a peaceful approach
– show togetherness could win
– victory offered civil rights hope
– NAACP was vindicated in making a legal case
– success encourage King to consider further action to confront inequality
46
What happened on the 1st of February 1960?
For black students from the local college walked into an FW Woolworth store and demanded to be served at a white only lunch counter.
47
How did the four black students react in 1st February 1960?
On being refused they remain seated at the counter until the shop closed. The next day they were accompanied by 27 more students and the day after a further 80 join them by the fifth day there were 300 students
48
What did students end up doing after the first few sit-ins?
The students then boycotted any shops in Greensboro with segregated lunch counters. Sales immediately dropped and eventually segregation ended.
49
What did students have to endure during their sit-ins?
Violence and assault but they were careful not to retaliate copying Martin Luther King’s peaceful tactics.
50
By August 1961 how many people had the sit-ins attracted and how many arrests had it caused?
Attracted over 70,000 participants
| Resulted in over 3000 arrests.
51
What did the direct action of leader of the civil rights movement through sit-ins lead to?
Challenging the deep rooted racism of the south even further in what became known as the ‘freedom rides’.
52
What did the Supreme Court rule in December 1960?
They decided that all bus stations and terminals that served interstate travellers should be integrated.
53
Why did CORE want to test the supreme court’s integration of bus stations and terminals?
By employing the tactic of the freedom ride. If there was failure to carry out the law court would be able to show the narrowmindedness and racism that still existed in the southern states.
54
When did freedom rides begin?
In May 1961 when James Farmer and 12 volunteers left Washington DC to travel by bus to New Orleans, they use white only facilities to ensure integration.
55
What happened when the freedom riders reached Alabama?
At Alabama a bus was attacked and burnt in Montgomery, white racist beat up several of the freedom riders. Then in Jackson Mississippi 27 freedom riders from the SNCC and SCLC were jailed for 67 days sitting in the whites only section.
56
What happened when the freedom riders arrived in Birmingham Alabama?
There was no protection and they were attacked by an angry mob, the police chief ‘bull’ Connor had given most of the police the day off.
57
What did events at Jackson and the treatment of the freedom riders force Kennedy to do?
To intervene, he secured a promise from the state senator that there would be no more mobile. However when the freedom riders reached Jackson they were arrested for using the white only waiting room.
58
What happened for the rest of the Freedom ride?
The freedom riders continued and over 300 were imprisoned in Jackson and attacked by the KKK increase. Violence however was avoided in Mississippi when it was clear that marshals will be used.
59
What was issued on the 22nd of September?
Interstate commerce commission issued a regulation ending racial segregation in bus terminals.
60
Info on Matin Luther King:
- Son of Baptist Minister
- Grew up in a middle class home in Atlanta
- Had a gift for popular speaking
- Experienced racial prejudice as a student
61
Qualities of MLK
He had been a minister at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, in Montgomery for less than a year when the bus boycott again he was energetic enthusiastic and able to inspire those who worked with him. Many activists were keen to follow and copy Kinh. His devout religious faith won him many supporters and he was never intimidated. King helped to found the southern Christian leadership conference after the bus boycott it was black run and lead.
62
What did the Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) try to do?
Increase black photos with the “crusade for citizenship“ which failed as it did not win support from other civil rights groups and its target of enfranchising 2 million black Americans was over ambitions.
63
When did the civil rights issue explode?
1963
64
In Birmingham, Alabama how was desegregation avoided?
It claimed its parks, playgrounds and swimming pools.
65
What was Birmingham’s population?
350,000 about 15,000 were black. King hoped to mobilise a large part of them in the planned demonstrations.
66
When and why was king arrested in 1963?
He was arrested in a further demonstration and jailed for defying a ban on marches.
67
What did MLK write in jail?
He wrote his ‘letter from Birmingham jail’ which became one of the most famous documents of the civil rights movement.
68
What was decided on King’s release from jail?
It was decided to use children in demonstrations to test the police reaction. The police set dogs on the protesters and used powerful water hoses. Conor arrested 2000 demonstrators and 1300 children. Television witnessed all the events which gave king all the publicity he wanted.
69
What settlement was passed on the 9th of may?
President Kennedy became involved in talks between the Birmingham leaders and king resulted in a settlement- the city would be desegregated within 90 days.
70
What did Kennedy decide to do as a result of the violence in Birmingham?
To bring in a civil rights bill- on the same day Medgar Evers, leader of the Mississippi NAACP was shot dead in Jackson.
71
After Birmingham what did civil rights groups want?
To maintain their high profile and the idea of a march on Washington DC was put forward by A.Phillip Randolph.
72
What did the Washington police do in response to the threats of the March on Washington?
The Washington please put a hold on leave for its offices in case there was violence and Kennedy asked the organisers to call it off.
73
What did the March on Washington begin as?
As a call for jobs and freedom but brought in to cover the full demands of the civil rights movement for example a civil rights bill
74
When was the March on Washington and what happened?
28th August 1963. There were 250,000 demonstrations, politicians were seen and there were chants of ‘pass the bill’. King was the final speaker of the day and his speech has become part of the lore of the struggle for civil rights.
75
What was the outcome of the March of Washington?
The March was hailed a great success which brought together different sections of US society and put pressure on Kennedy.
76
Why did king and other leaders meet Kennedy after the March on Washington?
To discuss a bill but all at the meeting were all were aware that they were opposed by republican politicians.
77
What did King’s hopes begin to seem illusory after the March on Washington?
- September 1963, 4 black girls were killed in a bomb attack in Birmingham.
- Movement stalked in late 1963 and was hit by the assassination of Kennedy.
78
What did LBJ do with Kennedy’s civil rights bill?
He pushed it through congress and it became a law in 1964.
79
Why did MLK gold another non violent campaign at Selma in 1965?
Because the civil rights bill did not guarantee blacks the vote.
80
What happened to the marchers at their march on Selma in 1965?
They were attacked by police and state troopers and it became known as ‘Bloody Sunday’.
81
What did LBJ call in the 15th March?
For a passage of voting rights act. King’s policy of non violence had worked.
82
What speech did king give on the 3rd April 1968?
A speech of his hopes and fears for the future.
83
When was MLK shot?
On the 4th April 1968 in Memphis where he was supporting black refuse collectors. James Earl Ray, white racist was arrested and jailed for the crime.
84
What happened on king’s death?
There was a final outburst of rioting across the country- 46 people died, 3000 injured, demonstrations in 100+ cities.
85
What did the Nation of Islam think about king’s ideas?
They had never accepted them and openly supported separatism.
86
What did members of the Nation of Islam do to their surnames?
They rejected their slave surnames and called themselves ‘X’
87
What did Malcom x’s oratory skills help to do?
To increase membership of the Nation of Islam to about 100,000 between 1952 and 1964.
88
What did Malcom X help set up?
Educational and social programmes for black youths in ghettos.
89
By 1960 what percentage of the members of the Nation of Islam were aged between 17-35?
75%
90
What is Malcom X credited with?
Re-connecting black Americans with their African heritage and for the spread of Islam in the black community- he had crucial influence on those such as Stokely Carmicael.
91
What criticism did Malcom X face and how did he respond?
Some felt that the Muslims had a ‘hate white doctrine’ which was as dangerous as any white racist group. Criticism never concerned Malcom X and he was not afraid to criticise King- criticised march on Washington 1963.
92
What influence did Malcom X have?
- Had a tremendous influence in young, urban blacks.
| - Felt that violence could be justified for both self defence and as a means to secure a separate black nation.
93
What changed Malcom X’s beliefs?
After a trip to Mecca (when Muslims of different races interactive his equals) he changed his views. He pushed an end to discrimination but this bought him enemies.
94
What happened to Malcom X in February 1965?
In February 1965 Malcolm X’s family survive the firebombing of their home, the following week he was assassinated by three black Muslims.
95
What did LBJ pass the civil rights legislation through?
The House of Representatives and the senate.
96
What was the civil rights legislation seen as for LBJ?
His greatest achievement but many black Americans criticised it for being insufficient and later. Many white Americans in the south resented it.
97
What was unfair when black males were govern the right to vote in 1870?
Some states disenfranchised them by unfair taxation and literacy test, literacy tests were not a test of reading and writing they asked difficult arithmetic and cultural questions which most would’ve found impossible.
98
What did the US government set up in 1962?
The voter Educational Project. The project was staffed mainly by members of the SNCC and they spent much time with eligible voters showing them how to register and overcome the barriers that were placed in front of them.
99
What did the voter education project result in?
Over 650,000 new voter registrations, the SNCC workers were subject to harassment.
100
Why was Selma chosen for the battleground in 1965?
There were only 383/15000 voters there.
101
Why was king hoping for a brutal reaction to Selma?
Because he knew the press and television would highlight the bigotry of the south.
102
What was the plan for the Selma March?
The marchers would march from Selma to Birmingham to present Governor Wallace with the petition asking for voting rights- 7th March marchers were attacked on Edmund Pettus bridge (Bloody Sunday)
103
When did the second Selma march take place and what happened?
Two days after Bloody Sunday but king turned the marchers back- he had agreed with Johnson that he would avoid violent confrontation.
104
What was agreed in terms of the Selma march?
The march from Selma to Montgomery you would go ahead if it was peaceful. King lead more than 25,000 people on the 21st of March it was the biggest event the south of ever seen.
105
What did the voting rights act 1965 do?
- End literary tests
| - Ensured federal agents could monitor registrations and stopped in if it felt there was discrimination.
106
What the ends of 1965 and 1968 how many black Americans had registered to vote?
1965- 250,000
| 1969- 750,000
107
What laws did the Supreme Court declare unconstitutional in 1967?
Laws forbidding interracial marriage
108
What was the fair housing act of 1968?
Discrimination in housing based on race, colour, gender, origin or religion was outlawed.
109
Why were black Americans living in ghettos frustrated in the 1960s?
They felt anger at the high rates of unemployment, discrimination and poverty.
110
What did a major riot in August 1965 result in?
Involved 30,000 people in the watts district of LA and left:
- 34 dead
- 1072 injured
- 4000 arrested
- $40 million of damage
There were riots in major cities across the following two summers.
111
Which summer did racial violence peak in?
The summer of 1967 when there were riots in 125 cities.
112
Details in the two largest riots in July 1967:
Newark- left 26 dead and 1000 injured
Detroit- 40 dead, hundreds injured, 7000 arrested
113
What did the riots of 1965-1967 cause LBJ to do?
To look into factors behind them. The Kerner report (1968) states that racism was deeply embedded in American society.
114
What did the year 1968 seem to be?
The end of an era
115
What was black power and what did it become?
It was originally a political slogan but it came to cover a wide range of activities in the late 1960s which aim to increase the power of blacks in American life.
116
What did stokely Carmichael and other members of the SNCC want to do?
Take responsibility for their own lives and reject white help.
117
What did black power mean?
For some it meant separation but for other it was a way of writing the USA of a corrupt power structure. Carmichael wanted blacks to have pride in their heritage adopting the slogan black is beautiful.
118
When was Carmichael criticised?
When he denounced US involvement in the Vietnam war.
119
What did athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos do at the Mexico olympics 1968?
They performed a black power Salut on the podium during the national anthem whilst wearing a black glove. This brought the movement to the attention of the world.
120
What did the Australian who came 2nd at the Mexico olympics do on the podium?
He showed his support for the black power cause wearing an OPHK badge (Olympic protection for human rights). The Australian Olympic Committee did not select him for the 1972 Olympics.
121
What did the black panthers advocate?
An end to capitalism
122
What did the black panthers begin to do in 1966?
They began to monitor police arrest of black men and women they would watch at a distance to ensure no violence occurred.
123
Who founded the black panther party?
Huey Newton and Bobby Seale In 1966
124
What sort of programme did the black panthers have?
A ten point programme.
125
What were the black panthers prepared to do to bring down the ‘establishment’?
Work with radical white groups.
126
What did the panthers wear?
Uniforms they also trained members.
127
By the end of 1968 how many members did the black panthers have?
5000
128
Who were the black panthers constantly targeted by and what happened to the party in 1982?
The FBI and by 1982 the party had disbanded.
129
Achievements of the black panthers:
- Established ‘free breakfast for children programme’ they provided clothing distribution centres, gave guidance on drugs rehabilitation and assistance to those with relative in prison.
