(4d) The changing status of minorities

Question 1

When did Truman desecrate the armed forces?

Answer 1

1948

Question 2

What did Truman set up?

Answer 2

Set up the Civil Rights Committee to investigate racial abuse.

Question 3

What did the 1947 report “secure these Rights” state?

Answer 3

stated that America could not expect to lead the free world, campaigning for democracy and freedoms, while black Americans were treated so unequally. The report called for laws to prevent lynching, end poll tax and make the FEPC (Fair Employment Practices Committee) permanent.

Question 4

How many southern Democrats and republicans blocked civil rights measures?

What did this mean?

Answer 4

20 Southern Democrats and 15 Republicans blocked every civil rights measure that was introduced to the Senate - making change virtually impossible

Question 5

When was the Executive Order 9981?

Answer 5

July 1948

Question 6

What did Executive Order 9981 do?

Answer 6

Completely desegregated the armed forces and guaranteed fair employment opportunities in the civil service.

Question 7

What did the Executive order 9980 set up?

Answer 7

Executive Order 9980 set up a fair employment board to replace the FEPC, but lack of funding so minimal impact.

Question 8

How was desecration met with?

By what date was the Navy, Air Force and Army completely integrated?

Answer 8

While initially desegregation of the armed forces was met with some trepidation

by 1950 the Navy and the Air Force were completely integrated, and the Army followed during the Korean War.

Question 9

What was even integrated in the south?

Answer 9

Even training camps in the Southern States were integrated giving hope for the future.

Question 10

What had Truman done by the end of his presidency for the life of black Americans?

Answer 10

By the end of his presidency Truman had made clear attempts to advance the cause of black civil rights, however desegregation did not apply to the National Guard or to the reserve forces.

Question 11

What happened to Black American music?

What did they still face?

Answer 11

ontinued to cross the racial divide. Jazz bands led by the likes of Count Basie, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington and singers such as Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday saw their music grow in popularity.

However, they still faced segregation, racism and prejudice regarding performances.

Question 12

How did Hollywood change fro black Americans?

Give some example?

Answer 12

Talented black actors such as Henry Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge challenged traditional roles played by black Americans: no longer content to be depicted in roles as sly, slow witted and subservient.

Walt Disney portrayed Uncle Remus in Song of the South as a gentle and noble, if somewhat simple character.

Question 13

What were many film produces still unwilling to do?

What did they prefer to do?

Answer 13

Many film producers were unwilling to take risks regarding black American and ethnic actors. In part this was due to pressure from the HUAC, who linked equality to communism.

However, many producers preferred to play it safe as cinema audiences were in decline due to TV popularity. Southern audiences, 20% of cinema goers, would not appreciate seeing a black hero in a film.

Question 14

Give some examples of black American sporting talents?

Answer 14

Jesse Owens won gold at Berlin Olympics 1936; Joe Louis became heavyweight boxing champion of the world; Sugar Ray Robinson dominated boxing during the 50s; 1946 American football was integrated; 1947 Jackie Robinson was the first ever black athlete to sign for a whitre baseball team the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Still huge inequality in terms of pay.

Question 15

\when was the NAACP founded and what was its aim?

Answer 15

Founded in 1909, aimed to use the law courts of America to promote the cause of racial equality and fight for racial justice.

Question 16

What did the NAACP campaign for in its early years?

Answer 16

Early years, campaigned against lynching, for the promotion of political rights and equality in education

Question 17

What did the NAACP achieve in 1910

Answer 17

sued state of Oklahoma for the Grandfather clause

Question 18

What was the NAACP key in, in 1947?

Answer 18

Key in Truman’s Committee on Civil Rights and the report

Question 19

what did the NAACP commission in 1930?

Answer 19

the NAACP commissioned the Margold report.

Question 20

What did the Margold report include?

Answer 20

=Research found that overall, black schools were under funded with shack-like buildings, no facilities and often hand me down resources from white schools.

=Black American teachers were paid less

=1946, ¼ of black Americans in the Southern states were functionally illiterate.

Question 21

What did the NAACP do as a result of the Margold report?

Answer 21

Appalled by the report, the NAACP became determined to see equality in education
Won the McLaurin vs Oklahoma case, and the Sweatt vs Painter case

Question 22

When was the Brown vs Topeka Board of Education case?

Answer 22

1954

Question 23

Why dis the brown vs Topeka Board of education come about?

Answer 23

seven-year-old girl was having to walk miles, cross railroad tracks and wait for a bus to get to a poorly resourced black school with a limited curriculum, when there were schools for whites nearer with places to spare, better resources and better facilities.

Question 24

Where is Topeka?

Answer 24

Topeka is a town outside of the Old South in Kansas which was not an ex Confederate state, and had been against slavery in the Civil War. Therefore, racism was not as entrenched as in other states.

Question 25

What did the Supreme Court judgement rule on may 17 1954?

Answer 25

Monumental decision: Supreme Court judgement on May 17 1954, ruled that the notion of ‘separate but equal’ had no place in education

Question 26

When was the ruling that the notion of ‘separate but equal’ had no place in education

Answer 26

May 17 1954

Question 27

What was the key reason for Brown vs Topeka Board of Education case ruling?

Answer 27

Key reason for success was that Chief Justice Earl Warren, appointed in 1953 by President Eisenhower, was sympathetic to issues relating to civil rights.

Question 28

What was the rate of change like after Brown vs Topeka Board of Education case?

Answer 28

In reality, change was very slow: By the 1956/57 school year 723 school districts were desegregated, while 240,000 remained segregated, mainly in the Southern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia, North and South Carolina. President Eisenhower was critical of the ruling as did not want to isolate Southern voters and politicians

Question 29

What happened in 1955?

How long did this last?

Answer 29

Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man; Bus boycott lasted until December 1955;

Question 30

What was outcome of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

Answer 30

1956 Supreme Court declared that public transport was to be desegregated

Question 31

What did the Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott demonstrate?

Answer 31

These events showed African Americans they had economic power, and saw the rise of Martin Luther King and the acceleration of the Civil Rights Movement

Question 32

What happened to Native Americans during the WW2

Answer 32

During WW2 many native Americans had moved to live in cities

Question 33

What problems did Native Americans moving to cities have?

Answer 33

This created problems for reservations and how sustainable they were for those left behind, and those returning servicemen and women (native Americans were already amongst the poorest in the USA and reservation farmland was poor)

Question 34

What policy was passed in 1944 that affected Native American?

What did it do?

Answer 34

1944 the Indian Claims Commission began the policy of termination

Compensation given for lands lost to native Americans, but the land itself was not returned

Question 35

What happened in 1953 to Native Americans?

Answer 35

August 1953, House Concurrent Resolution No 108: stated that reservations should be broken up and Native Americas encouraged to move to urban areas in order to take their place in mainstream white America. Native Americans were not consulted

Question 36

What was the impact of August 1953, House Concurrent Resolution No 108?

Answer 36

Whole policy was a disaster: Federal government rid itself of any responsibility in an attempt to save money, cutting Native Americans lose without giving opportunity to acclimatise to urban life

Question 37

What had happened by 1960 to native Americans?

Answer 37

By 1960, only 13,000 out of 400,000 Native Americans had moved from the reservation on a permanent basis. Of those who left the reservation, many remained unemployed, faced with prejudice and racism, some became alcoholics. during the 50s many began to return to the lifestyle they were familiar with on reservations.

Question 38

When did the Braceri program continue to?

Answer 38

to 1964

Question 39

How many Hispanic entered the USA between 1950-1954?

Answer 39

possibly 200,000 hispanics entered the USA every year as contract labourers often fruit picking

Question 40

What did more job opportunities led to?

migration

Answer 40

Job opportunities also led to more illegal immigrants: estimated that 500,000 crossed the border from Mexico in 1951

Question 41

What type of workers did employers prefer due to increased migration?

Why was this?

Answer 41

Many employers preferred to employ illegal immigrants: lower wages, poor conditions, no health or welfare provision, and less official documents

Question 42

As the 1950s progressed what did Hispanic workers become?

What was this due to?

Answer 42

As the 50s progressed Hispanic workers started to become more militant. In part, this was due to the role played by Caesar Chavez, who in 1952 became an organizer for the Community Service Organization (CSO), a Latino civil rights group aimed at improving life for Hispanic workers in much the same way as the NAACP.