Civil Rights 1800's - 1900's Flashcards
(91 cards)
When was the American civil war?
1860 - 1865
What was the KKK, who was the leader and when were they created?
The Klan was set up in Tennessee 1866 by Nathan Bedford Forrest. They were a white supremacy group who dressed as the ghosts of the confederate dead to intimidate and use violence against former slaves
What were sharecroppers?
These were jobs given to former slaves land was divided into areas and a family could farm the land in exchange for a % of the profits going back to the white land owner. these agreements were often biased and left farmers in debt.
What was Tennent farming?
A more fair version of sharecropping where farmers could keep all of the profits in exchange for rent.
What were the methods used to prevent African Americans from Voting
- Poll Tax
- Literacy tests
- The Grandfather Clause
What were Poll Taxes
A tax that had to be paid in order to vote this effected the majority of poorer African Americans as well as some poor white voters
What were the voting literacy tests?
It was a test that needed to be passed in order to vote this effected African American voters as the majority were illiterate
What was the Grandfather clause?
This was a clause that helped white voters who were effected by poll tax and literacy tests to still be able to vote if they could prove that their ancestors had voted before 1865 which was impossible for African Americans to achieve as they had not been given the right to vote then
How had black voting began to change following reconstruction?
By 1877 Reconstruction was over; northern troops moved out of the south and Southern State governments took control.
Through a variety of methods Southern states excluded black voters.
1896 130,334 blacks code vote in Louisiana by 1910 it was down to 730.
Blacks were restricted from voting by having poll taxes or literacy tests.
Plessy vs Fergusson 1896
Jim Crow laws were tested in 1896 by Homer Plessey (Looked white but had a black great grandparents) when convicted in Louisiana for riding in a white only railway car. Plessey took his case to the Supreme Court (Plessy Vs Ferguson- argued it violates 14th Amendment) but the justices voted in favour of the Louisiana Court. William B. Brown established the legality of segregation as long as facilities were kept “separate but equal”. Only one of the justices, John Harlan, disagreed with this decision.
J W Cummings Trial
Took his case to the Supreme Court over the State of Georgia’s actions concerning black high schools. The State stopped funding to a black high school instead focused the money on black elementary schools. Cumming’s argued it violated the 14th Amendment but the judges sided with Georgia as many felt the focus for black education was basic writing, arithmetic and vocational studies. Blacks were encouraged to learn a trade rather than try to progress academically.
William VS Missisippi
Williams challenged his indictment for murder on the grounds that the state excluded black Americans from grand juries. Williams argued that the law required jurors to be qualified voters but Williams argued that this was discriminatory- relied too much on the discretion of the registrars to pass the literacy test. The ruling upheld that the state was not discriminatory by having a literacy test or a poll tax.
What were the differences between Booker T Washington and WEB Du Bios?
What is the NAACP?
Set up by WEB Du Bois, the first Black man to receive a PHD from Harvard University. He wrote about his beliefs in published books and articles. He believed that black people should not have to wait for their rights and that they needed to be more active.
Inspired by the Springfield Riots 1908, they spoke out against the treatment of African Americans. The group also encouraged white members showing a move away from ideas of racial superiority.
Their aims were to investigate racism and publicise it, take legal action to enforce the law and the constitution, ensure equality and equal opportunity.
After 1915 membership began to grow and by the 1920’s there were over 90,000 members however by the 1930’s there had been a decline to 50,000 as it was run by middle class African Americans and whites so did not represent the more deprived groups.
Guinn VS US
1915 US V Guinn Case Oklahoma & Maryland removed Grandfather clause but this was only a State victory -shows the cost and slow process to achieve this on a State by State basis instead of a Federal/national basis but other voting restrictions still applied e.g understanding clause, poll tax etc
This caused frustration at the slow pace of change in Civil Rights
What was the NAACP membership in 1930?
1930 membership down from 90,000 to 50,000 people frustrated at the slow
What was the Great Migration?
The mass movement of African Americans from the rural south to the urban centres of the south and north, accelerated in the period before and during WW1. It is estimated that 500,000 African Americans left the south before 1910 and another 500,000 left during the First World War. between 1916 and 1960 6 million African Americans had moved from the south. One third of the inhabitants of Washington in 1910 were African American.
1880-1910 500,000 blacks left south by 1919 1million
Reasons for the Great Migration?
There were more jobs with significantly higher wages
The dependance on cotton in the south made workers vulnerable to the effects of overproduction
The outbreak of WW1 restricted the amount of workers from Europe which created a labour shortage
Hope for a better life and escape from the threat of lynching the humiliation of jim crow laws and the oppression of debt peonage
The growth of African American communities once established acted as a magnet for others to follow
Racism less overt e.g. Institutions not actively racist Buses mixed not sitting at the back of the bus like in southern states or giving up seat for a white. De Facto Segregation (unofficial) rather than dejure (law)
Problems with the Great Migration?
Although the migration had been powerfully influenced by the belief in a better life, African Americans often encountered fierce racial hostility. As the migration increased African American populations concentrated in ghettos in the main cities. These enormous concentrations of populations created appalling conditions with poor sanitation, education and high rates of disease and crime.
Segregation became more common in the north with African Americans being stopped from entering public areas.
The resulting social tensions often exploded into racial violence.
Reasons migration continued despite racist attitudes?
Despite the violence and poor living conditions in the Northern ghettos, job opportunities in the north continued to attract migrants. The Ford Motor Company in Detroit had by 1926 added 100,000 African Americans to its workforce. By 1928 3,400 African Americans had government jobs in Chicago, mainly at post offices.
Chicago race riots 1919?
One of the largest race riots erupted in chicago july 1919 after an African American swimmer accidentally arrived at the whites only beach and was beaten to death. Two weeks of rioting followed and federal troops had to be called in; 23 African Americans and 15 whites were killed and hundreds injured.
Tulsa Race Riots 1921
…….
Return of the KKK 1915
The KKK was revived in Atlanta Georgia 1915 organised by William Simmons. The film ‘Birth of a Nation’ helped to glorify ideas of the old klan and contribute to its new growth as well as promoting stereotypes of african americans. The klan widened their targets to roman catholics, jews and communists and split the democratic party in the south anyone who didn’t conform to ‘WASP’ White Anglo Saxon Protestant.
They had less support in the north in contrast to the south where by 1924 the klan was at its height claiming to have a membership of over 5 million compared to its 1921 membership of 100,000. They openly paraded the street burning crosses beating, mutilating and murdering its victims. In the north those not in support of the Klan were neutral and did nothing to oppose them
Slogan: “100% Americanism”
‘Success’ of the Klan 1915
1915 President Woodrow Wilson endorsed ‘Birth of a Nation film’ portraying Klan as heroes. It was showed in the White House this gave the impression of legitimacy to the historical accuracy of the film. Presidential approval meant the film was box office success
1921 Newspaper scandals led to congressional investigations - Simmons the Leader of the Klan spoke and ‘dazzled’ the congressmen - the publicity instead of destroying the Klan helped them grow.
1924 4-5 Million members (started to associate with Christians -Protestants) women joined
KKK 500,000- more open parades out in open -show of strength
Political power - 16 senators with links to Klan -(5) of whom known Klan members e.g. Hugo Black had to renounce klan when he became Supreme Court Justice - Indiana 1923 /24
David C Stephenson - Klan controlled all Republican candidates and key state offices. Felt above the law - 1922 state of Louisiana- 2 pro civil rights killed governor complains he can not control power of the Klan as they are on the police force/ jury.
Peak of the Klan 1925 parade of 40,000 Klan members down Pennsylvania avenue in Washington DC to the White House (idea of Hiram Evans took over leadership 1924
