Civil Rights Movement - Unit 8 Flashcards
(11 cards)
What was Plessy v Ferguson?
A US Supreme Court case in 1896 where Homer Plessy tried to fight the “Separate Car Act” on trains but he lost and it ended in the “Separate but equal” doctrine, which allows for segregated facilities as long as they are deemed ‘equal’. The doctrine reinforced the Jim Crow era and racist social classes.
What was Brown v Board of Education?
It was a US Supreme Court case in 1954 that deemed state-sponsored segregation in public schools unconstitutional. This case also overturned the “separate but equal” doctrine established after Plessy vs Ferguson.
What was the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
A movement, sparked by Rosa Park’s arrest, in Montgomery, Alabama where African Americans refused to use the public buses because they were segregated. The boycott was 381 days long and in the end the Supreme Court desegregated the public buses.
What was the SCLC?
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference which was founded by MLK Jr. in 1957. They were a group that used nonviolence and organized events to fight segregation. The SCLC played a big role in the Civil Rights Movement.
Why did school desegregation go so slow?
States fighting back against desegregation and people protest.
Did Eisenhower agree with Brown v Board- why or why not? How did he respond and why?
Eisenhower did not support the Brown vs Board and did not endorse it because he thought it would not be a good idea to split the country when we were in the middle of the Cold War. He also did not agree with the end decision to desegregate schools and responded with “I don’t believe you can change the hearts of men with laws and decisions” but he still sent troops to defend African Americans.
What was the Crisis in Little Rock?
As a result of Brown vs Board 9 African Americans students tried to integrate into Little Rock Central High School in 1957. They were met with fierce white mobs and defiance from Governor Orval Faubus.
What were Sit-ins?
Sit-ins were a common form of non-violence protests during the movement. African Americans would sit at public segregated places like lunch contures and wait until they recive the same service as whites.
What was SNCC?
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was an organization founded in 1960 that worked on student participation in non-violent protests for racial equality.
What were Freedom Riders?
They were black and white people that rode segregated buses in the south in 1961. They did this to combat the Supreme Court’s decision to not enforce desegregation on interstate transportation.
