Kennedy's Civil Rights

Question 1

What were sit ins and who mainly took part?

Answer 1

• would go to segregated restaurants, sit in white only seats and ask to be served
• mainly young people as they lacked the financial commitments of supporting a family so were more willing to put themselves in danger for their beliefs
• within a month of the first sit in, 50,000 students in 30 venues across 7 states had replicated the protest

Question 2

What were freedom rides?

Answer 2

• in 1961, CORE wanted to recreate the 1947 Journey of Reconciliation
• led by James Farmer, 13 riders (7 black 6 white) set out from Washington to New Orleans to test the success of the court’s decision to integrate bus travel
• if they faced hostility it would force Kennedy to face civil rights and also expose the hypocrisy of the South

Question 3

What happened during the freedom ride?

Answer 3

• rides prompted violence: images of badly beaten drivers were broadcast globally
• Attorney General Robert Kennedy called for a cooling off period but the rides continued
• after forcing the Governor of Alabama to protect the riders, R. Kennedy demanded that the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) enforce their own ruling to desegregate interstate buses
• while they deliberated, 60 more rides with 300 riders travelled to Mississippi where everyone was arrested

Question 4

What was the Albany Campaign?

Answer 4

• SNCC leaders wished to challenge segregation in Albany, but their movement lacked the focus of restaurant sit ins
• police chief Laurie Pritchett knew that violence led to media attention so gave instructions to his officers:
• police the marches fairly and protect demonstrators
• contact local jails to ensure there was space available and no one would be crowded into cells
• treat King with considerable care

Question 5

What happened during the Albany Campaign?

Answer 5

• Pritchett’s tactics annoyed SNCC campaigners and protests stagnated leading local groups to invite King
• annoyed the SNCC who felt King was coming in to take all the glory
• King offered a $178 fine or jail and picked jail, but Pritchett discreetly paid his fine
• King learnt the importance of unity, choosing target cities and having a clear goal
• after King left, the SNCC stayed and within a year all segregation laws had been removed from Albany

Question 6

What happened during the campaign in Birmingham?

Answer 6

• after King was arrested, the campaign stagnated, leading the SCLC organiser James Bevel to suggest using young children in demonstrations
• lacked responsibility and were more media friendly
• police used clubs and dogs and fire service used high pressure hoses that could strip bark off trees
• images shocked world and R. Kennedy sent Burke Marshall (chief civil rights assistant) to make an agreement to start desegregating facilities

Question 7

Who was James Meredith and what happened to him?

Answer 7

• ex US Air Force member who decided to enrol in the University of Mississippi
• successful enrollment after a series of NAACP court cases
• there were riots which killed two people - Kennedy sent 500 US marshals and the 70th Army Engineer Combat Battalion to maintain order
• 1/3 marshals and 40 soldiers injured too

Question 8

Who was George Wallace and what did he do?

Answer 8

• governor of Alabama
• blocked 2 black students’ access to the University of Alabama
• Kennedy forced to federalise the National Guard to force him to move aside

Question 9

Did Kennedy usse executive power effectively?

Answer 9

• yes
• created 5 black federal judges
• Robert Kennedy at the Justice Department brought 57 suits against violations against black voting rights compared to Eisenhower’s 6