The Civil Rights Movement

• Brown v Topeka a court case in 1954 that deemed segregation had no place in schools
• Emmett Till was a 14 year old black boy who was killed in 1955. He was accused of making sexual suggestions to Carolyn Bryant. Her husband then found Till and hauled him into his truck. They beat Till, shot him and then dropped him in a river with a heavy weight attached to his neck with barbed wire.
• Till's mother insisted on having his body returned to Chicago and had an open viewing of the body at the funeral home. This got huge publicity and caused widespread outrage and shock among both black and white people.
• The Jury cleared the defendants after about an hour. The defendants then later sold their story for $3,500 to a magazine in which they admitted to the murder. This fueled further outrage and Emmett Till did not get justice.
• Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery Alabama in December 1955. She was arrested and fined but this sparked off a mass protest by African Americans against segregated seating on buses.
• After Brown v Topeka 9 students went to go to a desegregated high school in Little Rock. They became known as the Little Rock Nine. On the first day they were met by state troops who barred their way in. The next day it was organised that they would arrive together, however one student, Elizabeth Eckford didn't receive the message. She came alone and was met by a mob of people yelling 'Lynch her!'
• Eisenhower was against legally enforcing integration since he believed it would cause more harm than good. However, the situation worsened and he had no choice but to act. He forced the state troops to be removed however rioting continued. The students were blamed by the police chief who took them out of the school. Eisenhower then sent 1000+ federal troops to Little Rock. The state troops of Arkansas was 'federalised'
• Montgomery Bus Boycott began following Rosa Parks' arrest. People refused to use the bus until they were desegregated. Lasted 381 days almost the entire black community of Montgomery participated.
• Martin Luther King Jr led the boycotts and protests. He was arrested several times during these events. In April 1956 the Supreme Court ruled that segregation on buses was unconstitutional.
• Why was MLK chosen to lead the MIA?

  • New in Montgomery so no enemies or friends
  • Clergyman who was paid by the church, no risk of getting sacked
  • well educated
  • supported fighting for civil rights through non-violent direct action
• Greensboro sit-ins began on 1 February 1960 when 4 black students sat at a segregated lunch counter and refused to move after servers refused to serve them. The next day 25 students came and sat at the counter in shifts. Local Papers reported the story and word spread rapidly. 4th February over 300 students sat at the counter in shifts. Within weeks the sit-ins were national news and spreading
• The Greensboro sit ins inspired other cities such as Nashville where 700 students protested. By May there were 70 sit-ins across the south with 10,000 participants. This was the largest movement of its kind ever seen. It also attracted media attention which helped raise awareness about the issue.
• Freedom Rides began in 1961. A group of activists rode interstate buses into southern states to test if segregation laws still applied. When they arrived in Alabama they were attacked by white supremacist groups. President Kennedy ordered the FBI to protect the riders. After this incident the Freedom Ride campaign ended due to fear of further violence.
• First bus reached Anniston, Alabama on May 15 1961. Over 100 KKK members surrounded the bus and slashed the tyres and smashed the windows. Firebomb was tossed into the bus and the doors were held shut. Just barely managed to escape before petrol tank exploded. Some were beaten up as they got off the bus.
• Second Bus didnt know what happened and reached Anniston. They were pulled off the bus and beaten up. Managed to get to Birmingham where they were beaten up again by KKK members. Birmingham police chief ordered the police not to stop the KKK.
• Attacks of the freedom riders were published in newspaper and was a huge embarrassment to the government.
• Campaign to end violence in Birmingham. peaceful protest was met with many protesters being arrested. Most adults who protested were arrested so young people were trained. Some were as young as 6. 2 May 6,000 of them marched and over 900 people of all ages were arrested. 3 May more people marched. Jails were full so police chief ordered police dogs and fire hoses to be used. Photos of events were spread worldwide. Kennedy said pictures made him feel sick and ashamed. Also gave USSR cold war propaganda.
• Protest march on Washington planned. 250,000 people took part. Washington chosen location as it was location of the White House and Congress was there. At the time was the largest political gathering in US history. Did not become violent. MLK gave famous 'I Have a Dream' speech
• Freedom Summer 1964 in Mississippi to help people become registered to vote. People treated project as 'invasion'. KKK members burned crosses all over the state. Burned 37 black churches, 30 homes and beat up countless people. Even murdered 3 CORE members.
• By 1962 most universities were desegregated. However James Meredith was refused admission into the University of Mississippi. After massive media coverage the university was forced to admit James by the supreme court and JFK.
• Malcolm X was former black power activist. Joined Nation of Islam in 1946. NOI believed in black nationalism, encouraged black people not to integrate and believed that Americans deliberately held black people back. Also rejected Non-violence.
• Malcolm X went for Hajj pilgrimage in 1964. He came back with changed views after seeing people of all skin colours praying together. The same year he left NOI and started Muslim Mosque INC. NOI sent many death threats and assassinated him in 1965
• 1968 Mexico Olympics 2 black Americans won gold and bronze medals. Did the black power salute whilst US national anthem was playing. Was a huge shock and very political act. Both were booed by Americans in the crowd , some threw things and shouted racial abuse. Both were suspended from Olympic team, but the act inspired many young black people who were moving away from their parents values and talking of revolution.
• Black Panthers were one of the largest and most feared black power groups, however unlike other black power groups were willing to work with white people who shared their beliefs. Gained major publicity after carrying guns to protest against proposed law to stop people openly carrying guns. Generally focused efforts in ghetto communities, keeping people safe and helped the community. Also reduced level of fighting between non-white city gangs by creating 'rainbow coalitions'
• King shot whilst standing on balcony in Tennessee. Weeks following had many riots in which 32 were killed, many were injured and arrested. $46 million damage was caused. Civil Rights groups lost membership, funding and support from white people after King's death. Increase in radicalism.
• Black Americans angry that demands for civil rights were not being met and yet they were still expected to fight in wars. Mohammed Ali refused to go fight in Vietnam saying that he had no quarrel with the Vietnamese.
• 1970 voting rights acts revised to ban literacy tests in voter registration tests for people of all races.
• Nixon supported civil rights but was careful to balance black vote and southern vote. Often sold civil rights reforms to white people saying they would help stop riots.