History EOYE 2024

• Describe the Jim Crow Laws.

  • Jim Crow laws are southern state laws which allowed for the legal segregation of the African Americans and the White-Americans
  • The Jim Crow Laws denied access to public facilities for all African Americans
  • In addition, African Americans were forced to stand at the back of the buses
  • If you disobeyed the law you would be imprisoned and arrested.
• Describe the Supreme Court Ruling - Brown v Board of Education 1954

  • The ruling was made by Earl Warren
  • It overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson case (separate but equal)
  • The ruling stated that separate facilities are inherently unequal
  • The ruling also stated that segregation should end as soon as possible
• Describe the Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955

  • Rosa parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat for a white person
  • The NAACP was testing out the Brown v Topeka decision
  • King emerges as leader
  • The Bus Company lost lots of money and were going out of business so needed the African Americans to contribute to the bus services again
• Describe the Greensboro Sit-ins in 1960

  • SNICC organised the Greensboro Sit-ins
  • On February 1, 1960, four friends sat down at a lunch counter in Greensboro and were told that African Americans weren't being served
  • After being told by the waitress that they weren't allowed to order their fried chicken they decided to place their orders anyways at a white only counter
  • The manager called the Chief of the police department and they were beaten and then arrested
  • The following day 80 more African Americans came to the diner to support the Sit-ins
• Describe the actions of the Freedom Riders

  • CORE organised the Freedom Rides
  • Thirteen black and white students went from Washington to New Orleans and broke the segregation laws
  • In Alabama, they were beaten and burned
  • Then the federal government stepped in and gave police protection for an escort
• Describe the Birmingham Campaign in 1963

  • Martin Luther King led the Birmingham Campaign
  • He decided to desegregate Birmingham and was supported by the civil rights movement
  • King and all his supporters got arrested
  • He then decided to use school children to carry on the campaign because all his other supporters were in prison
  • Bull Connor got police dogs onto the children and that made him lose (he abused his authority)
  • The federal government had to step in which made the civil rights movement win
• Describe the Civil Rights Act 1964

  • The Civil Rights Act enforced the equal rights clause of the 14th Amendment
  • It outlawed segregation (ended segregation)
  • Outlawed discrimination in the work place
  • Set up the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
• Selma Campaign


  1. Protesters marched 54-mile route from Selma to Montgomery

  2. Confronted with deadly violence from local authorities and white vigilante groups

  3. Protesters, under protection of federalized National Guard troops, walked around the clock for three days to reach Montgomery
• Selma to Montgomery march


  • Part of a series of civil rights protests that occurred in 1965 in Alabama, a Southern state with deeply entrenched racist policies
  • Raised awareness of the difficulties faced by Black voters, and the need for a national Voting Rights Act
• The Voting Rights Act (VRA) was enacted


  1965
• Voting Rights Act (VRA)


  Aimed to address discriminatory voting practices, particularly in Southern states, where African Americans were systematically denied the right to vote through tactics like literacy tests and poll taxes
• Voting Rights Act


  1. Prohibits racial discrimination in voting, including practices like literacy tests and poll taxes

  2. Authorized federal oversight of election practices in states with a history of voter suppression

  3. Sections 4 and 5 required certain jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to obtain federal approval, or "preclearance," before making any changes to their voting laws or practices
• Voting Rights Act


  • Instrumental in expanding voting rights for minority groups, particularly African Americans, by removing barriers to voting and increasing political participation
  • Led to a significant increase in voter registration
• Arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr.


  July 16, 2009
• The arrest

  • Stirred national controversy
  • Ignited discussions about racial profiling and police conduct in the United States
• Henry Louis Gates Jr.

  Prominent African American scholar and Harvard University professor
• Incident unfolded

  1. Gates returned home from a trip

  2. Found front door jammed

  3. Entered through back door

  4. Neighbour called police
• Sgt. James Crowley

  White police officer
• Sgt. Crowley arrived


  Demanded identification from Gates
• Gates became agitated

  Accused the officer of racial bias
• Despite showing his identification, Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct
• The charges were later dropped
• Incident

  • Sparked widespread outrage
  • Reignited debates about racial profiling and police accountability in America
• The arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. served as a stark reminder of the persistent issue of racism in the United States, particularly within law enforcement
• Instances of racial profiling and discriminatory practices by police have long plagued communities of colour, undermining the principles of equality and justice enshrined in American civil rights
• The incident also highlighted the complex relationship between race and power, as even a highly accomplished and respected individual like Gates could find himself targeted based on his skin colour
• In response to the controversy, President Barack Obama weighed in, stating that the Cambridge police acted "stupidly" in arresting Gates
• Obama's remarks sparked further debate but also brought attention to the broader systemic issues of racial bias within law enforcement
• The incident underscored the ongoing struggle for racial equality in America and the need for continued efforts to address systemic racism and promote social justice for all citizens