Civil Rights and Responsibilities

1. Civil Rights and Responsibilities

2. Citizenship • A citizen is an individual with certain rights and duties under a government and who, by birth or by choice, owes allegiance to that government. • Another word for allegiance is loyalty.

3. Citizenship • How does an individual become a citizen?

4. Citizenship • The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America defines citizenship: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the state wherein they reside.”

5. Citizenship • Means of obtaining citizenship • Birth • Naturalization

6. Citizenship • By birth -- you can become a citizen of the United States by being born to individuals who are already American citizens, or by being born on American soil

7. Citizenship • By Naturalization • Immigration and naturalization, particularly in the twentieth century, have led to an increasingly diverse society.

8. Citizenship • To become a citizen through naturalization, a person must demonstrate knowledge of American history and principles and the ability to speak and write English

9. Citizenship • Do we have rights? • How do we know what our rights are as citizens? • The Constitution of the United States of America establishes and protects the citizen's fundamental rights and liberties. • Few rights, if any, are considered absolute or unrestricted.

10. Citizenship Bill of Rights specifically protects our rights • First Amendment freedoms • Religion • Speech • Press • Assembly • Petition

11. 14th Amendment (1868) • Equal Protection Clause • Forbids any state to “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” • Sex, race, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual preference

12. Citizenship • Responsibilities • For government to be effective, citizens must fulfill their civic duties.

13. Citizenship • Duties of responsible citizens • Obey laws • Pay taxes • Serve in the armed forces if called • Serve on a jury or as a witness in court

14. Citizenship • Citizens who choose not to fulfill these civic duties face legal consequences. • Remember: If you don’t fulfill your responsibilities, then you probably don’t have the right to complain. Being a responsible citizen entitles you to a voice in the government!

15. Citizenship • A basic responsibility of citizenship is to contribute to the common good.

16. Citizenship • Responsibilities of citizens • Register and vote • Hold elective office • Influence government by communicating with government officials • Serve in voluntary, appointed positions • Participate in political campaigns • Keep informed regarding current issues • Respect others' rights to an equal voice in government

17. Citizenship • A democratic society requires the active participation of its citizens.

18. Citizenship • Thoughtful and effective participation in civic life depends upon the exercise of good citizenship. However, sometimes good citizenship means challenging the status quo. When might that be true? • Personal traits of good citizens • Trustworthiness and honesty • Courtesy and respect for the rights of others • Responsibility, accountability, and self-reliance • Respect for the law • Patriotism

19. The Civil Rights Movement Why Did the Civil Rights Movement Take Off After 1945? • Black equality became a significant political issue for the Democratic Party • WWII had been fought against racism abroad—hard to keep harboring it at home • Black veterans came home dedicated to change • Increasing number of White Americans condemned segregation • Discrimination in the United States hurt our propaganda battle against the Communists

20. The Civil Rights Movement The Truman Years • Truman’s 1948 election year agenda • No significant Civil Rights congressional legislation • Truman moves on his own to do what he can for Civil Rights --Desegregation of the military (1948) • Jackie Robinson’s breakthrough (1947)

21. The Civil Rights Movement The Battle in the Courts • Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) -- “separate but equal” facilities = legal • Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954) -- Chief Justice Earl Warren

22. The Struggle for African Americans • Thurgood Marshall and team argued in front of SC • The court ruled in 1954 unanimously that in the field of public education, “separate but equal has no place” This case, under the Warren Court served as a beginning to govt. support

23. The Civil Rights Movement • Eisenhower disapproves of Brown decision • Desegregation “with all deliberate speed” • Popular opposition to the Brown decision • No real progress on desegregation at first

24. The Civil Rights Movement • The Eisenhower Years • Eisenhower’s philosophy related to Civil Rights laws • However, regardless of laws, inequality continued • Jim Crow Laws – segregated community

25. Out of the Schools and Into the Buses • The arrest of Rosa Parks (December, 1955) • The Montgomery, Ala. Bus Boycott • The leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. • The “Montgomery” model for Civil Rights activism: boycott, publicity, courts • SCLC (The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an American civil rights organization)formed 1957. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a member.

26. A Mass Movement Takes Shape • Lunch counter “sit-ins” begin: Greensboro, NC February, 1960 • SNCC created April, 1960. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was one of the principle organizations of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. • CORE “Freedom Ride” May, 1961

27. A Mass Movement Takes Shape (cont.) • Demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama (April, 1963) • Governor George Wallace tries to block integration of the University of Alabama (Fall, 1963)

28. A Mass Movement Takes Shape (cont.) • JFK finally begins to campaign for Civil Rights legislation • Continued violence even in the face of some progress • Martin Luther King, Jr. and the March on Washington (August, 1963) -- “I Have a Dream”

29. A Mass Movement Takes Shape (cont.) • Voter registration in Selma, Alabama (1965) • By the mid-1960’s, substantial success in the South had been achieved

30. The Kennedy and Johnson Years • JFK’s initial reluctance to push for Civil Rights laws • The integration of Ole’ Miss (1962) • JFK finally decides to push past better enforcement to new congressional Civil Rights legislation

31. The Johnson Years (cont.) • The role of Kennedy’s assassination in the Civil Rights movement • Civil Rights Act of 1964 • Anti-poll tax Amendment (24th—1964) • Voting Rights Act (1965) • Much more needed to be done for Civil Rights outside of the South, so 2nd phase began

32. Civil Rights Act of 1964 • Voting • Public accommodations • Barred discrimination • Schools • Government can force desegregation though litigation • Employment • Federal Funds

33. New Problems • The Challenges of School integration in the North • The historical, traditional segregation of northern cities • The resurrection of the KKK once again • More effective White opponents in the North

34. Race Riots • Watts Riots in Los Angeles (Summer, 1965) • Riots each summer from 1965-1969 --Chicago and Cleveland (1966) --Newark and Detroit (1967) --Washington, D.C. (1968)

35. Race Riots (cont.) • Riots as an expression of grievance against the White American consumer society • Riots shocked the White American public • Frustration and self-destruction expressed in these riots • Unlike earlier race riots, these riots were not started by White mobs

36. “Black Power” • The formation of the Black Panther Party in Oakland, CA (1966)

37. “Black Power” (cont.) • The leadership of Malcolm X --Black Muslims --Assassinated in 1965 • Cultural expressions of “Black Power”: --Afro Hairstyles --Black-studies programs -- “Negro” no longer used

38. The Continuing Efforts • Affirmative Action: programs for minorities supported by government as a means of providing equality • To “undo” the wrongs of past • Ex. Forced hiring of minorities • Ex. Accepting minority students over whites, regardless to qualification • Ex. “Busing” • Ex. More funding for minorities from govt.

39. The Affirmative Action Debate • In the early 90’s legislation tried to help empower the programs • The public was turning against it • 1991 law vetoed by Bush Sr., law softened • Clinton’s attitude: “mend it, not end it”

40. The Affirmative Action Debate ?? It stated that race or gender cannot be taken into account in hiring.

41. The Affirmative Action Debate • Reverse Discrimination • Diversity Training

42. Civil Rights History Native Americans • 2 million people live on “reservations” • Push for more sovereignty on their land • Ex. – gambling operation rights • Art. 1, Sec. 8 – commerce clause give Congress right to regulate Indian tribes

43. Civil Rights History Latino/Latina Rights • 37 million in US (about 10 million in 1980) • Mexican – 15million-rights issues include Bilingual education programs, immigration • Puerto Rican – 2.7 million-PR is a commonwealth of US, citizens can move freely back and forth, not represented in Congress, don’t have to pay federal tax

44. Civil Rights History • Cubans – 1960s, many fled communist takeover by Castro, “wet foot, dry foot” policy • Central and South American – political trouble is driving people to US, face similar bilingual and immigration issues

45. Civil Rights History Asian American • 8 million in US, 40% of immigrants • Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 – lasted through WWII • WWII – Japanese racism – internment • Korematsu v. US (1944) • 1980s reparations for internment

46. Women and Equal Rights • Seneca Falls Convention – 1848 – beginning of women’s suffrage movement • Muller v. Oregon (1908) – 10 hour work day limit for women • 19th Amendment – 1920 – Women vote • 1970s – “reasonableness standard” – all legal circumstance must be treated equal • Ex. Cannot set different age limits for driving, but can set laws on rape that punish man only

47. Women and Equal Rights • Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) 1972 • “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the US or any State on account of sex.” – did not pass because… • Rostker v. Goldberg (1981) – Court upheld the requirement men to register but not women for draft, ended ERA push • Roe v. Wade (1973) – women’s freedom to choose abortion

48. Women and Equal Rights • Civil Rights Act (1964) • Title VII – prohibits gender discrimination in employment, extended to sexual harassment • Comparable worth – “equal pay for equal work” • Title IX – provide equal funding for all programs that receive federal funding

49. Rights for Older Americans • Age discrimination illegal • Age Discrimination in Employment Act raised the general compulsory retirement age to 70 • AARP – interest group – large influence

50. Rights for Disabled Americans • 17% of Americans have a disability • Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - illegal to discriminate based on disability • Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 – gave all handicapped children free education • Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 – protect disabled rights