Triumphs & Challenges of the Civil Rights Movement

1. Triumphs & Challenges of the Civil Rights Movement How did Americans react during the Civil Rights Movement?

2. I. Early Civil Rights Movement A. 1950s saw push for civil rights with: Till Case, Brown v. Board of Ed, Little Rock Nine, Rosa Parks & bus boycott, student sit-ins B. Early 60s saw better organization, Lunch Counter Sit-Ins, James Meredith case and Gov’r Wallace’s refusal to desegregate

3. II. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) A. Founded in 1960 @ Shaw Univ., SNCC will be more confrontational (but not violent) than SCLC B. Feb. 1960: “Greensboro Four” begin sit-in at Woolworth’s lunch counter  refused service but return each day w/ more students C. Sit-ins spread, some turn violent D. Eisenhower publicly supports students

4. III. Kennedy & Civil Rights • May 4, 1961 – Dec 10, 1961: Freedom Riders • 1. Challenged Fed. Gov’t to enforce Boynton vs. Virginia (1960),which ruled that segregated public buses, waiting rooms and restaurants at bus terminals were unconstitutional (S. States had ignored the ruling) • 2. Rides organized by Congress Of Racial Equality (C.O.R.E.) and Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (S.N.C.C.) • 3. Riders attacked, beaten, buses firebombed 4. Pres. Kennedy slow to react = more violence 5. Eventually Nat’l Guard called in to restore order 6. Enforcement of desegregation

5. B. Integration at Mississippi University 1. 1962: James Meredith wants to enroll at Ole Miss.  Gov. Ross Barnett refuses to let him register a. riots and violence breaks out 2. JFK sends in federal troops to allow Meredith into school C. 1963: AL Gov. George Wallace refuses school desegregation 1. JFK sends in federal troops to allow black students entry • 1963: Birmingham rocked by violence, JFK asks Congress to pass a Civil Rights Act & pushes Affirmative Action programs

6. IV. Violence in Birmingham (April 1963) C. Committee of Public Safety, Bull Connor, orders PD and FD to use fire hoses, dogs, and clubs to stop march A. Birmingham being rocked by racial violence “Bombingham” B. Fred Shuttlesworth of SCLC asks Dr. King to join him for non-violent march, joined by 1K Af-Am students D. Thousands of students & MLK arrested, writes “Letter from Birmingham Jail” E. Sept. ‘63: Four young Af-Am girls killed when church is bombed by KKK

7. V. March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom C. FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover orders an investigation of King A. 1963: SCLC organizes March on Washington250K show up B. Dr. King delivers his “I Have A Dream” speech

8. VI. Freedom Summer 2. FBI sent to investigate, learn of a police cover-up of crime A. 1964: C.O.R.E. and S.N.C.C. members organize college students to register African Americans to vote in Mississippi 1. Three workers (two white, one black) are arrested by local police and then disappear after their release

9. VII. Bloody Sunday A. Congress passes Civil Rights Act of 1964 & states were now voting on ratification of 24th Amendment (elimination of poll tax) B. MLK plans Selma to Montgomery, AL peace march in early 1965 (focus new effort on voting rights) C. Police in riot gear wait for marchers to cross Pettus bridge, protestors are beaten by police “Bloody Sunday”

10. VIII. Voting Rights Act of 1965 A. In response to the events in Mississippi & Alabama, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act 1. New law eliminated literacy tests/poll taxes & allows Federal examiners to enroll voters 2. % of registered African-American voters in the South TRIPLED! IX. Legacy of Civil Rights A. Kerner Commission to study race & urban violence in America 1. Result: White racism causes urban violence B. LBJ & Congress pass Civil Rights Act of 1968 (ends housing discrimination) & Affirmative Action (help minorities in jobs/edu)