Growing Demand for Black Civil Rights in America after 1945

1. Why Was There A Growing Demand For Black Civil Rights In America after 1945?

2. Historians argue that there were 4 main factorswhich influenced the growth of the Civil Rights Movement by the 1960s: Continuing racism and discrimination within American society (MAIN/ROOT CAUSE) The experience of black soldiers during WW2 The establishment of effective black Civil Rights groups willing to challenge racism The influence of black civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X

3. Reason 1 – Continuing racism and discrimination within American society. President Truman’s 1947 Committee of Civil Rights Report + Intended to overturn segregation and address Civil Rights concerns - However, his proposals were rejected by Southern politicians who, as John Kerr argues, “still wanted to rule by fear and the rope.”

4. Extreme racism and discrimination against black Americans was clearly still a huge problem that needed to be addressed. • We are going to look at three examples of the depth of that racism and why it resulted in a growing demand for Civil Rights: • J.A. Delaine • Emmett Till • The “Little Rock Nine”

5. J.A. DeLainewas a minister and teacher in South Carolina in the 1950s. He attempted to introduce school buses for black children.   • What happened? • He was fired from the school where he had been employed for 10 years. His wife, two sisters and niece lost their jobs soon after. • His family home was targeted by arsonists and his church congregation were pelted with stones. • One night, white racists fired gunshots into his home and DeLaine retaliated by shooting at their car. Delaine was forced to flee the state after he was accused of assault!

6. The Murder of Emmett Till

10. “Well, what else could we do? He was hopeless. I'm no bully; I never hurt a nigger in my life. I like niggers - in their place - I know how to work 'em. But I just decided it was time a few people got put on notice. As long as I live and can do anything about it, niggers are gonna stay in their place. Niggers ain'tgonna vote where I live. If they did, they'd control the government. They ain'tgonna go to school with my kids. And when a nigger gets close to mentioning sex with a white woman, he's tired o' livin'. I'm likely to kill him. Me and my folks fought for this country, and we got some rights. I stood there in that shed and listened to that nigger throw that poison at me, and I just made up my mind. 'Chicago boy,' I said, 'I'm tired of 'em sending your kind down here to stir up trouble. Goddam you, I'm going to make an example of you - just so everybody can know how me and my folks stand.” J. W. Milam (one of Emmett Till’s murderers), Look magazine,1956

11. The “Little Rock Nine”, Arkansas 1957 In 1954, segregation in schools had been declared illegal. However, white mobs descended on schools that attempted to desegregate. The KKK targeted black students and explosives were planted in several schools. In 1957, 9 Black American students attempted to attend the white only Central High School. A mob gathered, protected by the state’s National Guard, to stop them…

15. Elizabeth Eckford remembers her attempt to enter the school: “My knees started to shake and I wondered if I would even make it to the school. The crowd moved closer. Somebody started yelling, ‘Drag her over to this tree! Let’s take care of this nigger!’” Eventually, federal soldiers were needed to get the students into school. Images of the mistreatment of the “Little Rock 9” appeared everywhere in the media, further increasing demand for change..

16. Pressure for change led to the passing of the • 1957 Civil Rights Act • Successes? • Nation-wide law that over-ruled individual states. • Set up an agency to investigate and prosecute any white officials who tried to deny black people their rights as US citizens. • Preventing a black person from voting was officially illegal.

17. 1957 Civil Rights Act • Failures? • Southern politicians found ways of avoiding it • It was a little more than a gesture to black people. • By 1959, it had not added a single southern Black voter to the voting register! • Clearly, Federal (government) apathy towards the issue created a growing demand for meaningful Civil Rights.

18. 2 – The experience of black soldiers during WW2 Points of Knowledge:

20. The “Tuskegee Airmen”

21. The “Double V” Campaign

22. A.Philip Randolph Black trade union leader, organised a march on Washington in 1941. Met with President Roosevelt and demanded an end to segregation within the armed forces, the defence industries and manufacturing. Threatened to bring, “ten, twenty, fifty thousand Negroes on the White House lawn if our demands are not met.”

23. Executive Order 8802 Roosevelt passed Executive Order 8802 -discrimination based on race or religion was illegal. Fair Employment Practices Committee set up to investigate incidents of discrimination. However, it soon became apparent that this did little to tackle discrimination or segregation in practice.

24. Argument 3: The Civil Rights movement grew because of effective black Civil Rights groups and their successful challenges to racism.

25. 3 – Establishment of effective black Civil Rights groups and the will to challenge the status quo

26. Thurgood Marshall • First Black American lawyer to be appointed to the Supreme Court (he later became a judge) • Joined the NAACP in 1938. • Successfully fought cases for students denied access to universities due to colour (Marshall had previously been denied admission to the University of Maryland himself).

27. Thurgood Marshall and “Brown vs Topeka” • In 1952, Oliver L Brown took the Topeka Board of Education to court over segregation. • His daughter had to go to a school far from her house which was less well-maintained than nearer “white” school. • Thurgood Marshall fought the case.

28. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren ruled in 1954 that: “To separate Negro children solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their heart and minds in a way that can never be undone. We conclude that in the field of education that the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place.”

30. James Meredithsupported by the NAACP • James Meredith attempted to become the first Black student at the University of Mississippi Law School. • His admission was blocked because he was black • September 30th 1962, 500 police officers and soldiers escorted Meredith onto the college campus. • Mob of more than 2000 and the ensuing riot resulted in the deaths of two journalists. • However, Meredith continued to attend the school, with the support of 16,000 federal troops.

31. The Montgomery Bus Boycott In December 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama and was arrested. Supported by the NAACP. • The resulting Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted for 381 days. • Blacks refused to use the buses, despite pressure from the authorities • The bus companies had to de-segregate to stay in business • NON-VIOLENT protest could be effective! • Martin Luther King comes to the fore during the boycott.

32. 1960 Greensboro “Sit-In” - supported by C.O.R.E. • Four black students sat down at a white only lunch counter. They were asked to move but they refused. • Next day they returned with more than 80 black and white students and sat in the spot all day even though they faced abuse and threats of violence. • Protesters attacked but all broadcast on television which gained great publicity.

33. Freedom Rides – supported by CORE • Black and white students travelled together ignoring segregation laws. Blacks would use the segregated washrooms and toilets. • Buses firebombed and students attacked with metal bars by the KKK. • President Kennedy sent an advisor to investigate who was beaten unconscious. • Generated huge publicity and led to the desegregation of buses in the 1960s.

34. 4 - The influence of black civil rights leaders • Martin Luther King (SOUTH) • Non-violence & Civil Disobedience • Bus Boycott, Sit-Ins, Freedom Rides • NAACP & SCLC • “I have a dream” speech • Nobel Peace Prize

35. 4 - The influence of black civil rights leaders • Malcolm X (NORTH) • Violence for equality • Angered at slow process of change • Nation of Islam • Change of ideas in 1963

37. Stokely Carmichael and the Black Panthers • “Black Power” • Organised breakfast clubs for children; free clothing & healthcare for the poor; tried to tackle crime and drug abuse. • FBI undermined their social programmes!

38. Beyoncé and the Black Panthers

39. 1968 Mexico Olympics Tommy Smith and John Carlos

40. For this paragraph, you need to explain the importance of strong, effective black leaders in the growth of the Civil Rights movement. • You need to look at MLK’s successes in the south BUT you also have to look at northern frustration with non-violence which led to the rise of Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael. • For each leader, you should explain their: • Beliefs • Actions • Influence