The Civil Rights The Civil Rights MovementMovement

We Shall Overcome!We Shall Overcome!

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The Civil War freed The Civil War freed over four million over four million people who had people who had been held in been held in bondage. Slavery bondage. Slavery had been a part of had been a part of American life for American life for over two hundred over two hundred years.years.

During During reconstruction great reconstruction great strides were made strides were made in granting civil in granting civil rights to former rights to former slaves. The rights slaves. The rights of citizenship….of citizenship….

the right to vote…the right to vote…

But when the Union army pulled out of the But when the Union army pulled out of the South and Reconstruction came to an end, South and Reconstruction came to an end, Jim Crow laws began to be the rule by Jim Crow laws began to be the rule by which African Americans lived.which African Americans lived.

Plessey v FergusonPlessey v Ferguson

In 1892 the In 1892 the Supreme Court Supreme Court decided that decided that “separate but “separate but equal” was a fair equal” was a fair way to deal with way to deal with two races living side two races living side by side.by side.

  

The National The National Association for the Association for the Advancement of Advancement of Colored People, or Colored People, or NAACP, an interracial NAACP, an interracial membership membership organization, was organization, was founded in 1909, and is founded in 1909, and is devoted to civil rights devoted to civil rights and racial justice.and racial justice.

African American African American men served in the men served in the American American Expeditionary Forces Expeditionary Forces during World War I during World War I and thought that and thought that when they returned when they returned home, they would be home, they would be given the respect given the respect they had earned.they had earned.

They were mistaken..They were mistaken..

The Klu Klux Klan was at the strongest it The Klu Klux Klan was at the strongest it had ever been in the 1920s, even marching had ever been in the 1920s, even marching in Washington DC in broad daylight.in Washington DC in broad daylight.

The 1920s were The 1920s were followed by the followed by the depression years of depression years of the 1930s and just the 1930s and just keeping food on the keeping food on the table was the table was the concern of most concern of most people.people.

Segregation was the Segregation was the law of the land in law of the land in the Souththe South

World War II took World War II took the United States the United States out of the out of the depression and lots depression and lots of African American of African American men and women men and women into the military into the military service.service.

These young These young men and men and women thought women thought that FINALLY that FINALLY they would they would come home to come home to respect and respect and gratitude for gratitude for their service.their service.

Again they were Again they were wrong, but this wrong, but this time they were time they were ready to fight ready to fight segregation and segregation and discrimination discrimination head on, where head on, where ever they ever they encountered it.encountered it.

Brown v Board of Education of Brown v Board of Education of Topeka KansasTopeka Kansas

The Brown children The Brown children had to walk through had to walk through dangerous areas to dangerous areas to get to the “colored” get to the “colored” school. Their father school. Their father sued to end school sued to end school segregation.segregation.

Segregation of public schools was Segregation of public schools was legally banished in 1954legally banished in 1954

The Supreme The Supreme Court Court decision did decision did not mean that not mean that things were things were going to be going to be easy for those easy for those first students first students who who integrated integrated white schools.white schools.

In 1955, 14 year old In 1955, 14 year old Emmett Till went Emmett Till went from Chicago, from Chicago, where he lived, to where he lived, to visit family in visit family in Mississippi. Not Mississippi. Not understanding the understanding the Jim Crow rules of Jim Crow rules of the South, he the South, he “insulted” the “insulted” the wrong white woman wrong white woman and was murdered.and was murdered.

His murderers were acquitted by an all white jury in His murderers were acquitted by an all white jury in Mississippi.Mississippi.

The "smiling brothers walkin' down the The "smiling brothers walkin' down the courthouse stairs"courthouse stairs"Left to right: Roy Bryant, Carolyn Bryant, Left to right: Roy Bryant, Carolyn Bryant, Juanita Milam, J. W. Milam (UPI).Juanita Milam, J. W. Milam (UPI).

In December of In December of 1955 Rosa Parks 1955 Rosa Parks refuses to give up refuses to give up her seat on the bus her seat on the bus to a white man. to a white man. The Montgomery The Montgomery Bus Boycott begins.Bus Boycott begins.

Martin Luther King Jr speaks to the Martin Luther King Jr speaks to the press regarding thepress regarding the

Montgomery bus boycottMontgomery bus boycott

20 May 195620 May 1956 The boycott lasts The boycott lasts

for more than a for more than a year, and the black year, and the black citizens of citizens of Montgomery finally Montgomery finally win, when the win, when the Supreme Court Supreme Court rules against rules against segregation on segregation on public public transportation.transportation.

19571957

Martin Luther King, Martin Luther King, Charles K. Steele, Charles K. Steele, and Fred L. and Fred L. Shuttlesworth Shuttlesworth establish the establish the Southern Christian Southern Christian Leadership Leadership Conference, of Conference, of which King is made which King is made the first president. the first president.

The SCLC becomes The SCLC becomes a major force in a major force in organizing the civil organizing the civil rights movement rights movement and bases its and bases its principles on principles on nonviolence and nonviolence and civil disobedience. civil disobedience.

Even with the court ruling, it takes President Even with the court ruling, it takes President Eisenhower sending federal troops to Little Eisenhower sending federal troops to Little Rock to force school integration there.Rock to force school integration there.

19601960 Four black college students in Greensboro, Four black college students in Greensboro,

N.C. begin a new form of protest, called a N.C. begin a new form of protest, called a sit-in. They are refused service at a lunch sit-in. They are refused service at a lunch counter, so they refuse to leave until they counter, so they refuse to leave until they are served. are served.

This triggers many similar nonviolent This triggers many similar nonviolent protests throughout the South. This protests throughout the South. This form of protest becomes effective in form of protest becomes effective in integrating swimming pools, theaters, integrating swimming pools, theaters, libraries and other southern public libraries and other southern public facilities.facilities.

19601960 The Student The Student

Nonviolent Nonviolent Coordinating Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Committee (SNCC) is founded at Shaw is founded at Shaw University, University, providing young providing young blacks with a place blacks with a place in the civil rights in the civil rights movement. movement.

It later becomes It later becomes much more radical much more radical under the under the leadership of leadership of Stokely Carmichael.Stokely Carmichael.

19611961

The Congress of The Congress of Racial Equality Racial Equality (CORE) begins (CORE) begins sending student sending student volunteers on bus volunteers on bus trips to test the trips to test the implementation of implementation of new laws prohibiting new laws prohibiting segregation in segregation in interstate travel interstate travel facilities. facilities.

One of the first two One of the first two groups of "freedom groups of "freedom riders," as they are riders," as they are called, encounters called, encounters its first problem two its first problem two weeks later, when a weeks later, when a mob in Alabama mob in Alabama sets the riders' bus sets the riders' bus on fire. on fire.

19611961 James Meredith becomes the first black James Meredith becomes the first black

student to enroll at the University of student to enroll at the University of Mississippi. Violence and riots surrounding Mississippi. Violence and riots surrounding the incident cause President Kennedy to the incident cause President Kennedy to send 5,000 federal troops. send 5,000 federal troops.

19631963 During civil rights During civil rights

protests in protests in Birmingham, Ala., Birmingham, Ala., Commissioner of Commissioner of Public Safety Public Safety Eugene "Bull" Eugene "Bull" Connor uses fire Connor uses fire hoses and police hoses and police dogs on black dogs on black demonstrators. demonstrators.

These images of brutality, which are These images of brutality, which are televised and published widely, are televised and published widely, are instrumental in gaining sympathy for instrumental in gaining sympathy for the civil rights movement around the the civil rights movement around the world.world.

Mississippi's NAACP Mississippi's NAACP field secretary, 37-field secretary, 37-year-old Medgar year-old Medgar Evers, is murdered Evers, is murdered outside his home. outside his home.

Byron De La Byron De La Beckwith is tried Beckwith is tried twice in 1964, both twice in 1964, both trials resulting in trials resulting in hung juries. Thirty hung juries. Thirty years later he is years later he is convicted for convicted for murdering Evers.murdering Evers.

19631963 About 200,000 About 200,000

people join the people join the March on March on Washington. Washington. Congregating at Congregating at the Lincoln the Lincoln Memorial, Memorial, participants listen participants listen as Martin Luther as Martin Luther King delivers his King delivers his famous "I Have a famous "I Have a Dream" speech.Dream" speech.

Four young girls in Four young girls in Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama are killed Alabama are killed when a bomb goes when a bomb goes off in their church. off in their church. The church had The church had been the site of civil been the site of civil rights meetings.rights meetings.

19641964 The 24th Amendment abolishes the The 24th Amendment abolishes the

poll tax, which originally had been poll tax, which originally had been instituted in 11 southern states after instituted in 11 southern states after Reconstruction to make it difficult for Reconstruction to make it difficult for poor blacks to vote. poor blacks to vote.

President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The most sweeping civil rights of 1964. The most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, legislation since Reconstruction,

the Civil Rights Act the Civil Rights Act prohibits prohibits discrimination of all discrimination of all kinds based on race, kinds based on race, color, religion, or color, religion, or national origin. The national origin. The law also provides the law also provides the federal government federal government with the powers to with the powers to enforce enforce desegregation. desegregation.

19651965

Malcolm X, black Malcolm X, black nationalist and nationalist and founder of the founder of the Organization of Organization of Afro-American Afro-American Unity, is shot to Unity, is shot to death. death.

It is believed It is believed the assailants the assailants are members of are members of the Black the Black Muslim faith, Muslim faith, which Malcolm which Malcolm had recently had recently abandoned in abandoned in favor of favor of orthodox Islam. orthodox Islam.

Blacks begin a march to Montgomery Blacks begin a march to Montgomery in support of voting rights but are in support of voting rights but are stopped at the Pettus Bridge by a stopped at the Pettus Bridge by a police blockade. police blockade.

Fifty marchers are Fifty marchers are hospitalized after hospitalized after police use tear police use tear gas, whips, and gas, whips, and clubs against clubs against them. The incident them. The incident is dubbed "Bloody is dubbed "Bloody Sunday" by the Sunday" by the media.media.

Congress passes the Voting Rights Act Congress passes the Voting Rights Act of 1965, making it easier for Southern of 1965, making it easier for Southern blacks to register to vote. Literacy blacks to register to vote. Literacy tests and other such requirements that tests and other such requirements that were used to restrict black voting are were used to restrict black voting are made illegal. made illegal.

19661966

The militant Black The militant Black Panthers are Panthers are founded by Huey founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Newton and Bobby Seale. Young African Seale. Young African Americans think the Americans think the older protesters are older protesters are too slow and these too slow and these young people are young people are willing to use willing to use violence.violence.

19681968 Martin Luther King, at age 39, is shot Martin Luther King, at age 39, is shot

as he stands on the balcony outside as he stands on the balcony outside his hotel room. Escaped convict and his hotel room. Escaped convict and committed racist James Earl Ray is committed racist James Earl Ray is convicted of the crime. convicted of the crime.

President Johnson President Johnson signs the Civil Rights signs the Civil Rights Act of 1968; Act of 1968; prohibiting prohibiting discrimination in the discrimination in the sale, rental, and sale, rental, and financing of housing.financing of housing.

The Supreme Court, in The Supreme Court, in SwannSwann v. v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of EducationEducation, upholds busing as a , upholds busing as a legitimate means for achieving legitimate means for achieving integration of public schools. integration of public schools.

Although largely Although largely unwelcome (and unwelcome (and sometimes violently sometimes violently opposed) in local opposed) in local school districts, school districts, court-ordered busing court-ordered busing plans in cities such plans in cities such as Charlotte, Boston, as Charlotte, Boston, and Denver continue and Denver continue until the late 1990s. until the late 1990s.

Since the 1960s and 70s there have been Since the 1960s and 70s there have been great strides in civil rights for all citizens of great strides in civil rights for all citizens of the United States, but, as in most things, the United States, but, as in most things, there are still improvements that could be there are still improvements that could be made. We are, at least, far farther along made. We are, at least, far farther along than we were!than we were!

The Civil Rights The Civil Rights MovementMovement

We Shall Overcome!We Shall Overcome!