Civil Wrongs

and

Civil Rights, 1950-1975

Civil Wrongs and Civil Rights,

1945-1965

Brown v. Board of Education

Civil Rights Movement & Leaders

Moderate Approaches to social change

EQ: What was Brown v. Board of

Education of Topeka, Kansas all about?

After WWII, many African Americans called for an end to segregation and injustice. Their protest gave birth to the Civil Rights movement.

This was a Supreme Court case regarding racial segregation of students in schools

•The segregation of schools was challenged by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). This case arose after a Kansas school system did not allow an African-American girl named Linda Brown to attend an all-white school.

The NAACP argued in court that segregation violated the Constitution. It claimed segregation was unlawful because black schools were not equal to white schools.

The NAACP’s goal was

to stop segregation

in public education

The NAACP hired attorney, Thurgood Marshall, to argue its case and they won.

In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court declared segregation in schools unconstitutional.

Thurgood Marshall

became the first

African American ever

appointed to the

United States Supreme Court.

EQ: What was significant about the

Montgomery Bus Boycott?

On public buses, African Americans were required to sit in the rear of the buses. African Americans were also required to give up their seats to white passengers if the bus was full.

Rosa Parks was arrested after

refusing to give up her seat.

Mrs. Parks’ arrest stirred

anger among the African

American community.

Martin Luther King, Jr. helped organize and lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott where African Americans refused to ride public buses. Instead, they either

walked or carpooled. The

boycott was a huge financial

hit for the city of Montgomery

as many of the citizens who

paid to ride the bus were African American.

The Boycott ended when the Supreme Court ruled that Montgomery could no longer

segregate its buses.

EQ: Why was Martin Luther King , Jr.

such an important figure during the

Civil Rights movement?

Dr. King believed in nonviolence (peaceful protests) and civil disobedience (peacefully disobeying laws). Many African Americans adopted this new method of protesting. African-Americans, including MLK, were arrested for sitting in all-white areas (hotels, restaurants, restrooms) and assembling for civil rights rallies.

MLk also used television to increase black as well as white supporters of the Civil Rights movement. People across the country witnessed on television the maltreatment

and abuse of peaceful

protestors.

Despite his belief in nonviolence, MLK had many enemies. On April 4, 1968 a white gunman murdered Dr. King on a hotel balcony. His dream and cause lived on after his death and the Civil Rights movement continued to win rights for African Americans

Civil Rights Legislation during

the 1960s:

• 1964- Civil Rights Act- Made segregation and discrimination in public places illegal

• 24th amendment ended

the poll tax, which made it easier for African –Americans for vote

Voting Rights Act of 1965: gave the president power to outlaw literacy tests and send federal officials to ensure that African Americans got a fair chance to vote in elections.

EQ: What was the March on

Washington?

March on Washington (August 1963): One of

the most famous events of the Civil rights movement where more than 200,000 civil rights supporters marched in the nation’s capital. This is where Dr. King gave his famous “I have a dream” speech.

EQ: What was the militant

movement during the 1960s?

Militant Movement- believed it was okay to

use violence to gain equality. The Nation of Islam and Black Panthers were part of this group.

MALCOLM X

Malcolm X- One of the most famous militant movement leaders who became part of the Nation of Islam. He was assassinated at a rally in NY on February 21, 1965

EQ: What were the Social movements

of the 1960s and 1970s?

Civil Rights Movement- This

movement sought equal rights for African Americans and other minorities. Many of the other movements that arose in the 1960s were inspired by

the civil rights movement.

Women’s Movement- Women who joined

this movement called for an end to gender

discrimination. They also wanted to change

many of the old ideas about how women

should act and what roles they should be

limited to.

Environmental Movement–

Environmentalists demanded that the

government do more to protect the

environment. They wanted laws

governing business and

restricting how industries

got rid of waste.

EQ: What was significant about John F.

Kennedy’s presidency and the space

exploration?

1960- Defeated Vice President

Richard Nixon in one of the closest presidential races in history

The first time television played such a major role in an election as both candidates did campaign ads this way.

This was also the first televised presidential debate, which most people felt the televised debate helped Kennedy win the election.

Kennedy became a very popular, well-loved president, who was the youngest person ever to take office. The public saw him as a good leader.

Kennedy was a strong supporter of the space exploration. After the Soviet Union successfully launched satellites and put man in space, Kennedy and other Americans feared falling behind in the space race. They felt the Soviets would use their space technology to build more powerful nuclear weapons.

1969, U.S. Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human being to walk on the moon.

Meanwhile, Satellites have greatly impacted the way people live by enabling them to watch live events on the other side of the world, hear accurate weather forecasts, and get instant travel directions as they drive in cars.

EQ: What impact did President Kennedy

have during the Civil Rights movement?

On November 22, 1963,

Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated President JFK in Dallas, Texas. Lyndon B. Johnson became president in his place.

Before his death, JFK believed in equal civil rights and introduced civil rights legislation to Congress, of which some became law under President Johnson

EQ: What was significant about

Robert Kennedy during the

1960s and 1970s?

Robert Kennedy was JFK’s younger brother and served as JFK’s attorney general (Nations highest Law Enforcement officer)

RK played an important role in bringing a peaceful end to the Cuban Missile Crisis, battled organized crime in the US, and supported civil rights.

In 1968, RK ran for president, and an assassin shot him at close range.

Many hoped that the election of RK would reverse the US involvement in Vietnam.

After his assassination, Nixon was elected president who continued US involvement in Vietnam until 1973.

Nixon also appointed judges he hoped would reverse some of the Civil Rights legislation of the 1960s.