The Civil Rights MovementThe true start is December 1955 in Montgomery Alabama.

It was based around Rosa Parks, refusing to move to the back of the bus for white passengers

News of Parks arrest reached E.D. Nixon who was Former President of the NAACP(The National Association Advancement Colored People).

This sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, was a success!Under Dr. Martin Luther King, organized car pools, walked & rode Bicycles, but refused to ride the bus, Finally , Supreme court ruled Alabama’s law requiring segregation on buses was unconstitutional

Jim Crow Laws

Existed after Plessey ruling (1896) a series of laws know of Jim Crow Laws were put in place to continue segregation.

Theses were also known as de facto segregation.

The NAACP challenged these laws with Norris V. Alabama(juries) and Morgan V. Virginia(buses)

NAACPThe NAACP was constantly fighting to end segregation.

Their goal was to find a supreme court case that would make Segregation unconstitutional.They thought parks case could end segregation which was based around the idea of separate but equal.

The Democratic party also grew during the 1930’s relying on support from African Americans.

Standing up by sitting downJames Farmer and George Houser founded the Congress of Racial Equality. Or CORE They attempted to desegregate places, such as: department stores, and Restaurants.

They practiced Sit-ins to protest, they would sit down in public places until they were given service in segregated areas, (shame the business)Used in many other strikes, also pray strikes is another form

Brown V.S. the Board of Education

The Case takes place in Topeka Kansas

It is based around a girl named Linda Brown

Brown was denied access to the local Public school in her neighborhood due to being African American, told to go all black school, across town

The Courts RulingThe NAACP pooled their money to hire Thurgood Marshall for their legal defense of the case.

The Court: “In the field of Education, Separate but equal has no place, the Facilities are inherently unequal”Essentially, Educational segregation would continue to deprive African Americans of status.

The Little Rock Nine/ Freedom Riders• 1957 court order, admitting 9 African American

students into central High• Governor calls in National Guard, to stop them

violence breaks out• Eisenhower federalizes Guard and send troops in for

rest of school yr.

• 1961 still segregation continues on interstate bus lines, African American & White Volunteers to protest,

• Becomes very violent, televised

Dr. Martin Luther King

• Southern Baptist Pastor, PHD in theology• First President of the Southern Christian

Leadership Conference, (set out to eliminate segregation, encouraged African Americans to vote)

• Used philosophies/ techniques of Gandhi, using non violent resistance

• Used powerful words, speeches to rally/inspire• Assassinated 1968 Memphis Tennessee

Malcolm X

• Symbol of Black power movement, inspired Black Panthers

• Troubled Youth, convicted of burglary, sent to prison 6 yrs.

• In prison educated himself, active in debates• Joins Nation of Islam (Black Muslims)• Belief in separating from Whites, own local self governing communities, promoted

family, self defense, criticized white society and civil rights movement

• Leaves the Nation, goes to Mecca

• Changes view, all can live together, criticizes Nation

• Nation members kill him 1965

Civil Rights Act 1964• Dr. Martin Luther King organizes a march on Washington• Purpose: compel congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of

1964• More than 200,000 demonstrators of all races attend• Dr. King delivers his powerful I have a dream speech• Opponents drag out process, Kennedy is assassinated!• Many campout and become discouraged• Lyndon Johnson committed to Kennedy programs fights to

get bill passed

Voting Rights Act 1965• President Johnson called for New Voting rights law after civil rights

demonstrators are severely beaten at voting polls

• The Selma March 1965, Dr. King, Selma Alabama, focal point of campaign

• Many demonstrators arrested, beat• Becomes national news, nation stunned to see the brutal attacks on

peaceful demonstrators, later it becomes known as “Bloody Sunday”

• 8 days later legislature was proposed for new voting laws

• Aug 1965, Act passes, sends federal examiners to register voters, suspends literacy tests/ other discriminations