The Long Journey for Civil Rights Enforcing Racial Segregation in the Southern United States

Home , Tent city, Tent City (Tennessee)

Week 19 of 32 • Page 4 WEEK 19 ACROSS Civil Rights Name ______2. Brown v. Board of ______was a Supreme Vol. 1 Issue 3 Court decision that ended segregation in schools. Movement 4. Thurgood ______was a lawyer that helped argue the Brown case in the Supreme Court. 5. separation of people based on race or color 7. ______Nash helped coordinate the Freedom Rides. 8. The ______on Washington was a key nonviolent protest conducted by Martin Luther King Jr.

DOWN 1. ______School trained leaders in nonviolent methods to end segregation and racism. 3. Rosa ______was arrested for sitting in the wrong area of a public bus. 4. ______Luther King Jr. was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement and led nonviolent s-w.co/TN5-19 protests. 6. ______happened in departments stores in Nashville. 9. Jim ______laws were state and local laws Field Trip: The Long Journey for Civil Rights enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States. Alana and Jackson travel to the Green McAdoo Cultural Center. Ms. Americans were mistreated and hurt. Even though they could have been Johnson wants them to learn about Tennessee’s involvement in the Civil arrested or worse, those students stood up for what they believed in,” Rights Movement. At the center, the focus is on the landmark legal case Jackson added. of Brown v. Board of Education. The center provides background on how “Well, sat for what they believed in,” Alana conﬁ rmed. it all began with the segregated students at Green McAdoo and Clinton Now, Alana wanted to learn more about the Nashville freedom riders High School. Thanks to Thurgood Marshall, Clinton High School students and one of their founders, Diane Nash. were able to go to a public school no longer separated by race. “Jackson, we have some time before the next session to look around. I The Cause for the Cause Several seasonal exhibits showcase key actions taken by Tennesseans want to try to ﬁ nd some artifacts of the Freedom Riders.” and other civil rights activists. Jackson was interested to learn how the “Sure Alana, let’s look around.” Tent City movement started and the Nashville sit-ins happened. Alana stopped short at a glass display encasing a typed letter. For each effect that is written, write the event that caused it to happen. In class, Ms. Johnson explained that the Tent City movement took “Look Jackson! Diane Nash wrote a letter to President John F. place in Fayette County. Between 1959 and 1970, this movement Kennedy himself!” Cause: Cause: Cause: sought to helped secure African Americans right to vote. While the 15th “Wow, awesome!” Amendment was passed after the Civil War, many were still denied their “Jackson?” ______right to vote. When they tried to register to vote, many African Americans “Yes, Alana?” were evicted from their homes. Hundreds of African Americans were “Do you want to ask her whether ______displaced and were forced to live in “Tent Cities.” They were also refused she was scared?” services such as being able to buy milk, eggs, fuel or receive medical Jackson smiled knowingly and care. hovered his hand over the letter. ______The Nashville sit-ins were a response to racial segregation at lunch counters. What amazed Jackson and Alana the most was when Ms. ______Johnson told them that students often led these movements! “Do you think they were scared?” Jackson asked Alana. ______“I can only guess that they Photo courtesty Fred Blackwell would be, Jackson. Imagine trying What do you ______to prove a point to a bunch of suppose the people that your way is not only people sitting in ______the right way but the human way,” at the counter Alana said. were thinking and “And they knew that African feeling when this ______photo was taken?

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Effect: Hundreds of African Effect: Supreme Court ruled Effect: Led directly to the passage Americans were displaced and were that bus segregation was of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. forced to live in “tent cities.” unconstitutional. Sitting for a Cause In February 1960, over 120 students erupted. Crowds of white youth taunted the marchers on the front steps of City Hall. conducted “sit-ins” at four different and harassed the peaceful students, pulling Student leader Diane Nash asked the mayor department stores in Nashville. The them from their chairs and beating them. if he believed it was wrong to discriminate 1. How did the Civil War prevent African protesters were polite, calm and respectful, The police rushed in, and the white youths against someone based on the color of his Who Americans from getting equal rights? but they were still refused service. They fl ed. The protesters were ordered to leave or her skin. He said it was wrong. Then she were some stayed in their seats for two hours and then but politely refused, so they were arrested. asked if the city’s lunch counters should 2. What were some examples of key individuals from the Civil Rights left without incident. This inspired the The next two months witnessed more be desegregated, and he said, “Yes.” The segregation during this period? Movement? What steps did they African American community to boycott sit-ins, more attacks and more arrests. The Mayor’s comments were reported and it 3. What steps did African Americans take to seek equal rights? these businesses until segregation ended. whole time, students lived by their code impacted both protesters and businesses. take to help push against segregation 4. Why do you think African Americans chose nonviolent A few days later, 200 students went back of nonviolence. A month later, Nashville became the and move toward equal rights for all protests to speak their message? to the stores, but the lunch counters were In April 1960, the home of the fi rst large Southern city to desegregate African Americans? closed. Around 350 students participated protesters’ lead lawyer, Alexander Looby, its public facilities. Tennessee has played in the third sit-in. When the students was bombed. Over 3,000 people silently a proud part in the history of the Civil Alexander Looby came back for the fourth sit-in, violence marched to City Hall. Mayor Ben West met Rights Movement! Week 19 of 32 • Page 3 see nnes their race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Te Martin Luther King Jr., was a great American civil rights leader. Rosa Parks and the Martin Luther King Jr.: Civil rights are the rights of all people to be treated fairly, no matter what their age, race, sex or religion. He said that the U.S. would only be Montgomery Bus a true democracy if it stopped taking away human rights from African The Dream of the Civil Americans. He dreamed that one day that all people could work together in harmony to make the world a greater place to live. Martin Luther Boycott Rights Movement King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28, 1963 to a huge group of people who had gathered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial Rosa Lee Parks was After Alana and Jackson learned that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the primary forces behind the Civil Rights during the March on Washington. He wanted to change the way African born in 1913 in Tuskegee, Movement, they went to the library to learn more. They found several articles and resources about how much impact he had. Americans were treated in this country. These are some quotes from this Alabama. As a young important speech: woman, she attended Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister. He used peaceful protest not continue. In time, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered Montgomery to “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the Alabama State Teachers to share his beliefs and wishes to better the lives of African Americans. end segregation in its bus system. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work had true meaning of its creed—we hold these truths to be self-evident that all College. After holding He lived in a world with segregation, Jim Crow laws and unequal just begun. men are created equal. … I have a dream that my four little children will many different jobs, she treatment of African Americans. He saw it fi rsthand, having attended a Another protest he led was the March on Washington in 1963. one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of became the secretary of segregated public school. Injustices were happening all across the country. Between 200,000 to their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! Montgomery’s chapter Once the Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954 was made 300,000 people joined this event. It helped lead to the passage of the Civil “... And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when of the NAACP (National by the Supreme Court, the Civil Rights Movement went into full force. Rights Act of 1964. The act ended segregation in all public places. The we let it ring from every tenement and every hamlet, from every state Association for the Dr. King was a primary leading force. He was the leader of the Southern goal of this law is that no individual would be treated wrongly because of and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s Advancement of Colored Christian Leadership Conference. This organization was founded children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and People). Parks held that in 1957 to work for the rights of African Americans. The SCLC led Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old position for nearly 13 boycotts, marches and other protests. It also taught African Americans Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last, free at last. Thank God almighty, we are years. to read well enough to pass literacy tests, so they could vote. free at last.’” But Rosa Parks was What can you tell about Martin Luther King’s thoughts, beliefs and to make history in 1955. King led several nonviolent protests. One was the Montgomery feelings by reading these parts of his speech? She refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery Bus Boycott from December 5–20, 1956. It was considered one of Despite his inspiring acts, Martin Luther King Jr. has faced his own bus to a white passenger. In those days, white and the biggest protests against segregation in U.S. history. The protest challenges. During some of his peaceful protests, he was arrested. But black people were not allowed to ride in the same began with Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to give up her seat. Through these setbacks only made him stronger and helped lead the Civil Rights row as one another on a public bus. Rosa Parks was the daily boycott, Montgomery’s African American community sent Movement to success. arrested for not giving up her seat and moving to the a message: this type of behavior toward African Americans could back of the bus. Her arrest sparked outrage among African Americans who were tired of unfair treatment. Leaders used the arrest as a tool to convince others to boycott (or refuse to ride) Montgomery’s buses. People everywhere joined in the boycott. It lasted nearly a full year. In fact, the boycott only ended when the U.S. Supreme Court found the practice of segregating buses to be against the constitution. The boycott was successful enough to encourage all sorts of demonstrations demanding civil rights for African Americans. Most people look at Rosa Parks as one of the originators of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Later in her life, she was asked why she didn’t give up her seat to a white passenger on that ride. She responded, “I was just tired.” Rosa Parks wrote a book about her experiences as a civil rights activist. Her book is called “Rosa Parks: My Story.” It would be a good place to start to learn more about this remarkable woman. Rosa died in October 2005.

Brown v. Board of Education and Thurgood Marshall Schools in the Civil Rights Movement Clinton 12 year, Robert “Bobby” Cain Jr. became the fi rst African American to Once Alana and Jackson started their was made. The Supreme Court took another In the summer of 1956, 12 African American students registered graduate from a formerly all-white school in Tennessee. research, they couldn’t stop. The process look at Brown’s case, as well as several for classes. Soon, angry whites from Clinton and other areas arrived for removing segregation during the Civil other cases. On May 14, 1954, the Supreme and wanted to put a stop to desegregation. The “Clinton 12” marched Highlander Folk School Rights Movement was the court case Brown Court ruled. All the justices agreed: down the street and entered Clinton High School on August 26. The Many civil rights leaders attended Highlander Folk School. They next day tensions grew. Riots broke out, and crowds gathered around didn’t go to this school to learn about history, though. They wanted v. Board of Education of Topeka. segregated schools were unconstitutional. the Clinton courthouse. Violence swept through the town, bullets were to make history! Myles Horton co-founded the school in 1932 In 1951, Oliver Brown fi led a lawsuit Schools were ordered to integrate as fi red and dynamite was thrown on the property of African Americans. to help farmers and workers organize. In the 1950s, the school against the Topeka Board of Education. quickly as possible. Governor Clement sent 600 National Guardsmen to help calm the began to focus on teaching people how to fi ght for civil rights and He was angry that his daughter had not This decision set the standard for later situation. desegregation. been allowed to attend an all-white school events of the Civil Rights Movement. The Teachers were constantly being threatened. The parents of the 12 Both African Americans and white leaders were trained to stand close to their house. Thurgood Marshall process was not easy and did not happen students held a meeting and decided to stop sending their children up against racism. They also wanted to help African Americans obtain was one of the key lawyers in the case. He quickly. In many places, integration was to the school. A white preacher and some others promised to walk the right to vote. The school’s message spread across the country. argued that this was unconstitutional, and strongly opposed. Nine years later, many the Clinton 12 to school. The parents agreed, but the preacher was Many people who didn’t agree with it wanted the school closed. The attacked and beaten for escorting the students. This violence led to state of Tennessee did close Highlander in 1961, but it reopened it went against a Supreme Court ruling that places had not abided by the court’s national attention from newspapers and TV reporters. Through it all, later. segregation was legal as long as conditions decision. In 1963, the governor of Alabama, the Clinton 12 continued to attend classes. At the end of the school Robert “Bobby” Cain Jr. arriving at Clinton were equal. They insisted that the white George Wallace, gave a speech, declaring, “I High School on his fi rst day at the school. schools and black schools were say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, not equal and never would be. segregation forever.” Later that year, he Although the case lost in a stood in the doorway of a building at the federal court, an appeal University of Alabama. Governor Wallace hoped to stop two African Americans from enrolling. President Kennedy took control of Thurgood Marshall later the Alabama National Guard, who then asked joined the Supreme Wallace to step aside. Court in 1967. © Tennessee Studies Weekly–Industrialization to the Civil Rights Movement • Toll free phone (866) 311-8734 • Fax (866) 531-5589 • To view pricing and publications go to www. studiesweekly.com • For customer support, content or general feedback e-mail support@ studiesweekly.com • Material in this publication may not be reproduced for sale in print or electronic format. © 2018 Studies Weekly, Inc. Week 19 of 32 • Page 4 WEEK 19 ACROSS Civil Rights Name ______2. Brown v. Board of ______was a Supreme Vol. 1 Issue 3 Court decision that ended segregation in schools. Movement 4. Thurgood ______was a lawyer that helped argue the Brown case in the Supreme Court. 5. separation of people based on race or color 7. ______Nash helped coordinate the Freedom Rides. 8. The ______on Washington was a key nonviolent protest conducted by Martin Luther King Jr.

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