Georgia and the Modern Civil Rights Movement

• Minister & educator; President of Morehouse College in Atlanta • Heavily influenced by the non- violent teachings of Gandhi • Believed that all human beings must be treated with dignity • Spoke out against segregation before the Civil Rights movement began • Became a teacher and father- figure to Martin Luther King, Jr.

SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. Lesson One (SS8H11a) – The student will describe the major developments in civil rights and Georgia’s role during the 1940s and 1950s to include the roles of Herman Talmadge, Benjamin Mays, the 1946 governor’s race and the end of the white primary, Brown vs. Board of Education, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the 1956 state flag. 2. The influence of MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., leader of the Modern Civil Rights Movement • Born in Atlanta, GA • Studied at Morehouse College under Benjamin Mays • Believed in non-violent methods of protest to bring about change: marches, demonstrations, and boycotts. • Led a bus boycott that ended bus segregation in Montgomery, AL. • Founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to lead anti-discrimination protests.

A. In 1946, the courts ruled that the Democratic white primary in Georgia was an unconstitutional violation of the 14th Amendment (the “equal protection” clause).

B. The “Three Governor’s Controversy” – In November 1946, Eugene Talmadge was elected for a fourth term as governor, but died before taking office. A struggle ensued, with three men claiming the office. Herman Talmadge – the son of Eugene Talmadge Ellis Arnall – the current Governor Melvin E. Thompson – the Lieutenant Governor

SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. Lesson One (SS8H11a) – The student will describe the major developments in civil rights and Georgia’s role during the 1940s and 1950s to include the roles of Herman Talmadge, Benjamin Mays, the 1946 governor’s race and the end of the white primary, Brown vs. Board of Education, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the 1956 state flag. 3. THE GOVERNMENT GETS INVOLVED!!! B. The “Three Governor’s Controversy” – In November 1946, Eugene Talmadge was elected for a fourth term as governor, but died before taking office. A struggle ensued, with three men claiming the office.

The contested election was challenged in court, and the GA Supreme Court determined that M.E. Thompson was the legal governor.

B. The “Three Governor’s Controversy”

C. Brown vs. Board of Education In 1954, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) won a landmark decision in the United States Supreme Court. According to the Supreme Court, segregated schools were unconstitutional (the “equal protection” clause).

C. Brown vs. Board of Education

“Separate but equal” was now illegal because….

SEPARATE IS NEVER EQUAL!!!

C. Brown vs. Board of Education

Many southern states protested the Supreme Court’s decision, including Georgia…

MASSIVE RESISTANCE!!!

C. Brown vs. Board of Education In 1956, to demonstrate it’s disagreement with the decision, GA changed its state flag to include the Confederate battle flag.

Before 1956 After 1956

SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. Lesson Two (SS8H11b) – The student will analyze the role Georgia and prominent Georgians played in Civil Rights, including the founding of the SNCC, Sibley Commission, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter at UGA, Albany Movement, March on Washington, Civil Rights Act, the election of Maynard Jackson, and Lester Maddox. By the 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement was well underway and was gaining momentum (SS8H11b): 1. The founding of the SNCC: • Several students adopted King’s strategy of non-violent protest and formed the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. • One of the leaders of SNCC was Georgia native and Morehouse College graduate, Julian Bond. Bond was later elected to the U.S. Senate for Georgia. • SNCC used sit-ins at lunch counters and later expanded to promote voter registration in the South.

• After schools were ordered desegregated in 1954 by the Brown decision, Georgia refused to cooperate and threatened to stop funding any schools that integrated.

• In 1960, Georgia’s government formed a commission to ask Georgians how they felt about the matter. The commission was led by influential Atlanta banker John Sibley.

…GA had mixed feelings. Therefore, Sibley recommended: a) Each school district should be able to decide for itself their own policy on integration b) State laws punishing integrated schools should be repealed

• By order of the U.S. District Court in Athens, GA, the University of Georgia was ordered to be integrated. • Despite angry protests and threats, Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes became the first two African- Americans to enroll at UGA. SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. Lesson Two (SS8H11b) – The student will analyze the role Georgia and prominent Georgians played in Civil Rights, including the founding of the SNCC, Sibley Commission, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter at UGA, Albany Movement, March on Washington, Civil Rights Act, the election of Maynard Jackson, and Lester Maddox. 4. The Albany Movement:

• From fall 1961 to summer 1962, a desegregation movement took place in Albany, GA, involving the NAACP and SNCC.

• Goal – Bring national attention to the Civil Rights movement by ending all types of segregation in Albany (buses, trains, libraries, hospitals, juries, etc. ).

• In order to draw American attention to Albany, the NAACP and SNCC recruited…

… Martin Luther King, Jr.!!!

• Despite King’s assistance, the Albany movement FAILED… a) By December 1961, 500 protesters were arrested. b) Albany’s police chief used peaceful tactics to avoid negative publicity. c) The NAACP and the SNCC were often at odds with one another. d) The Albany movement did not concentrate on a single kind of segregation – IT TRIED TO DO TOO MUCH.

• The March on Washington led the Senate to consider passing the Civil Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination in all public places and making it illegal to discriminate in employment on the basis of race or sex.

• Georgia Senator Richard B. Russell opposed the bill and organized a 75-day filibuster with 18 other Southern Democratic Senators. Finally, in June 1964, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 73-27.

• Johnson considered this his greatest achievement as United States President. SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. Lesson Two (SS8H11b) – The student will analyze the role Georgia and prominent Georgians played in Civil Rights, including the founding of the SNCC, Sibley Commission, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter at UGA, Albany Movement, March on Washington, Civil Rights Act, the election of Maynard Jackson, and Lester Maddox. 7. The Election of Governor Lester Maddox:

• Lester Maddox • In 1966, Maddox ran became a GA for Governor and was celebrity in 1964 when elected. he chose to close his • He surprised many Atlanta restaurant by hiring more blacks rather than comply for government jobs with the Civil Rights than any previous Act. Governor of GA. • As Governor, he supported prison reform and increased spending for GA’s universities. He also started “People’s Day” where, once a month, average citizens could come talk to the Governor directly at the Governor’s office. SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. Lesson Two (SS8H11b) – The student will analyze the role Georgia and prominent Georgians played in Civil Rights, including the founding of the SNCC, Sibley Commission, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter at UGA, Albany Movement, March on Washington, Civil Rights Act, the election of Maynard Jackson, and Lester Maddox. 8. Mayor Maynard Jackson: • By 1973, Atlanta’s population became an African- American majority. • Maynard Jackson defeated the popular Mayor Sam Massell (who was popular with blacks as well) to become the first African-American mayor of a major American city.

SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. Lesson Three (SS8H11c) – The student will discuss the impact of Andrew Young on Georgia.

One of GA’s greatest Civil Right’s leaders was Andrew Young:

• In the 1950s and 1960s, Young organized voter registration and desegregation efforts in Albany and other southern cities. • He worked closely with MLK, Jr. and the SCLC. • In 1972, Young was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, the first black elected from GA since Reconstruction.

SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. Lesson Three (SS8H11c) – The student will discuss the impact of Andrew Young on Georgia.

One of GA’s greatest Civil Right’s leaders was Andrew Young: • In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Young to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

• In 1981, he succeeded Maynard Jackson as mayor of Atlanta. • In 1996, he served as co- chairman of the Atlanta Commission on the Olympic Games (ACOG).

SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. What do you remember about… …the Modern Civil Rights Movement???

___ 1. Unsuccessful civil rights effort in Georgia. A. Maynard Jackson

___ 2. President of Morehouse College B. 1956 State Flag

___ 3. Most important Civil Rights leader; “I have a dream…” C. Lester Maddox

___ 4. Created to ask Georgians their opinion on desegregation D. Martin Luther King

___ 5. Declared that school segregation is unconstitutional E. Hamilton Holmes

___ 6. Georgia’s protest-response to the Civil Rights movement F. Brown vs. BOE

___ 7. Closed his restaurant rather than serve blacks G. Albany Movement

___ 8. One of the first two African-American students at UGA H. Sibley Commission

___ 9. The first black mayor of Atlanta I. Benjamin Mays

SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS:

Conflict causes changes in societies. In what ways were the modern Civil Rights Movement a conflict? What changes resulted from the movement?

SS8H11 – The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement. Acknowledgements

Hodge, Cathy M. Time Travel Through Georgia. Athens, GA: WesMar Incorporated DBA/Voyager Publications, 2005.

Marsh, Carol. The Georgia Experience: 8th Grade Social Studies Teacher’s Edition Student Workbook. Peachtree City, GA: Gallopade International, 2008.