Civil Rights + Black Baton Rouge a Brief History
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THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION Missouri is admitted as a slave Repealing of The Missouri Supreme Court declares state laws establishing separate CIVIL RIGHTS + state and Maine as a free state to Compromise public schools for black and white students to be 1854 1954 preserve the balance of power in 1820 unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson. Congress and prohibited slavery DRED SCOTT DECISION BLACK BATON ROUGE in the Louisiana Territory north of THE Supreme Court declares The Missouri GREAT LITTLE ROCK NINE the The Mason-Dixon Line at 36° Compromise as unconstitutional, stating 30´ latitude 1857 MIGRATION President Eisenhower intervenes over an Arkansas Governor to Congress did not have the authority to force the admission of nine African American students into a A BRIEF HISTORY prohibit slavery in the territories 1910 through 1970s 1957 segregated high school NEW GOVERNMENT IN FRANCE Gradual movement of 6 million France passes a decree freeing all slaves EMANCIPATION PROCLAIMATION African-Americans (47% of all Blacks in CIVIL RIGHTS ACT in its colonies (not legally affecting 1794 13th, 14th, and 15th Ammendments to the Constitution the US) from the rural South of Jim Crow Segregation is outlawed in public places, and Spanish-ruled Louisiana at the time, but of the United States abolish slavery, recognize Black employment discrimination by race, color, 1865 to industrial jobs in the North and West 1964 further increasing fear of slave rebellion). citizenship, and create voting rights for Black men over the course of about 60 years. religion, sex or national origin is banned US INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN PLESSY V. FERGUSON NAACP FOUNDED VOTING RIGHTS ACT The signing of the Declaration of Independence “Separate but equal,” also The National Association for the Law designed to overcome legal barriers at known as “Jim Crow” laws Advancement of Colored Persons State and local level that prevent African 1896 1909 makes U.S. sovereignty into law. 1965 1776 re-institute and legalize founded to protect basic human rights Americans from exercising their 15th oppression of Black Americans of Blacks where the U.S. faltered Amendment right to vote SLAVE LABOR IN AMERICA REVOLUTION + ENLIGHTENMENT 1719, two of the earliest ships explicitly meant for THE CIVIL WAR + RECONSTRUCTION RECONSTRUCTION ENDS / JIM CROW BEGINS slave trade arrive in America with 450 enslaved French and American Revolutions inspire ideas of Africans. By 1743 approx. 5,951 Africans arrive and rebellion and instill fear of slave revolt among white The bloodiest conflict in US History leads to the Sharecropping replaces slavery as an unequal compromise between free, POST-WWII ACTIVISM + THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT preservation of the Union and the abolition of slavery. the institution of Black slave labor that built the settlers. Discovery of revolt plans confirms fears and landless black workers and impoverished white planters who relied on cotton Younger war veterans come back demanding change after United States over a period of 146 years begins... tightens resrictions on slaves AND on free Blacks. Reconstruction attempts to transform Southern but lacked capital and credit during the postwar, economic crisis in the South. States into a productive society without slavery. experiencing equality fighting alongside whites on the Laws and business practices are designed to prevent Black progress. battlefield. This spurs the Civil Rights Movement. AMERICAN REVOLUTION CIVIL WAR WWI WWII LA UNDER FRENCH RULE SPANISH RULE (begins 1762) US STATEHOOD BLACK CHURCHES BLACK EDUCATION BLACK BUSINESS + THE BLACK VOTE DESEGREGATION + WHITE FLIGHT Baton Rouge incorp. w/ 1,000 people Establish roots in Baton Black leaders establish schools Baton Rouge experiences turmoil as whites and institiutions of power for Blacks as an alternative to Oil industry growth drives Baton Rouge to Rouge post-Civil War and are expand into Mid City and North Baton Rouge. continue to suppress African Americans in all facets of life including critical for Civil Rights over the oppresive system of schools, policing, public transportation, and even dining estblishments. CODE NOIR COARTACIÓN STATEHOOD sharecropping common in the Black businesses prosper while Black leaders the next 100 years. fight for voting rights and civil liberties. The Black community began to unite in protest through sit-ins, marches, French Colonial legislation Spanish law allows slaves, or Louisiana becomes South after the Civil War. and organized leadership to make a change. In conjunction with highway articulated rights and allowable relatives, to purchase their freedom Pre-WWII, Blacks relied on ‘Racial Diplomats’ - 1769 1724 18th US State 1812 construction, this drove many whites further South to the suburbs. treatment of Africans and their for fair market value determined by usually Black ministers, doctors, or lawyers - to descendants including marriage, an appraisal. Slaves can protest an handle relations with whites. sale, punishment for runaways, assessment if they felt it was too and the ability to report abuses high and request a review. PROTESTS + PROGRESS Southern University students actively protest 1ST MENTION OF BATON ROUGE MT. ZION 1ST AFRICAN BAPTIST EDUCATION AS A WAY OUT 1ST BLACK VOTERS s PROSPERITY MEETS VIOLENCE segregation with marches to the Capitol and 1960 In the accounts of French Explorer Pierre Church founded by a partnership Dr. J. M. Frazier opens the Hickory Gus Young is one of three Black By 1944, the city is home to almost 100 6,000 BLACK VOTES sit-ins at The Kress Store, Sitman’s Drugstore, Lemoyne Sieur d’Iberville and discovery between a Black Pastor, Isaac residents allowed to vote in Black-owned businesses. 35% of the by 1952, over 6,000 Black residents ARE and the Greyhound Bus station. 16 students 1858 1932 1699 Street School in 1907, the only place of the “Red Stick” near present day Palmer, and a White Pastor, John Baton Rouge. In 1938, Young 1940 city’s population is African American. registered to vote in Baton Rouge. were arrested and expelled for their leadership for Black children to get an 1952 Southern University Brady. This is also a time of growing tension and later issued honorary degrees in 2004. education in Louisiana and avoid a organizes the 1st Ward Voters’ League in Eden Park to register between the newly economically stable BATON ROUGE BUS BOYCOTT FIRST SLAVES IN LOUISIANA life of sharecropping. The School Black community and its White That holiday season, student boycotts and sit-ins BETHEL AME CHURCH 1900s early voters in Black communities. Fare increase triggers equality demands First Louisiana residents of African Founded in downtown Baton Rouge eventually became Baton Rouge counterpart. from a majority of riders. Blacks - required force closure of downtown businesses and descent were brought to the colony under Rev. George Gordon and a Colored High School and then 1953 lunch counters, resulting in dozens of arrests. 1867 to sit or stand in the back - composed 80% 1709 THE ORIGINAL CHICKEN SHACK as slaves group of free men. The original McKinley High School, which still Thomas Delpit opens the Chicken BROOKS POOL (pictured above) of the city’s ridership, giving them 4,000 protestors rally at the jail and are met by church is pictured above. Bethel operates today in Old South Baton Shack on East Blvd (which now bears Segregated City Park pool leaves BR profound power to implement the first 350 armed cops with tear gas, submachine guns celebrates 150 years in Baton Rouge 1937 children to swim in water holes. Following Black bus boycott in the United States. The and 200 white civilian aggravators. Rouge. his name). It was one of many 1949 in 2017. successful, Black-owned businesses multiple drownings, Rev. Willie K. Brooks bus system lost over $2,000/day while the SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY of the time. 2017 marks its 80th year organizes the United Negro Recreation community, led by Rev. T. J. Jemison of Mt. ATTEMPTS AT INTEGRATION Association to fundraise and build a pool SHILOH MISSIONARY BAPTIST First opened in 1880 in New of operation in Baton Rouge. Original Zion First African Baptist Church, School Board elections replace three Church founded by Rev. George building pictured above. Thomas for the Black community. The development developed a free-ride network to facilitate segregationists and elect the first Black Orleans, Southern University moves 1962 Byrd, a native of Virginia. The first 1914 Delpit’s son Joe Delpit would later quickly became a popular gathering place the boycott. Jemison is pictured above member, Rev. Arthur Jelks (pictured above 1872 to its current location in for residents of Old South Baton Rouge. house of worship was located on Scotlandville, North Baton Rouge. become the first Black escorting two women from city jail who right) attempting to register Black children at Boyd Avenue just outside of Metro-Councilman in Baton Rouge. were arrested during the boycott. Baton Rouge Junior High to no avail. present-day Spanish Town. Southern Law School would open in 1951 to provide opportunity for LSU INTEGRATES TENSION CONTINUES TO RISE Blacks during the height of LSU’s first Black student is A.P. Tureaud, Jr. Two SU students, Leonard Brown and Dennis Smith, are shot and killed as protests continue segregation. The university doesn’t see full integration 1972 1954 until 1964. Maxine Crump is one of several to esacalate into the 1970s. RESEARCH + DESIGN BY WITH SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE FROM students to integrate dormitories. MID CITY STUDIO Bethel 1ST BLACK MAYOR-PRESIDENT www.midcitystudio.org African Methodist Episcopal Church of Baton Rouge DAVIS V. EBR SCHOOL BOARD Melvin ‘Kip’ Holden elected as the first African Bishop Julius H. McAllister, Sr. Black parents sue East Baton Rouge School American Mayor-President of the City-Parish of Elder Dr. Lloyd Washington Jr. 2005 Pastor Herman O. Kelly, Jr. Board over a ‘Freedom of Choice’ Policy Baton Rouge.