Civil Rights Part 2 1960-75
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BIRMINGHAM (1963) SELMA (1965) MALCOLM X CIVIL RIGHTS PART 2 CITY RIOTS (1964-68) 1960-75 . SNCC and SCLC organised peaceful . MLK and SCLC were invited to . Radical beliefs: believed in using . Major riots in US cities e.g. Watts, protests in Birmingham, Alabama (a campaign in Selma, Alabama, where violence if necessary and did not LA (1965) and Chicago (1966). notoriously racist city). voter registration was very low. want integration. Caused by long-term factors such . They knew they would get a reaction . Around 600 began a peaceful march . Like MLK he was well educated and GREENSBORO SIT-INS (1960) as unemployment and poverty. from police chief Bull Connor. from Selma to Montgomery, but an excellent speaker. Usually sparked by incidents of . Connor used police dogs and water were attacked by state troopers. Belonged to radical group Nation of police brutality and hot weather. 4 students held a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter in cannon against the protestors, even Known as ‘Bloody Sunday’ Islam, but left in 1964 after . 1968 Kerner Report said the riots Woolworths, North Carolina. children lots of publicity in favour massive publicity. disagreements with leader. had been caused by discrimination, . This gained massive publicity, of the protesters. President Johnson federalised the . His views softened after he left NOI and officials should do more to help leading to more students joining in. Encouraged sympathy for civil rights National Guard and ordered them to – he began to work with whites and the black community. Also said the . The sit-in inspired others to hold (although some controversy over escort the marchers safely. other civil rights groups. media had exaggerated the riots. their own sit-ins across the country. using children to campaign). Showed federal support; 1965 . Assassinated by NOI in 1965. Sit-ins worked because they were a Voting Rights Act passed soon after. Inspired Black Power movement, simple but effective tactic. which took off after his death. KING’S ASSASSINATION (1968) . SNCC was set up (Student MARCH ON WASHINGTON (1963) Nonviolent Coordinating . MLK was shot dead in April 1968. GOVERNMENT ACTION Committee). Massive peaceful march in the US BLACK POWER . He was in Memphis, Tennessee, to . Showed the effectiveness of non- support a strike by bin-men. capital – 250,000 people took part . 1964 Civil Rights Act made violent direct action. Encouraged pride in black culture. Towards the end of his life his focus (40,000 white). segregation of public places illegal . had shifted more to broader social . Martin Luther King gave famous “I and also tackled job discrimination. Rejected integration and non- violent tactics. issues (e.g. poverty), rather than have a dream” speech. 1965 Voting Rights Act made it . Grew in the late 1960s because just racial issues. He had annoyed FREEDOM RIDERS (1961) . Broadcast live around the world. illegal to stop certain races voting. Johnson by opposing Vietnam War. Attended by famous people, e.g. Both these laws made massive blacks were frustrated with slow progress of peaceful protest and . His latest campaign (‘Poor People’s . CORE activists rode interstate buses singer Bob Dylan. changes in theory, but were hard to continuing problems e.g. poverty. Campaign’) went ahead but failed. through the South to prove that . Showed the effectiveness of enforce in the southern states. 1968 Civil Rights Act was passed: bus desegregation was not peaceful black-white cooperation. Both Kennedy and Johnson began SNCC became more radical under leadership of Stokely Carmichael included fair housing rules and happening. to appoint black people to high- protection for civil rights workers. In Anniston, Alabama, the buses profile positions (e.g. Thurgood (‘N’ changed to ‘National’ in 1966). White opposition increased without were bombed. The riders were Marshall to Supreme Court 1967). March Against Fear 1966 – started by James Meredith, then continued MLK and the movement continued beaten up and arrested. Civil Rights Act was planned by to grow more radical. Focus moved . More people joined in the rides, Kennedy before his assassination, by SNCC, SCLC and CORE after he to other issues (e.g. Vietnam). including SNCC members. then finished by Johnson. was shot. March is notable for featuring both non-violent (e.g. There were over 60 Freedom Rides . Both used executive orders to throughout that year. intervene when necessary: King) and Black Power (e.g. Carmichael) campaigners. The rides ended when the Kennedy at Ole Miss 1962, Johnson WHAT HAD BEEN ACHIEVED BY 1975? . 1968 Mexico Olympics: 2 US government said it would force FREEDOM SUMMER (1964) in Selma 1965. states to desegregate their buses. athletes gave Black Power salute. Nixon (1969-74) brought in some . Organised by SNCC and CORE. Very controversial publicity! reforms, e.g. affirmative action, . Volunteers went to Mississippi to more black people in government, JAMES MEREDITH (1962) help blacks register to vote (1964 KING’S CAMPAIGN IN CHICAGO (1966) 1970 Voting Rights Act. was an election year). BLACK PANTHERS . Radicalisation of the movement . James Meredith was a black . Volunteers were met with a violent . Focused on unfair housing. had destroyed much of its original student who tried to apply to ‘Ole response from the KKK. King struggled to connect with . Black Power group set up in 1966. support by the late 60s. Miss’ university but was rejected. ‘Mississippi Murders’: 3 volunteers people in the North (very different . Carried guns for self-defence and . Desegregation had been achieved . The Supreme Court ordered the uni (2 white) were murdered by the culture to South). wore black uniforms. in many areas, but did not always to accept him, leading to riots. KKK became a national scandal . Peaceful march turned violent. Tackled social issues like education, benefit black people. Kennedy was forced to send in because no one was charged. King left Chicago when Mayor police brutality and poverty (e.g. Problems of poor ghetto conditions federal troops to stop the violence. Campaign raised awareness of Richard Daley promised to make breakfast clubs for kids). and police harassment continued. The troops stayed the whole year issues, but only 1600 of 17,000 who changes – but Daley did nothing. Links to criminal activities; founder . Most black Americans continued to to keep Meredith safe. tried to register to vote succeeded. Campaign widely seen as a failure. Huey Newton was arrested 1968. be paid less than white people. .