Why was there such limited progress pre-1960s concerning African American civil rights?

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  • Created by: Alasdair
  • Created on: 31-05-17 14:56
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  • Why was there such limited progress pre-1960s for African American Civil Rights?
    • Issue of Civil Rights was peripheral in comparison with other issues facing USA in period
      • Prolonged Depression of 1930s, followed by WWII then Cold War
      • Distracted administrations from difficult and contentious racial issues
    • Influence of Southern Democratic senators and representatives presented a a barrier to passing effective civil rights legislation
      • Bills failed in 1938, 1946, 1948 and 1950
    • Limited electoral support for civil rights given so many AAs could not vote, an issue was not popular one in North until 1960s
    • Civil Rights action would have meant great deal of intervention in South where racism had become firmly established and supported by state and local governments.
      • Presidents faced revival of civil war hatreds and issues of state rights
    • In North, influx of large numbers of AAs from 1915 made racial hatred common and made whole issue of civil rights go beyond dealing with 'backward' Southern attitudes
    • Liberalisation involved civil rights legislation opened administrations to charge of being 'Communist' or subverting tradition
    • Even conservative Southerner such as Truman, who shared many of same prejudices as South, was bitterly criticised by conservative Democrats for expressing concerns about civil rights and condemning lynching and violence

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