Civil Rights Movement- part 3
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- Created by: Rosie
- Created on: 20-04-13 19:25
Civil Rights Act (1960)
- Eisenower's reaction to a violent outbreak of bombings against churches and schools in the South.
- politicians from the South were furious over what they saw as Federal interference in state affairs
- The bill became an act in 1960 as both parties were fighting for the ‘Black Vote’
- introduced penalties to be levied against anybody who obstructed someone’s attempt to register to vote or someone’s attempt to actually vote.
- A Civil Rights Commission was created.
- act did little to impress civil rights leaders and barely touched on anything new
- only increased black vote by 3%
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Martin Luther King- Younger years and Minister in
- religious family and childhood
- well educated family was relatively prosperous
- experience racism and segregation from a young age
- received poor quality, segregated education in southern school
- experience further racial prejudice when he moved to north for college education- accommodation
- attitude to whites changed when he became infatuated with white women
- but despite this he married black student Coretta Scott
- urged his congregation to vote and joined the NAACP
- involvement in Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-56) resulted in many threats to him and his family
- dangers did not deter him
- By 1957, recognised as one of black american's leading spokesmen
- 1960 moved to Atlanta Georgia to the headquarters of his SCLC
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MLK- Protest, Publicity and Disillusionment
- became increasingly involved in demostrations to bring awareness to problems- voting, lack of political power
- wanted non-violent and peaceful demonstrations but was frequently arrested while participating in them
- resultant publicity drew national attention to problems and helped obtain CR legislation
- he then concentrated on problems of Northern ghettos- 20 speeches in 48 hours
- workload, fear for life, slow progress, ghetto riots and increasing number of extremists made him increasingly pessimistic
- he began to feel he had overestimated his successes 1955-65
- was exasperated by militant black racists e.g. Stokely Carmichael
- whites and blacks increasingly critical of him- blacks= Uncle Tom, whites =extremist
- towards end of his life admitted that peaceful protest wasn't working and violence was needed
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Martin Luther King- Saint or Sinner
- Glory Seeker- presumptious, self-promoting, publicity stunt?
- Hypocrite- preached importance of monogamy
- Betrayer of his people- anti-Vietnam stance alienated Johnson and hurt the movement
- didn't consult often with other groups and leaders
- wanted to represent all who had been oppresses- Mexicans, Appalachian whites
- willing to compromise his popularity for what he believed in
- arrests weren't publicity stunts but purposefully drawing media attention to aid campaign
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Birmingham (1963)
- Why Birmingham?---*SCLC and SNCC quite inactive there *need to bring something dynamic *white racists held city back *Bull Connor allow attacks *show media segregation at its worse
- Events
- initially not enough local demonstrators= not impression of mass action
- Bull Connor's police, dogs turned on demonstrators, used hoses, 500 arrested
- black school children as young as 6 used by SCLC, chaos with bombs, violence on both sides, riots, stabbings,
- King defied an injunction and marched knowing arrest meant media attention, arrested and wrote inspirational note to Kennedy who got him released
- a deal reached to improve black situation but KKK try to sabotage
- 1100 students expelled for attending- court case and reinstated
- Significance
- use of media, little changed, show extent, Kennedy crucial, inspire other protests
- 1st time King really led, show he can lead and force desegregation, precipitates violent reaction with non-violent protests, critics say king hypocritical (violence)
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March on Washington (1963)
- aim to encourage passage of a civil rights bill
- powerful message delivered at Lincoln Memorical in W. D.C.
- representatives from SNCC, SCLC, CORE, NAACP involved
- successful- about 250,000 predominantly middle class, 1/4 were white
- "i have a dream" speech appeal to white america
- King as a leader at his best
- Significance-
- first time major civil rights leaders collaborated on this scale
- impress tv audiences worldwide
- possibly help civil rights bill
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Mississippi Freedom Summer (1964)
- Problems in Mississippi
- not many blacks vote, only 5.2%, white registrars set impossible questions
- blacks politically powerless, 70% blacks illiterate, infant mortality 2x whites
- Content
- SNCC organised campaign establishing 30 Freedom Schools
- activists from CORE, NAACP help SNCC create Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party which successfully politicised situation, developed new leaders, media attention
- KKK violence increased and 3 activists killed
- after this more attention brought with media
- lack of federal protection
- continued to be turned away from polling stations
- Significance and results
- lack of protection= SNCC + activists become militant= help cause disintegration of coalitions and cause breakdown between activists and Johnson
- people see political system as fundamentally racist
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Selma (1965)
- Why Selma?--- *sheriff trusted to act violently= publicity *chance for SCLC to shine *hardly any voters- part of ongoing campaign to register voters *symbol of segregation in south
- Events
- King led would-be voters to register, venomous snakes, troopers shot black youth trying to protect mother from beating
- King held people back trying to protect woman from clubbing -media see brutality but not as explosive as he hoped
- organise 50m march Selma to Montgomery = climax troopers use clubs, tear gas on marchers, including whites, "bloody sunday"
- Johnson ask King to call off next march,SNCC accuse him of cowardice, felt betrayed, uninformed
- Significance
- bigger gap between SNCC and SCLC, King lose supporters- 'leader worship'
- SCLC create lots of money but leave and spend it in North, leave behind a stirred, bitter city
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Why did King moved focus to North?
- CRA 1964 did little to address problems faced by black's in north
- act had not fixed social and economic discrimination
- Moynihan Report (1965) inspire King
- a study of economic position of blacks
- drew attention to high crime
- poor living conditions
- ghettoism led to de facto segregation of housing and education
- Johnson had commisiioned report in hope to use it to promote economic equality
- backfired- black leaders horrified that report blamed blacks for own situation
- Significant
- create further tension between liberal politicians e.g Johnson and black radicals
- used by some whites to argue against government help for blacks
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Chicago Freedom Movement (1966)
- Events . alliance of SCLC and CCCO in King's first Northern initiative
- King aim for non-violent direct action=successful in South, challenge de facto segregation of housing, education and employment
- disappointing first rally only 30,000, heatwave, fire hydrants shut off to preserve water, police arrive to enforce, riots erupt, King appeal for calm but violence intensify
- organised marches through all white areas -segregated housing, mobs fight with rocks- King see violence as worse than in Mississippi and Alabama
- more marches planned + threat of increased violence force mayor to get court injunction restricting future marches, King forced to negotiate
- Chicago Real Estate Board promise to respect fair housing laws- King see as win
- local blacks less optimistic and fair housing was ignored
- Significance
*seen by CORE SNCC as failure in leadership and tactics- turn to more radical *highlight extent misjudged situation- size of backlash, no support from unions, churches, Johnson (Vietnam) *reveal scale of problem- chicago 10x bigger than Birmingham, need financial investment - authorities reluctant to commit money,
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Meredith March (1966)
- why?
- James Meredith shot on march he planned to encourage voting
- declare walk would continue, King and 400 others march together (+Stokely Carmichael- SNCC founder member)
- Divisions on march
- NAACP want focus on new civil rights bill and withdrew
- King welcome white participants, Carmichael reject them
- SNCC CORE increasingly militant- Carmichael arrested
- King "freedom now" v Carmichael "black power" chants
- Meredith feels excluded after shot and organise own march
- Results and Significance
- King in despair over split
- NAACP no longer want to co-operate with SNCC or CORE
- King no longer could influence everyone
- makes split obvious- total collapse of coalition, white seperation now an option
- King depressed, lost old dynamic personality and effect
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Poor People's Campaign (1968)
- in response to Chicago king plans to create coalition big enough to tackle social and economic problems identified in Chicago
- to only include black people, Hispanics, Puerto Ricans, American indians and poor whites
- strategy was nationwide civil disobedience, occupy gov. buildings, boycott businesses, march on washington
- demand
- federal budget of $30 million per year to combat problems
- government committment to full employment
- government to build 500,000 houses per year
- Significance
- King changed his mind about American Politics- no faith in it now
- feels he needed to radicalise and exclude whites= makes splits easier
- Johnson show even less support- bigger split between liberals and activists, money diverted from social projects
- SCLC won support of some unions, religious groups, begun to raise more money
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the Memphis Sanitation Worker's Strike (1968)
- Memphis city authorities refuse to recognise their unions
- tear gas used to break up marches
- union goals were economic and aimed to increase income
- King lent support- his peaceful march failed, lasted 1 hour, marchers themselves began attacking and looting shops
- King fled as soon as violence erupted to protect his PPC's reputation- cowardice?
- SCLC try to turn into victory by staging another march but King assassinated before was possible
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Significance of King's assassination (April 1968)
- symbol of end of CRM
- Johnson call for national day of mourning
- authorities in Memphis give in to demands of Sanitation Workers
- 50,000 mourners join funeral procession
- violence broke out in 130 cities and 29 states
- SNCC leader Stokely Carmichael say white america declared war and the only way to survive is to pick up a gun
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King- Success in the South
- widespread support from blacks
- media attention
- co-operation between organisations
- early days in campaigns= more committment
- NAACP tackle de jure
- lots of local activism
- non-violent protests brought respect and white supporters joining them
- boycotts spread quickly
- (Montgomery Bus Boycott, Greensboro sit-ins, Albany Movement)- minor involvement
- (Birmingham, March on Washington-1963) major involvement
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King- Failures in the North
- less media attention
- less co-operation between organisations
- later on in campaigns= tired of it all, confused, distressed
- lack of support from black's unions, churches
- increased violence
- (Chicago, Meredith March, Memphis Sanitation Workers strike)
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