Chapter 18:Chapter 18:The Civil Rights EraThe Civil Rights Era

Changes and Changes and ChallengesChallenges

The Voting Rights ActThe Voting Rights Act

““The Right to Vote was the issue, The Right to Vote was the issue, replacing public accommodation as the replacing public accommodation as the mass concern of a people hungry for a mass concern of a people hungry for a place in the sun.”place in the sun.” MLK Jr.MLK Jr.

The Selma CampaignThe Selma Campaign

Organized marches of 1000s to places of Organized marches of 1000s to places of registrationregistration Selma, AlabamaSelma, Alabama

Marchers arrested by the 1000s placed in jails, Marchers arrested by the 1000s placed in jails, including childrenincluding children Received public attentionReceived public attention

Tension broke out, marcher shot and killed by state Tension broke out, marcher shot and killed by state troopertrooper

King announced 4 day march from Selma to King announced 4 day march from Selma to MontgomeryMontgomery ““It will not be tolerated” Governor WallaceIt will not be tolerated” Governor Wallace

The Selma MarchThe Selma March

Began March 7, 54 mile march, 600 Began March 7, 54 mile march, 600 people people

Police stoppedPolice stopped Tear gas, clubs, electric prodsTear gas, clubs, electric prods

King not present, led march on March 9, King not present, led march on March 9, stopped at bridge stopped at bridge Received federal protection march 25, able Received federal protection march 25, able

to reach Montgomeryto reach Montgomery

The Voting Rights Act of The Voting Rights Act of 19651965

““It is wrong – deadly wrong – to deny any of It is wrong – deadly wrong – to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote, outside your fellow Americans the right to vote, outside of this chamber is the outraged conscience of a of this chamber is the outraged conscience of a nation.” President Johnsonnation.” President Johnson

Passed August 6Passed August 6thth

King, James Farmer, Rosa ParksKing, James Farmer, Rosa Parks Effect immediately Effect immediately

27,000 African Americans registered to vote27,000 African Americans registered to vote Began to hold political officeBegan to hold political office

Expanding the MovementExpanding the Movement

De jure (segregation by law)De jure (segregation by law) De facto (segregation that exists through De facto (segregation that exists through

custom and practice rather than by lawcustom and practice rather than by law

Conditions outside the Conditions outside the SouthSouth

Most African-Americans outside the Most African-Americans outside the South lived in citiesSouth lived in cities

Faced similar discrimination Faced similar discrimination Real estateReal estate Bank LoansBank Loans

Urban UnrestUrban Unrest

1964-1967: racial unrest erupted in most 1964-1967: racial unrest erupted in most of the large cities, especially in the poor, of the large cities, especially in the poor, African American neighborhoodsAfrican American neighborhoods Los Angeles, DetroitLos Angeles, Detroit

Kerner CommissionKerner Commission

The Movement The Movement Heads NorthHeads North

The riots in the Northern cities made The riots in the Northern cities made MLK Jr realize that the gains in MLK Jr realize that the gains in movement in the South bypassed movement in the South bypassed millions of African Americans in the Northmillions of African Americans in the North

SCLC’s 9 month campaign was one of SCLC’s 9 month campaign was one of MLK Jr’s biggest failure because many MLK Jr’s biggest failure because many Northerners did not share his civil rights Northerners did not share his civil rights focusfocus

Fractures in the Fractures in the MovementMovement

Many white Americans viewed the civil rights Many white Americans viewed the civil rights movement as unified but actually a large movement as unified but actually a large amount of groupsamount of groups

SNCC and CORE experienced increased SNCC and CORE experienced increased harassment and began to reject the idea of harassment and began to reject the idea of non-violence non-violence

NAACP, CORE and SCLC favored the NAACP, CORE and SCLC favored the compromise offered by Mississippi Freedom compromise offered by Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (accused of betrayal)Democratic Party (accused of betrayal)

Black PowerBlack Power

May 1966: new, more radical, leadership May 1966: new, more radical, leadership took over the SNCC took over the SNCC Gave up the policy of nonviolenceGave up the policy of nonviolence

Support of aggressive actionSupport of aggressive action March Against FearMarch Against Fear ““What do you want?” “Black Power!”What do you want?” “Black Power!”

African Americans’ dependence on African Americans’ dependence on themselves to solve problemsthemselves to solve problems

The Black PanthersThe Black Panthers

Formed in October 1966Formed in October 1966 Rejected nonviolence and called for a Rejected nonviolence and called for a

violent revolution as a means of African violent revolution as a means of African American RevolutionAmerican Revolution

Carried guns and helped monitored Carried guns and helped monitored African American neighborhoods against African American neighborhoods against police brutalitypolice brutality

Black MuslimsBlack Muslims The Nation of Islam was one of the most influential The Nation of Islam was one of the most influential

groups expressing the ideas of Black Powergroups expressing the ideas of Black Power By 1960s, 65,000 followersBy 1960s, 65,000 followers Malcolm X Malcolm X

X symbolized the lost original surnameX symbolized the lost original surname Critical of MLK Jr and nonviolenceCritical of MLK Jr and nonviolence After pilgrimage to Holy Lands, Malcolm X changed to After pilgrimage to Holy Lands, Malcolm X changed to

more harmonious views more harmonious views Eventually Assassinated by Black Panthers who Eventually Assassinated by Black Panthers who

considered him a traitor to the causeconsidered him a traitor to the cause

The Assassination of KingThe Assassination of King

March 1968: Memphis, TN to aid African March 1968: Memphis, TN to aid African American sanitation workers who were on strike American sanitation workers who were on strike against discrimination in the city’s work and pay against discrimination in the city’s work and pay policiespolicies

April 3: Asked to speak at a RallyApril 3: Asked to speak at a Rally James Earl Ray, a white sniper, shot and killed James Earl Ray, a white sniper, shot and killed

MLK Jr on the balcony of his hotelMLK Jr on the balcony of his hotel African Americans across the country rioted African Americans across the country rioted

against his deathagainst his death

Starter #12: Wed 2/23Starter #12: Wed 2/23

Read the Inside Story on page 586Read the Inside Story on page 586 Why do you think the protesters choose Why do you think the protesters choose

Washington DC for their event?Washington DC for their event? Do you think the sight of poor people of Do you think the sight of poor people of

different races marching together would different races marching together would have had a strong impact on government have had a strong impact on government leaders?leaders?

Chapter 18 Section 5 Chapter 18 Section 5 The Movement ContinuesThe Movement Continues

A Change in GoalsA Change in Goals Poor Peoples Campaign: MLK alerted nation to Poor Peoples Campaign: MLK alerted nation to

the economic plight not only of AA but of all the economic plight not only of AA but of all poor peoplepoor people

Ralph Albernathy: head of SCLC took over for Ralph Albernathy: head of SCLC took over for MLKMLK Excerpt pg. 587Excerpt pg. 587 Campaign was disasterCampaign was disaster

Bad weather, bad media relations, some members part of Bad weather, bad media relations, some members part of gang, police had to break up with tear gas.gang, police had to break up with tear gas.

Without MLK eloquence and leadership Without MLK eloquence and leadership movement failedmovement failed Caused SCLC role in movement to declineCaused SCLC role in movement to decline

Decline of Black PowerDecline of Black Power Occurred during Cold War, fear of Communism highOccurred during Cold War, fear of Communism high

Some felt there was a connectionSome felt there was a connection FBI created division to spy on groupsFBI created division to spy on groups

Posed as members to find out plansPosed as members to find out plans Felt King was main culprit, yet also focused on declining other Felt King was main culprit, yet also focused on declining other

groupsgroups Spread rumors, forged harmful posters to hurt groupsSpread rumors, forged harmful posters to hurt groups

Black Panthers main targetBlack Panthers main target Since armed, violence usually occurred, many leaders killedSince armed, violence usually occurred, many leaders killed

1967 H. Rap Brown took over leadership of the SNCC1967 H. Rap Brown took over leadership of the SNCC He was encouraged by FBI members posing as SNCC to become He was encouraged by FBI members posing as SNCC to become

very radical and take shocking positionsvery radical and take shocking positions Caused SNCC member to decline; disbanded 1970sCaused SNCC member to decline; disbanded 1970s

New Changes and GainsNew Changes and Gains In spite of challenges, did achieve changeIn spite of challenges, did achieve change Civil Rights Act of 1968Civil Rights Act of 1968

Signed one week after MLK shotSigned one week after MLK shot Fair Housing ActFair Housing Act

Banned discrimination in the sale and rental of housingBanned discrimination in the sale and rental of housing

Busing and Political ChangeBusing and Political Change Brown decision 1954, 1960s schools still segregatedBrown decision 1954, 1960s schools still segregated

Due to de facto segregation, because of discrimination in Due to de facto segregation, because of discrimination in housing in prior decadeshousing in prior decades

Fair Housing Act helpedFair Housing Act helped Take years to achieve fully integrated neighborhoodsTake years to achieve fully integrated neighborhoods

Continued… Continued…

To speed up school integration, courts ruled To speed up school integration, courts ruled that schools must bus students from that schools must bus students from neighborhood schools to other parts of the cityneighborhood schools to other parts of the city Met with violenceMet with violence

Caused many whites to move out of cities to Caused many whites to move out of cities to suburbssuburbs Gave African Americans political power in citiesGave African Americans political power in cities Many small cities elected AA mayorsMany small cities elected AA mayors

Continued… Continued…

Affirmative ActionAffirmative Action Civil Rights Act of 1964Civil Rights Act of 1964: Banned discrimination : Banned discrimination

in employmentin employment Affirmative ActionAffirmative Action: gave preferences to : gave preferences to

minorites and women in hiring and admissionsminorites and women in hiring and admissions End past discriminationEnd past discrimination

Backlash over these programs gave Backlash over these programs gave Republicans advantagesRepublicans advantages Lured 2 sets of voters their way; white southerners Lured 2 sets of voters their way; white southerners

and urban working-class workersand urban working-class workers

The New Black PowerThe New Black Power

Black power did not die, took new formBlack power did not die, took new form Voting rights and political officeVoting rights and political office

Well represented in governmental positionsWell represented in governmental positions Thurgood Marshall (argued Brown) became first Thurgood Marshall (argued Brown) became first

African American Supreme Court JudgeAfrican American Supreme Court Judge John LewisJohn Lewis: active civil rights: active civil rights

Congressman from Atlanta, GeorgiaCongressman from Atlanta, Georgia Jesse JacksonJesse Jackson: Operation PUSH, international : Operation PUSH, international

figured for his work on behalf of poorfigured for his work on behalf of poor Ran for President in 1980sRan for President in 1980s