Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Section 1Section 1

The Civil The Civil Rights Rights

MovementMovement

ObjectivesObjectives

Understand how a Supreme Court Understand how a Supreme Court decision helped African Americans in decision helped African Americans in their struggle for civil rights.their struggle for civil rights.

Explain why Martin Luther King, Jr. Explain why Martin Luther King, Jr. emerged as a leader of the civil emerged as a leader of the civil rights movement.rights movement.

Plessy vs. Ferguson-1896Plessy vs. Ferguson-1896

This Supreme Court case This Supreme Court case ruled that ruled that separate but equal public facilities separate but equal public facilities were legal.were legal.

Separate but equal basically meant Separate but equal basically meant segregation, the separation of races, segregation, the separation of races, in schools, housing, restaurants, city in schools, housing, restaurants, city buses, and other public facilities.buses, and other public facilities.

Plessy Vs. FergusonPlessy Vs. Ferguson On June 7, 1892, a 30-year-old colored shoemaker named On June 7, 1892, a 30-year-old colored shoemaker named

Homer Plessy was jailed for sitting in the "White" car of the Homer Plessy was jailed for sitting in the "White" car of the East Louisiana Railroad. Plessy was only one-eighths black East Louisiana Railroad. Plessy was only one-eighths black and seven-eighths white, but under Louisiana law, he was and seven-eighths white, but under Louisiana law, he was considered black and therefore required to sit in the considered black and therefore required to sit in the "Colored" car. Plessy went to court and argued, in "Colored" car. Plessy went to court and argued, in Homer Homer Adolph Plessy v. The State of LouisianaAdolph Plessy v. The State of Louisiana, that the Separate , that the Separate Car Act violated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments Car Act violated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution. The judge at the trial was John Howard to the Constitution. The judge at the trial was John Howard Ferguson, a lawyer from Massachusetts who had previously Ferguson, a lawyer from Massachusetts who had previously declared the Separate Car Act "unconstitutional on trains declared the Separate Car Act "unconstitutional on trains that traveled through several states" that traveled through several states" [3][3] . In Plessy's case, . In Plessy's case, however, he decided that the state could choose to regulate however, he decided that the state could choose to regulate railroad companies that operated only within Louisiana. He railroad companies that operated only within Louisiana. He found Plessy guilty of refusing to leave the white car found Plessy guilty of refusing to leave the white car [4][4] . . Plessy appealed to the Supreme Court of Louisiana, which Plessy appealed to the Supreme Court of Louisiana, which upheld Ferguson's decision. In 1896, the Supreme Court of upheld Ferguson's decision. In 1896, the Supreme Court of the United States heard Plessy's case and found him guilty the United States heard Plessy's case and found him guilty once again. once again.

NAACPNAACP

► By the 1950’s, the By the 1950’s, the NAACP was working to NAACP was working to eliminate segregationeliminate segregation in the US. in the US.

► NAACP lawyers NAACP lawyers searched for cases that they searched for cases that they could challenge by proving that segregation could challenge by proving that segregation was illegal and violated the Constitutionwas illegal and violated the Constitution..

► Thurgood Marshall, chief lawyer for the Thurgood Marshall, chief lawyer for the NAACP, decided to challenge “separate but NAACP, decided to challenge “separate but equal” or segregation, in public education. equal” or segregation, in public education.

Brown vs. Board of Education of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, KansasTopeka, Kansas

Linda Brown, a seven year old, was Linda Brown, a seven year old, was denied entry into an all white school denied entry into an all white school blocks from her house because she blocks from her house because she was blackwas black..

The The Brown family sued the school Brown family sued the school system but lost.system but lost.

Thurgood Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP Marshall and the NAACP appealed the case all the way to the appealed the case all the way to the Supreme Court.Supreme Court.

Outcome of Brown Vs. Board of Outcome of Brown Vs. Board of EducationEducation

Reached the Supreme Court in 1952Reached the Supreme Court in 1952.. Marshall stated that Marshall stated that separate schools separate schools

based on race violated the 14based on race violated the 14thth Amendment to the ConstitutionAmendment to the Constitution, which , which stated that all citizens are guaranteed stated that all citizens are guaranteed equal protection under the law.equal protection under the law.

1954:The Supreme Court ruled 1954:The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that separate but equal unanimously that separate but equal schools were unconstitutional.schools were unconstitutional.

Integrating the SchoolsIntegrating the Schools

Brown Vs. Board of Education called Brown Vs. Board of Education called on all public schools to integrate, on all public schools to integrate, bring races together.bring races together.

In some parts of the country this In some parts of the country this happened easily and quickly.happened easily and quickly.

In other parts of the country this In other parts of the country this process caused riots and violence.process caused riots and violence.

Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, Arkansas

► 1957-Federal judge ordered High School in 1957-Federal judge ordered High School in Little Rock to admit African American students.Little Rock to admit African American students.

► Governor Orval Faubus did not agree.Governor Orval Faubus did not agree.► Gov. Faubus called out the Arkansas National Gov. Faubus called out the Arkansas National

Guard to prevent he AA students from entering Guard to prevent he AA students from entering the school.the school.

► A federal Judge ordered the troops to leave and A federal Judge ordered the troops to leave and Eisenhower sent federal troops to the school to Eisenhower sent federal troops to the school to protect the students.protect the students.

► The students were allowed to enter the school.The students were allowed to enter the school.

Little Rock, Arkansas

Central High School

Montgomery Bus BoycottMontgomery Bus Boycott

► Dec. 1, 1955 Rosa Parks boarded a Montgomery city Dec. 1, 1955 Rosa Parks boarded a Montgomery city bus. bus.

► She found an empty seat in the white section of the She found an empty seat in the white section of the bus and was ordered to get up.bus and was ordered to get up.

► Rosa Parks did not give up her seatRosa Parks did not give up her seat and taken off of and taken off of the bus and arrested.the bus and arrested.

► This This ledled the residents of Montgomery the residents of Montgomery toto organize a organize a busbus boycottboycott and they refused to ride city buses. and they refused to ride city buses.

► The boycott The boycott lasted for more than a yearlasted for more than a year..► The bus The bus company lost thousands of dollarscompany lost thousands of dollars..► The The Supreme Court ordered that discrimination on Supreme Court ordered that discrimination on

city buses was unconstitutional.city buses was unconstitutional.► The boycott ended in Dec. 1956.The boycott ended in Dec. 1956.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

►Dr. Dr. King was a young minister who spoke King was a young minister who spoke at the bus boycottat the bus boycott in Montgomery. in Montgomery.

►He was He was not well known but he made annot well known but he made an impactimpact on the crowds. on the crowds.

►With the victory in Montgomery Dr. King With the victory in Montgomery Dr. King became leader of the Civil Rights became leader of the Civil Rights MovementMovement..

►He was He was influenced by Mohandas Gandhi of influenced by Mohandas Gandhi of India who believed in nonviolent protest.India who believed in nonviolent protest.

Southern Christian Leadership Southern Christian Leadership ConferenceConference

Organized by Organized by King and 60 other ministersKing and 60 other ministers..

They They believed in nonviolent protestbelieved in nonviolent protest to gain to gain civil rights for African Americans.civil rights for African Americans.

The SCLC helped The SCLC helped organize African organize African Americans and prepared them for the Americans and prepared them for the struggle for civil rights.struggle for civil rights.