The Civil Rights Movement The Civil Rights Movement in Texasin Texas

What are Civil Rights?What are Civil Rights?

Civil rights are the nonpolitical rights Civil rights are the nonpolitical rights of a citizenof a citizen The rights of personal liberty The rights of personal liberty

guaranteed to US citizens by the 13guaranteed to US citizens by the 13thth and 14and 14thth Amendments to the US Amendments to the US Constitution and by acts of Congress.Constitution and by acts of Congress.

Examples of Civil RightsExamples of Civil Rights

Freedom of speechFreedom of speech Freedom of pressFreedom of press Freedom of assemblyFreedom of assembly The right to voteThe right to vote Freedom from involuntary servitudeFreedom from involuntary servitude The right to equality in public placesThe right to equality in public places

What is Discrimination?What is Discrimination?

Discrimination occurs when the civil Discrimination occurs when the civil rights of an individual are denied or rights of an individual are denied or interfered with because of their interfered with because of their membership in a particular group or membership in a particular group or class. class.

Is There Any Law Against Is There Any Law Against Discrimination?Discrimination?

Statutes have been enacted to Statutes have been enacted to prevent discrimination based on a prevent discrimination based on a person's race, sex, religion, age, person's race, sex, religion, age, previous condition of servitude, previous condition of servitude, physical limitation, national origin, physical limitation, national origin, and in some instances sexual and in some instances sexual preference. preference.

1414thth Amendment Amendment

The State should not deprive any The State should not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. the equal protection of the laws.

The Civil Rights MovementThe Civil Rights Movement

Several reform movements have Several reform movements have occurred in the United States occurred in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination aimed at abolishing racial discrimination

against Americans of color and restoring against Americans of color and restoring suffrage in Southern states. suffrage in Southern states.

What Led to the Civil Rights What Led to the Civil Rights Movement?Movement?

After the end of reconstruction, After the end of reconstruction, Southern states implemented laws Southern states implemented laws that promoted:that promoted: Racial segregationRacial segregation DisenfranchisementDisenfranchisement ExploitationExploitation Violence against minorities (Blacks, Violence against minorities (Blacks,

Latinos, Asians)Latinos, Asians)

Civil Rights Movement in TexasCivil Rights Movement in Texas

Civil-rights campaigns in Texas are Civil-rights campaigns in Texas are generally associated with the state's generally associated with the state's two most prominent ethnic two most prominent ethnic minorities: minorities: African Americans African Americans Mexican Americans Mexican Americans

Civil Rights Movement in TexasCivil Rights Movement in Texas

Mexican Americans have made Mexican Americans have made efforts to bring about improved efforts to bring about improved political circumstances since the political circumstances since the Anglo-American domination of Texas Anglo-American domination of Texas began in 1836. began in 1836.

African Texans have fought for civil African Texans have fought for civil rights since their emancipation from rights since their emancipation from slavery in 1865. slavery in 1865.

Pre-Civil War AtrocitiesPre-Civil War Atrocities

In the 1850s, Tejanos faced In the 1850s, Tejanos faced expulsion from their Central Texas expulsion from their Central Texas homes on the accusation that they homes on the accusation that they helped slaves escape to Mexico.helped slaves escape to Mexico.

They became victims of Anglo wrath They became victims of Anglo wrath around the Goliad area during the around the Goliad area during the Cart War of 1857, as they did in Cart War of 1857, as they did in South Texas in 1859 after Juan N. South Texas in 1859 after Juan N. Cortina‘s capture of Brownsville. Cortina‘s capture of Brownsville.

The U.S. Civil War (1861–1865) The U.S. Civil War (1861–1865)

Freedom at LastFreedom at Last

When President Lincoln’s Emancipation When President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation took effect in 1865, an entire Proclamation took effect in 1865, an entire race of people was freed. race of people was freed.

Texas’ 1866 Constitutional Convention gave Texas’ 1866 Constitutional Convention gave African-American men the right to sue or be African-American men the right to sue or be sued, to contract and be contracted with, to sued, to contract and be contracted with, to acquire and transmit property, to obtain acquire and transmit property, to obtain equal criminal prosecution under the law, equal criminal prosecution under the law, and to testify orally in any case involving and to testify orally in any case involving another African American. another African American.

Freedom at LastFreedom at Last

Significantly, the 1866 Constitution Significantly, the 1866 Constitution did not allow African Americans to did not allow African Americans to hold public office or to vote. hold public office or to vote.

11th Texas Legislature refused to 11th Texas Legislature refused to ratify either the 13th Amendment, ratify either the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, or the 14th which abolished slavery, or the 14th Amendment, which granted Amendment, which granted citizenship to African Americans. citizenship to African Americans.

Freedom at LastFreedom at Last

The legislature wanted to return The legislature wanted to return Texas as much as possible to the Texas as much as possible to the way it was before the war and way it was before the war and restrict the rights of African restrict the rights of African Americans. Americans.

Post-Civil War Violence in TexasPost-Civil War Violence in Texas

The 1880s, white men in East Texas The 1880s, white men in East Texas used violence as a method of political used violence as a method of political control, and lynching became the control, and lynching became the common form of retaliation. common form of retaliation.

The Ku Klux Klan, the White Caps, law The Ku Klux Klan, the White Caps, law officials, and the Texas Rangers all officials, and the Texas Rangers all acting as agents of white authority, acting as agents of white authority, regularly terrorized both Mexican regularly terrorized both Mexican Americans and black Texans.Americans and black Texans.

Segregation Followed Segregation Followed Emancipation Emancipation

Freedmen found themselves barred Freedmen found themselves barred from most public places and schools, from most public places and schools, and confined to certain residential and confined to certain residential areas of towns. areas of towns.

By the early twentieth century, such By the early twentieth century, such practices had been sanctioned by practices had been sanctioned by law.law.

These statutes were not formulated These statutes were not formulated with Tejanos in mind, but they with Tejanos in mind, but they enforced them through social custom enforced them through social custom nonetheless. nonetheless.

African and Mexican Americans faced African and Mexican Americans faced terrorist tactics, literacy tests, the terrorist tactics, literacy tests, the stuffing of ballots, and accusations of stuffing of ballots, and accusations of incompetence when they won office. incompetence when they won office.

Segregation Followed Segregation Followed Emancipation Emancipation

Poll-tax and Political partiesPoll-tax and Political parties

Institution of poll-tax, a fixed tax for Institution of poll-tax, a fixed tax for every person regardless of income, was every person regardless of income, was used to disenfranchise minorities and used to disenfranchise minorities and poor whites.poor whites.

By the late 1920s, Texas politicians had By the late 1920s, Texas politicians had effectively immobilized African Texan effectively immobilized African Texan voters through court cases that defined voters through court cases that defined political parties as private organizations political parties as private organizations which could exclude members. which could exclude members.

Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws

Increased the segregation of the races.Increased the segregation of the races. Blacks and Hispanics attended Blacks and Hispanics attended

segregated and inferior "colored" and segregated and inferior "colored" and "Mexican" schools. "Mexican" schools.

In mid-1950s, the state legislature In mid-1950s, the state legislature passed segregationist laws directed at passed segregationist laws directed at blacks (and by implication to Tejanos), blacks (and by implication to Tejanos), some dealing with education, others some dealing with education, others with residential areas and public with residential areas and public accommodations. accommodations.

ProtestsProtests

African and Mexican Americans African and Mexican Americans criticized segregationist policies and criticized segregationist policies and white injustices via their newspapers, white injustices via their newspapers, labor organizations, and self-help labor organizations, and self-help societies. societies.

The period between 1900 and 1930 The period between 1900 and 1930 saw continued efforts by minorities saw continued efforts by minorities to break down racial barriers.to break down racial barriers.

ProtestsProtests

Much of the leadership on behalf of civil Much of the leadership on behalf of civil rights came from the ranks of the middle rights came from the ranks of the middle class.class.

Black leaders established a chapter of the Black leaders established a chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Houston in 1912.Colored People in Houston in 1912.

The association pursued the elimination of The association pursued the elimination of the white primary and other obstacles to the white primary and other obstacles to voting, as well as the desegregation of voting, as well as the desegregation of schools, institutions of higher education, and schools, institutions of higher education, and public places.public places.

Fight for EqualityFight for Equality

Mexican and Black Texans continued Mexican and Black Texans continued their advocacy for equality during their advocacy for equality during the depression era. the depression era.

The black movement, for its part, The black movement, for its part, won increased white support in the won increased white support in the 1930s from the ranks of the 1930s from the ranks of the Association of Southern Women for Association of Southern Women for the Prevention of Lynching and from the Prevention of Lynching and from such prominent congressmen as such prominent congressmen as Maury Maverick. Maury Maverick.

Desegregation of SchoolsDesegregation of Schools

The famous case of The famous case of Brown v. Board Brown v. Board of Educationof Education (1954) produced the (1954) produced the integration of schools, buses, integration of schools, buses, restaurants, and other public restaurants, and other public accommodations.accommodations.

The case of The case of Sweatt v. PainterSweatt v. Painter (1950) (1950) integrated the University of Texas integrated the University of Texas Law School, and in its wake several Law School, and in its wake several undergraduate colleges in the state undergraduate colleges in the state desegregated. desegregated.

1960s1960s

During the 1960s both African During the 1960s both African Americans and Mexican Americans Americans and Mexican Americans took part in national movements took part in national movements intended to bring down racial intended to bring down racial barriers.barriers.

Black Texans held demonstrations Black Texans held demonstrations within the state to protest the within the state to protest the endurance of segregated conditions. endurance of segregated conditions.

1960s: Black Power1960s: Black Power

In conjunction with the National March on In conjunction with the National March on Washington in 1963, approximately 900 Washington in 1963, approximately 900 protesters marched on the state Capitol.protesters marched on the state Capitol.

Some segments of the black community Some segments of the black community flocked to the cause of “Black Power" and flocked to the cause of “Black Power" and accepted violence as a means of social accepted violence as a means of social redress. However, Texas saw a lot less redress. However, Texas saw a lot less violence and destruction of property in violence and destruction of property in comparison to some other states like comparison to some other states like Alabama.Alabama.

Chicano MovementChicano Movement

Tejanos took part in the Chicano Tejanos took part in the Chicano movement of the era, and some, movement of the era, and some, especially youths, supported the especially youths, supported the movement's militancy, its movement's militancy, its denunciation of "gringos," and its denunciation of "gringos," and its talk of separatism from American talk of separatism from American society. society.

The movement declined by the mid-The movement declined by the mid-1970s. 1970s.

Racial EqualityRacial Equality

The federal government pursued an The federal government pursued an agenda designed to achieve racial agenda designed to achieve racial equality, and Mexican and Black equality, and Mexican and Black Texans both profited from this Texans both profited from this initiative. initiative.

The 24The 24thth Amendment, ratified in Amendment, ratified in 1964, barred the poll tax in federal 1964, barred the poll tax in federal elections, and that same year elections, and that same year Congress passed the Civil Rights Act Congress passed the Civil Rights Act outlawing the Jim Crow tradition. outlawing the Jim Crow tradition.

Racial EqualityRacial Equality

Texas followed suit in 1969 by Texas followed suit in 1969 by repealing its own separatist statutes. repealing its own separatist statutes.

The federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 The federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminated local restrictions to voting eliminated local restrictions to voting and required that federal marshals and required that federal marshals monitor election proceedings.monitor election proceedings.