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Montgomery Bus Boycott
Martin Luther King lead the boycott. He preached nonviolent passive resistance was the only way to end segregation. MLK fueled the peoples motivation to Boycott. This had all arrupted after Rosa Parks court hearring when she refused to get out of the front of the bus. The SCLC successfully boycotted without violence. The NAACP also helped the boycott by showing support.
- Black churches across the country donated shoes to the boycotters who were wearing out their shoes walking. -
The Little Rock 9
Nine black students won the court order to enter central high school in Little Rock, Arkansa. Two thousand white students attended this school. Parents riot around the school where the National Gaurd troops surrounded the black students. The violence convinced president Eisenhower that he needed to Act. Officials still refused to intergrate schools in Little Rock.
- Before going to school, Lois Patillo told her daughter Melba "Smile, no matter what." A Quote by a student -
Civil Rights Act 1957
Intended to protect the rights of blacks. Eisenhower belived in the right to vote, and thought it was his responsibility to protect their voting rights. Had to convince blacks to vote republican. Southern Senators tried to stop civil rights act. SCLC announced a campaign to register 2 million black voters.
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 of the Reconstruction era detailed the rights of all U.S. citizens was passed by Congress as a response to the Black Codes enacted by many of the South -
The SIt In Movement
McNeil, Blair, McCain, Richmond went to sit in on the all white Woolworth Department store. They bought school supplies and ordered coffee. They were refused service. They said they would sit at the counter everyday until service was given to them. By the end of the week 300 students came to the sit in in Woolworths. NAACP and SCLC members were nervous in the begining. Students established SNCC. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
-The Greensboro four inspired similar Sit ins. -
The Freedom Riders
CORE leader James Farmer asked teams of black and white voulenteers, most were college students, to travel into the south to draw attention to its refusal to intergrate buses. These were freedom Riders. Angry white mobs attacked the buses in Montgomery and Alabama. The mobs violently desroyed the buses. JFK wanted to keep violence under control.
-One bus was firebombed. -
James Meredith and the Desegregation of the University of Mississippi
Black Air force Vet James Meredith fought to intergrate southern schools, He applied to transfer to the University of Mississippi. The govenor of Mississippi, Barnett was blocking his path. JFK had him escorted to the campus. A riot began. Had to have protection at all times. -He graduated in August and attended classes under federal gaurd. -
Protests in Birmingham
MLK saw that JFK only became involved when violence became an issue. MLK wanted JFK's attention but knew he could only get it through violence. The situation in Birmingham was Volatile. Bull Connor was now running for mayor. King wrote "Letter of Birmingham" while he was in jai to expalain that the protesters were breaking the law but were morally correct. The violence of the police force worried JFK.
-King was arrested 8 days after the protest. -
The March on Washington
Dr. King knew that it would be hard for JFK to push Civil Right laws through Congress. MLK had to find ways to gain public support. A. Philip Randolph suggested a March on Washington which KIng agreed with, 200,000 people of all races flocked the nations capital. There were speeches and songs sung the Licoln Memorial. Kings speeches and peacefulness built up momentum for the civil rights bill,
-Congress did everything thtey could to fight the process. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Starting in Febuary, Johnson's Civil Rights bill passed throught the House of Representatives, and moved to the senate wherre the bill was passed. President Johnson signed the Bill into a Law, Making segregation illegal in most places, gave all colors equal access to public facilities, encourage desegrigation in schools and work place. Established the EEOC- Equal employment oppurtunity commision, Monitoring Ban on jobs, based on religion, gender, orgin ect. -
The Selma March
The SCLC and Dr. King chose Selma, Alabama as the focal point of their campaign for voting rights. Blacks were the majority of the population but they only had 3% of voters, Sheriff Jim Clark terroized African Americans out of voting. 2,000 black people, even children were thrown in jail by Clark in Selma. MLK joined with SNCC. 8 days later, Johnson prosed new voting laws.
-The brutal attacks that took place while the blacks prayed was known as "Bloody Sunday" -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Authorized the US attorney General to send federal examiners to register qualified voters, bypassing local officials who refused black votes. Also, eliminated discrimitory devices such as literacy tests, in counties where less than half of adults had been registered to vote. Dramatically, 250,000 black voters.
-major turning point of civil rights movement. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
MLK was shot by a sniper as he stood on a balcony in Memphis. Previously, the SCLC helped enact the "Poor People's Camiagn" to end poverty and unemployment. People would camp out in Washington DC until it was passed. His death caused mourning and death. Congress did not pass the Civil Rights Act of 1968. His death did not end the Civil rights movement. MLK helped transform American Society,
-Told the people they could make it to the promise land without him a night before he died.
