American Civil Rights

1700-1790: Several black slave revolts occurred; the Constitution of Vermont is the first to abolish slavery

1790-1810: Manumission of slaves in some free states; in 1808 the importation of slaves in America was banned

1861-1865: Tens of thousands of enslaved African American slaves escaped to Union lines for freedom (Underground Railroad); the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect

1865: The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution went into effects, the abolishment of slavery

1860s: The Ku Klux Klan is formed in Tennessee by white Confederate veterans 1870: The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right of male

citizens to vote regardless of colour or previous condition of servitude

Background...

Prosperity that was accessible to many whites, was not available to everyone

Black Americans were largely excluded

Example: Suburban neighbourhoods

Civil Rights Movement Origins...

1950s/1960sRacism was prominent throughout societyFaced hiring discrimination & unequal

pay/opportunityDiscriminatory real estate practice

Kept to inner city neighbourhoods (out of suburbs) Kept in areas with poor schools and education

In the South, segregation was the law Required that blacks and whites attend separate schools

and churches and use different facilities

Experiences of African Americans...

Grew out of political organizations and churches (1950s)

First area of focus was education 1954: Brown v. Board of Education

Decided that segregation based on race in Educational facilities was no longer legal

Despite this decision, little change resulted

Additional Resource (Brown v. Board of Education Video)

http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX760a6e7d58506758635545&t=Civil-Rights-Movement

First Signs of Activism...

Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955)Non-violent protest of racial

segregation on buses Result of the arrest of Rosa ParksRefused to give up her seat for other

white passengers Arrested and found guilty

Many participants were arrested or their livelihood was threatened

Law of bus segregation was challenged in court November 13, 1956- declared

unconstitutional

Montgomery, Alabama...

Additional Resource (Montgomery Bus Boycott Video)http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX030d46007f701570455d7b&t=Civil-Rights-Movement

Little Rock Central High School (1957)NAACP made attempts to enrol blacks in white

schools after the Brown v. Board of Education decision

Nine African American students selected to attendOn the first day of school, they were prevented

from entering by Arkansas National Guard Were also harassed, threatened and at the centre of protest by

other student

President Eisenhower enforced orders of the Federal court and deployed 101st Airborne Division to protect the students

Little Rock, Arkansas...

Additional Resource (Central High/Little Rock Video)http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX6d517e016d4a01004d556b&t=Civil-Rights-Movement

1960Greensboro, North CarolinaFour black college students sat at Woodworth’s

Lunch Counter protesting African American exclusion from that location

Peaceful protest Inspired other sit-ins (spread to most segregated

states)Some participants escorted from the lunch area

and jailedLed to the formation of the Student Non-Violent

Coordination Committee (SNCC)

Protesting: Sit-Ins...

Additional Resource (Greensboro Sit Ins Video)http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX6a5a54565d5c0c52045477&t=Civil-Rights-Movement

Journeys on interstate buses into segregated Southern states

First freedom ride departed from Washington on May 4, 1961

Aimed to integrate bus seating and desegregate bus stations Including washrooms, drinking fountains and waiting

areasMany participants were violently attacked and injuredKennedy ordered the re-issue of a desegregation

orderPassengers were then permitted to sit anywhere on

buses and use integrated facilities

Freedom Rides...

Additional Resource: Freedom Riders Video)http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX47156370015c0e7c5b7a06&t=Civil-Rights-Movement

August 28th, 1963 100th anniversary of the Proclamation of

EmancipationFocused on:

Civil Rights Laws Federal works Full/fair employment Decent housing Adequate integrated education

Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream..” speech

Helped pass the Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights (1965)

March on Washington...

Additional Resource: March on Washington Video)http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX555000426740744c434673&t=Civil-Rights-Movement

Civil Rights Act of 1964 Banned discrimination based on race, colour,

religion, sex or national origin in employment practices and public accommodation

Nullified state and local laws legalizing segregation and discrimination

http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX6a4146734773624354037b&t=Civil-Rights-Movement

Voting Rights Act of 1965 Outlawed discriminatory voting practices Eliminated the prevention of blacks and other

minorities from voting http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?

v=zX4469045f0f486b4e655067&t=Civil-Rights-Movement

New Legislation...

1954- Brown v. Board of Education 1955- Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott 1957- Little Rock Nine 1961- Freedom Riders and the desegregation of bus

terminals 1963- The Birmingham Campaign/ March on Washington 1964- Martin Luther King Jr. wins Nobel Peace Prize 1964 (July)- Civil Rights Act is passed 1965- March for Freedom/ Voting Rights Act passed 1968- Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated 1972- Congress approves the Equal Rights Amendment 2008- Barack Obama is elected the 44th president of the

United States

Timeline...

Even though the fight for equality has begun many years prior to the 1950s, had much changed since the post Civil War era?

What were African Americans fighting for?

Do you believe that true equality of races has been in achieved in the United States? In the world?

Questions to Consider...

Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream...” speech (video) http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?

v=zX5b7d7b6d56665342605173&t=Civil-Rights-Movement

Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream...” speech (text) http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/

mlkihaveadream.htm

Montgomery Bus Boycott- Online activity http://www.beforetheboycott.com/eLearning/index.html

Additional Resources...