29.3 NEW CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS

Lesson Objective: to understand the new movements in the Civil Rights Era

NORTHERN SEGREGATION• Major African-American migrations from South to North had occurred

at different times:• After Civil War (1860’s/70’s)• During WW II

• Why then?• Reconstruction violence / creation of Jim Crow after Civil War• Industrial job opportunities during WW II

• MOST NORTHERN STATES were segregated, BUT NOT BY LAW• de facto segregation• de jure segregation

• Problem:• Post-WW II economic boom & consumerism caused “White Flight”, which left

cities in decay• African-Amer. population lived primarily in cities• Urban decay leaves urban population @ disadvantage• Urban facilities (Schools, housing, etc.) deteriorates• So…urban life deteriorates

URBAN PROBLEMS• Urban decay left urban African-

American population living in very poor conditions:• LBJ’s Great Society had promised $

for urban renewal & other programs• Problem?

• Late 1960’s: Vietnam War siphons off $ originally designated for Great Society

• So…urban problems are left unsolved

• Result? • Riots ; Examples?• 1964: Harlem, NYC• 1965: Watts, LA, California – 34 killed,

$30 Million in property lost

• MLK: “The promise of the Great Society has been shot down on the battlefields of Vietnam”

NEW CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS• Malcolm X: Spokesman for The Nation of Islam• Where did the name “X” originate?• His background:• The Nation of Islam:• Led by Elijah Muhammad• Basic ideas:

• Whites were the cause of Black problems• Black society should separate from White society• How does this contrast what we’ve seen in Civil Rights?

• Malcolm X is most gifted speaker in N.O.I.• Basic theme:• Armed self-defense of Black society was necessary & justified• There could be no joining of the two societies

• Elijah Muhammad,N.O.I. leader

• MALCOLM X

NEW CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS• PROBLEM:• Malcolm Xs call for armed struggle frightens

moderate black leaders• Some in N.O.I. leadership suspicious of his

popularity• 1964: • Malcolm X travels to Mecca, Saudi Arabia• Changes his views on white-black relations• Breaks w/N.O.I.• Black Muslim leadership view this as threat

to them• 1965: Malcolm X assassinated in Harlem,

NYC

NEW CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS• THE BLACK PANTHERS: Origins• Founded in Oakland, CA, 1966• Founders: Bobby Seale, Huey Newton• Why?

• Same Civil Rights issues that other groups opposed• Police brutality, violence against black community in Oakland was notorious

• Basic Idea: “Black Power”• Means What?

• Black leadership should take control of black communities, neighborhoods• Black men should be exempt from military service; Why?• Believed armed revolt might be necessary• Studied the organization principles of China’s Mao Zedong

• “All Power flows from the barrel of a gun”

• Later joined by Stokeley Charmichael of SNCC• Shootouts, confrontations w/police occur, but no widespread armed

revolt

• Bobby Seale& Huey Newton,Black Pantherfounders

• Black Panther Logo

MORE VIOLENCE• April, 1968: MLK assassinated•Where? Memphis, TN•Who? James Earl Ray (Right top)•Why? Ray is white supremacist• June, 1968: RFK is Dem. Pres.

Candidate• RFK assassinated •Where? LA•Who? Sirhan Sirhan (Right below)•Why? Sirhan is Jordanian militant

angered by RFKs support of Israel

• MLK &RFK,1968

Question

• Compare and Contrast the views of Martin Luther King Jr. and the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement with the views of the New Civil Rights groups such as the Nation of Islam and Black Panthers. What brought about these changes?