Triumphs of a Crusade

Sec 2

Freedom RidersNew Volunteers

◦SNCC takes up cause of Freedom Riders “Bull” Connor

Birmingham, AL police commissioner Beat Freedom Riders “15 minute rule”

Riding for Freedom

◦Involvement of Federal Marshals Police wouldn’t protect riders 400 U.S. Marshals ordered to protect riders to Jackson, Mississippi

◦Segregation banned in all interstate travel facilities

Integrating Ole Miss◦James Meredith Wins court cases allowing him to enroll

in all-white college Gov. Ross Barnet refused to let him

register JFK orders federal marshals to escort

Meredith◦Riots break out on campus

Standing Firm

Heading into Birmingham◦Most segregated city in America◦MLK and Fred Shuttlesworth plan march Marchers attacked by Bull Connor on Apr. 12, 1963

King writes “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

May 2 – “Children’s March”

◦Results Birmingham ends segregation Convinced JFK that new civil rights act was necessary to end disorder and satisfy demands for racial justice

Kennedy takes a stand◦June 11, 1963 Forces Alabama Gov. George Wallace to

desegregate U. of Alabama◦Demanded sweeping civil rights bill

Jackson, Mississippi Killed on June 12, 1963

◦Byron De La Beckwith◦Member of the White Citizens' Council

and Ku Klux Klan

Medgar Evers

Dream of Equality◦Aug. 28, 1963 250,000 gather in Washington, DC MLK gives “Dream” speech

Marching to Washington

More Violence◦16th Street Baptist Church bombed Kills 4 girls

◦Nov. 22, 1963 – JFK assassinated

July 2, 1964◦ Prohibited discrimination based on race, religion,

national origin, and gender

Civil Rights Act

Freedom Summer◦SNCC volunteers trained in nonviolent resistance

◦Robert Moses leads SNCC Works to register black voters in Mississippi

3 workers killed – “Mississippi Burning”

KKK

Fighting for Voting Rights

Voting Rights Act of 1965◦Eliminated literacy test◦Federal examiners could enroll denied voters