The Civil Rights The Civil Rights Movement: 1954 - 1968Movement: 1954 - 1968

American Government and American Government and Citizenship at WorkCitizenship at Work

The Civil Rights MovementThe Civil Rights Movement

Civil Rights: fundamental rights belonging to Civil Rights: fundamental rights belonging to every citizenevery citizen Examples: equal protection of laws, equal pay for equal Examples: equal protection of laws, equal pay for equal

work, equal educational and employment opportunitieswork, equal educational and employment opportunities Minority groups have had to fight for their civil rightsMinority groups have had to fight for their civil rights African Americans, women, Native Americans, African Americans, women, Native Americans,

workers/laborers workers/laborers

African American movement began in 1954 with African American movement began in 1954 with school desegregation and 1955 with the school desegregation and 1955 with the Montgomery Bus BoycottMontgomery Bus Boycott Focused on desegregation and voting rightsFocused on desegregation and voting rights A “people’s movement” led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.A “people’s movement” led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Civil Rights MovementThe Civil Rights Movement Constitutional and Citizenship Principles at Constitutional and Citizenship Principles at

WorkWork Supreme Court interprets the ConstitutionSupreme Court interprets the Constitution Federal vs. State GovernmentsFederal vs. State Governments President enforces the lawPresident enforces the law Congress makes lawsCongress makes laws 11stst Amendment rights generate change Amendment rights generate change Responsible citizenship: civil disobedienceResponsible citizenship: civil disobedience ““All men are created equal, endowed by their All men are created equal, endowed by their

Creator with certain inalienable rights…” – What Creator with certain inalienable rights…” – What does this really mean?does this really mean?

Why did we need a Civil Rights Why did we need a Civil Rights Movement?Movement?

Reconstruction: period of time following Reconstruction: period of time following the Civil Warthe Civil War 1313thth Amendment: ended slavery in 1865, Amendment: ended slavery in 1865,

BUT…BUT… Black Codes: laws designed to restrict Black Codes: laws designed to restrict

freedom of former slavesfreedom of former slaves http://home.gwu.edu/~jjhawkin/BlackCodes/

pdfMississippi.pdf Rise of the KKK and “mob justice”; lynchingsRise of the KKK and “mob justice”; lynchings Meant to keep African Americans “in their Meant to keep African Americans “in their

place”place”

Mob Violence in the South (and Mob Violence in the South (and the North)the North)

Mob Violence and LynchingsMob Violence and Lynchings

Why did we need a Civil Rights Why did we need a Civil Rights MovementMovement

Radical Republicans: political group Radical Republicans: political group interested in protecting rights for interested in protecting rights for African AmericansAfrican Americans 1414thth Amendment (1868): granted Amendment (1868): granted

citizenship and equal protection of the citizenship and equal protection of the laws to anyone born in the United States laws to anyone born in the United States (to include most former slaves)(to include most former slaves)

15 Amendment (1869): granted African 15 Amendment (1869): granted African American males the right to voteAmerican males the right to vote

Why did we need a Civil Rights Why did we need a Civil Rights Movement?Movement?

Southerners (and many Northerners) Southerners (and many Northerners) found ways around these amendmentsfound ways around these amendments

1414thth Amendment denied Amendment denied segregation segregation Legalized in 1896 with Plessy vs. Ferguson Legalized in 1896 with Plessy vs. Ferguson

court casecourt case ““Separate but equal” doctrineSeparate but equal” doctrine Gave rise to Jim Crow lawsGave rise to Jim Crow laws segregated segregated

schools, restrooms, railroad cars, drinking schools, restrooms, railroad cars, drinking fountains, movie theaters, any public placefountains, movie theaters, any public place

Jim CrowJim Crow

Why did we need a Civil Rights Why did we need a Civil Rights Movement?Movement?

1515thth Amendment denied Amendment denied ““The right of citizens of the United States to vote The right of citizens of the United States to vote

shall not be denied…on account of race, color, or shall not be denied…on account of race, color, or previous servitude.”previous servitude.”

Poll taxes: taxes must be paid before voting Poll taxes: taxes must be paid before voting excluded poor, former slavesexcluded poor, former slaves

Literacy tests: proof of reading ability and civic Literacy tests: proof of reading ability and civic knowledge required before voting knowledge required before voting excluded excluded uneducated former slavesuneducated former slaves

Grandfather clauses: voting eligibility based on Grandfather clauses: voting eligibility based on ancestors’ voting eligibility ancestors’ voting eligibility excluded anyone excluded anyone whose ancestors were slaveswhose ancestors were slaves

Poll Taxes and Literacy TestsPoll Taxes and Literacy Tests

Why did we need a Civil Rights Why did we need a Civil Rights Movement?Movement?

Throughout the first half of the Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the system of twentieth century, the system of segregation and the exclusion of segregation and the exclusion of African Americans from the political African Americans from the political process created two separate, but process created two separate, but unequal societies.unequal societies.

Something had to be done…Something had to be done…