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Lunch Counter Sit-Ins
This form of nonviolence protest spread across the nation but the biggest sit-ins occured in Greensboro, NC and Nashville, TN. The blacks especially college students would sit at counters till closing while the white waitresses refused to serve them. The students refused to act violent even being arrested and sent to Jail. There were also "read-ins" at publi libraries and "wade-ins" at public This protest led to the desegragation of counters. -
Founding of SNCC
Ella Baker coordinated the founding conference for the SNCC in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Sit-ins had brought these college students together and brought them to want to take part in the fight for Civil Rights. It's goal was to start a grass-roots movement to defeat white racism -
1960 Presidental Election
15.This election was between Democratic nominee John F. Kennedy and Republican nominee Richard M. Nixon. Television played a big role in this election; each candidate agreeing to 4 televised debates. This worked in Kennedy's favor for he appeared relaxed, healthy and confident as opposed to Nixon. In the an extremely tight election with the largest voter turnout at that time, Kennedy emerged the winner. -
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Alliance for Progress
15.John F. Kennady proposed this 10 year plan to help Latin America in order to strengthen a dwindiling relationship. Latin America felt America had to much influence in their region. In May congress voted on an initial grant of $500 million to help better Latin American's lives; and as time passed they sent billions. The hope was that making these nations stronger would help them resist communism. However, it failed. There was no democratic government and many were still poor. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
15.This was a plan made originaly during Eisenhower's presidency, spearheaded by the CIA, to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro. The CIA trained cuban exiles in Guatamala for guerilla warfare. Pressured by the CIA, Kennedy sent in the attack however they were unorganized and poorly equiped. This was a failure for the US only strengthening Castro and losing suport of cubans. -
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Freedom Rides
14.The Freedom Riders were mixed race groups of non-violent volunteers whos goal was to end segragation in interstate travel and see if the federal government would take action on this issue. These riders began in Washington D.C. traveling through the south to reach New Orleans. A bus was firebombed and the passengers were attacked bringing national attention to the issue. The riders were arrested in Missippi however Kennedy desegregated interstate bus travel and ordered for police protection. -
Berlin Crisis
15.Khrushchev wanting West Berlin and asked the US to sign a peace treaty putting western Berlin under control of East Germany.Khrushchec and JFK met in Vienna in 1961 to discuss this matter. Kennedy refused to remove military from West Berlin feeling that a military presence in Berlin was crucial to defending Western Europe. The conference ended with Tension. Kennedy increased his military in Europe and Khrushchev ordered a wall to be built between East and West Berlin. -
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The Albany Movement
The Civil Rights Organizations united to try to generally end segregation in Albany,Georgia. The whole community mobilized in demonstrations and marches to try to fill up the jail(unsuccessful). MLK also came and was put in jail however, the police chief arranged for him to be let out after only a few days. King left bringing attention away from area and generally this was considered a failure. They needed to pinpoint a certain thing they wanted to change not segragatiion as a whole. -
Integration of University of Mississippi
James Meradith, an African American, wanted to apply to Ole Miss. Having been rejected yet well qualified, along with the NAACP he won a Federal court case calling for the desegregation of the school. Upon his arrival, regardless of federal protection, violent riots broke out. -
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Cuban Missle Crisis
15.In October, U-2 spy planes discovered Missiles being built in Cuba by the Soviet Union to protect Cuba from American invasions. This was of great concern to America because those missiles could reach almost any American city. Kennedy made a television announcement on October 22 anouncing that the US would move forward with a naval quarantine of Cuba atttempting to prevent the completion of the missiles. Tensions were high, for the US and USSR were on the brink of nuclear war. Who ever made th -
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Birmingham Confrontaion
14.Being that Birmingham was one of the most segragated cities, the SCLC led a civil rights campaign. The blacks held sit-ins and marches. Although they were outlawed, King joined in and was arrested. The children joined into the marches as well halping to fill the jails. The police became very violent allowing their police dogs to attack and spraying hoses at the blacks. This brought national attention to the segregation in Birmingham. -
March on Washington
Major civil rights groups and over 200,000 blacks and whites united from across the country in Washington D.C. to put pressure on congress to pass the civil rights bill. In front of the Lincoln Memorial martin Luther King gave his famous and inspirational "I Have a Dream" speech. The march was very positive and the overwhelming support helped bring the civil rights act to be passed. -
JFK Assassination
15.On November 22, 1963 in Dallas,Texas President JFK was assassinated. He was in a motorcade without the protective bubble passing through downtown Dallas when he was shot twice. After being rushed to the hospital he was pronounce dead. Evidence pointed at Lee Harvey Oswald to be the assassin. The Warren Commission states that Oswald acted alone however, there are many conspiracy theories. -
LBJ Sworn into Presidency
15.Later in the day JFK was assassinated, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into presidency on Air Force One with Jacqueline Kennedy by his side. Johnson represented reassurance and strength at a time of turmoil for America. Johnson hoped to continue to move forward with Kennedy's ideas as well as his own. -
Civil Right Act of 1964
15.This law passed in 1964 by Lyndon Johnson was a huge boost to civil rights. No longer could their be any discrimination at public places such as resturants and theaters. Many African Americans and Mexicans especially benefited from the Equal Employment Oppertunity Commision that fought descrimination in hiring as a part of this act. This also took a big step in making it illegal to discriminate based on one's sex. -
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The 1964 Democratic National Convention
- This convention was held in Atlantic City, NJ and was the presidental nominating convention. The problem that occured was that the Democratic representatives of Mississippi had not allowed black voters to vote in the primary election. So, the african AMericans put together their own "freedom ballot". They then formed the Mississippi Freedom Democratic party and attended the convention to try to take the seets for Mississippi. They were only given 2 seets and turned them down.
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Presidental Election of 1964
15.The Republican candidate was Arizona senator Barry Goldwater. who was against current president, democrat, Lyndon B. Johnson. Goldwater believed the federal government was the ploblem and would restrict their activity as opposed to Johnson who played up his opponents extremism. Johnson won in a landslide. -
The Selma March "Bloody Sunday"
- Nearly 600 people planned to march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama to pressure the Federal government to enact voting rights legislation (get rid of poll taves, literary tests, intimidation). This march was organized by King and the SCLC. While crossing tghe Edmund Pettus Bridge state troopers attacked the marchers.The violent images flashed across tvs across the country and led Johnson to call for a federal voting rights law.
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Voting Rights act of 1965
Johnson signed this Act which banned the need to pass a literacy test in order to register to vote. This allowed the federal government to take much more control over the elections. This was certain to especially help the African Americans in the south. -
Kerner Commission
14.The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders was established to determine the causes of riots. They found that racial discrimination was an important cause and suggested federal programs to aid urban ghettos. Johnson did not follow these recommendations due to the Vietnam War. -
First Man on the Moon
15.In a constant space race with the Soviet Union, Kennedy set the goal for the United States to land a man on the moon by 1970. The soviet Union was always on step ahead so the US increased funding to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Then, in 1969 astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon after landing his spacecraft Columbia.
