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Was separate but equal true? It wasn't, it was a lie, they were separated to they couldn't be equal. Segregation was everywhere in the 1950s even in public school. An African American girl wanted to go to her local neighborhood school but couldn't because of her race. She was forced to attend a school across the whole town. Her parents took the school to court and with the help of her parents and the NAACP, the Supreme Court ruled that it wasn't constitutional. -
On that day on December 1st, 1955 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus. She saw Brown's success with fighting segregation and wanted to challenge it herself. She said she was tired not physically, but mentally of dealing with everyday racism, and segregation. Her actions sparked a movement, a boycott against the buses and was a huge success. They protested peacefully and they saw results which was the start to something much much more for equal rights. -
In Little Rock, a court ordered that 9 African American students be sent to Central High, a school filled with 2,000 white students. Everything was going accordingly until the governor stepped in. Orval Faubus, wanted to stay in power. To do so would be to defend white supremacy which is the path he choose. He ordered Arkansas National Guards to prevent them from entering. Eisenhower responded with the 101st Airborne Division to protect them for the rest of the year. -
1959 in the fall, four college students by the names of Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair, Jr., David Richmond, and Franklin McCain went to sit at a whites only counter. They were afraid but didn't look back and wanted same service as whites. Word of their actions spread like wild fire and later 29 African American students. By the end over 300 students were taking part of this. The movement spread across 100 cities. The movement played a big part in desegregating public places. -
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was successful and segregation was outlawed but it remained in the South. There were teams of volunteers made up of African Americans and white volunteers, they were mostly all college students. They would sit together on the bus where they would be attacked by angry mobs. It got so bad when they got off the bus they were met with by the KKK who were ordered by the Public Safety Commissioner. News of the violence spread to JFK which he had to get under control. -
Just like the Freedom Riders there were those who tried to desegregate schools in the South. James Meredith applied to transfer to the University of Mississippi which the school was ignoring the supreme court's ruling. He had a court order allowing him to register but the Governor stood in his way as well as a mob. JFK ended up sending 500 federal marshals to protect Meredith. Many were injured and JFK ended up sending thousands of troops to the campus. Meredith graduated later in August. -
Voting rights for African Americans were underway but JFK would have a hard time going through Congress. MLK thought they a peaceful march of the public would help and support him. It was on this day MLK gave his famous speech. The peaceful march was a success and there was a ton of public support. Unfortunately the bill would be slowed and dragged out by opposing Congress members. -
Malcolm X played a huge part in the civil rights movement, specifically giving power to African Americans. He a had tough time growing up and was in prison for 6 years. When he got out he join a group called the Black Muslims. That was when he revealed his true name, MalcolmX. The Black Muslims were self sufficient and Malcolm X helped everyway he could and became a symbol. He eventually left because of scandals and criticizing them, until a member killed him. His ideas influence the generation. -
The protesting and enduring payed off, the House of Representatives finally passed the bill, Voting Rights Act of 1965. Federal examiners were dispatched across the states to register qualified African American voters. There was a astounding response, by the end of the year around 250,000 African Americans were registered as voters. After that African American officials surged in the South being elected. African Americans gained a huge power with voting rights and elimination of segregation. -
With all the desegregation laws African Americans were still dealing with problems locally. Employment was low, poverty was common, even if a African American family was allowed into a white neighborhood they are still trapped by it. They had gained many rights but they are still in the same spot. Riots were breaking out everywhere and a group was formed, the Black Panthers. They believed that a revolution was the only way to grant equal rights. This fighting would cease after King's death.
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