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Emancipation Proclamation Issued Cont.
Sig: The Proclamation made the abolishment of slavery throughout the U.S a major goal during the Civil War. It gained the support of many Blacks while maintaining the support of the border states. It also energized Blacks to fight for increased social, political, and economic rights. The Proclamation directly caused the 13th amendment and indirectly the Voting Rights Act to be ratified because the main goal of the war and the Civil Rights era in general was to free every slave in the U.S. -
Emancipation Proclamation Issued
Description: The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. It freed all slaves in areas of rebellion, most notably the confederate States. The four Border States were not considered areas of rebellion which prevented the slaves there from being freed. This secured the Border States loyalty safeguarding against the Border States from potentially betraying the Union in favor of the Confederate States. -
Thirteenth Amendment Ratified
Description: The 13th amendment officially outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude in all areas of the United States. It was the first of three reconstruction amendments ratified. Farmers found a loophole in the amendment by creating sharecropping which basically forced “citizens” to work in order to pay off impossible debts. -
Thirteenth Amendment ratified Cont.
Significance: This freed all slaves (African Americans) which encouraged blacks to push for more Civil Rights. For this reason, it indirectly influenced all other Civil Rights events. However, it angered many white Americans and caused tensions to grow between the two races, eventually resultin in the killing, beating, raping, and segregation of black people. It also led to the rise of the KKK which would thwart attempts to improve the Civil Rights of African Americans in the years to come. -
Fourteenth Amendment Ratified
Description: The 14th amendment prohibited the state and local governments from depriving any person of life, liberty, and property. It also required each state to provide equal protection under the law to each citizen. It was the second of three reconstruction amendments ratified. -
Fourteenth Amendment Ratified Cont.
Significance: The amendment overruled the outcome of the Dred Scott V. Sanford case which said African Americans were not citizens. This amendment was a major milestone in the African-American Civil Rights movement because it stated that Blacks were citizens and thus could not be denied rights a white person would normally have. The amendment indirectly affected all future laws and cases that aided Blacks because it prevented courts from ruling against them on the sole reason of being Black. -
Fifteenth Amendment Ratified
Description: The 15th amendment prohibited the government of the United State from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It was the last of the three reconstruction amendments. similar to the 13th amendment, White Americans found loopholes that prevented Blacks from voting by creating literacy tests, poll taxes, and Grandfather clauses. -
Fifteenth Amendment Ratified Cont.
Significance: The 15th amendment increased African American political power which in turn allowed them to make political decisions that aided the Civil Rights Movement. Also, African Americans could elect officials that would work to increase Black Civil rights. The amendment directly affected all pro civil Rights acts because it allowed blacks to vote and consequently pass beneficial laws. -
Plessy V. Ferguson Cont.
Sig: The case was a major setback for the Civil Rights Movement. It allowed states to legally violate the 13th and 14th amendments. because Blacks were denied liberty and it gave Whites control over Blacks, a situation very similar to slavery. It caused many protests to occur such as the Bus Boycotts,Sit-Ins, and the Freedom Rides. It also caused the Brown v. board case to occur and the Civil Rights Act to be passed. These legal actions aimed to overthrow the ruling of the case, segregation. -
Plessy V. Ferguson
Description: In 1890, the state of Louisiana passed a law stating that train cars had to be segregated. In order to challenge segregation, Homer Plessy, an octoroon, bought a first class ticket and sat in the White Only car. He was arrested and taken to court. He lost the case and it was decided that "Separate But Equal" was legal. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Description:3. It is a consolidation of five different cases from five different states. Several Black students sought admission to white schools based on the fact that black schools were nowhere near equal to white schools. Black schools were unsanitary, had unequal educational materials, poor curriculums, and Blacks had to travel a much longer distance to reach school. The case ruled that the segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. -
Brown v. Board of Education Cont.
Significance: This case is significant because it revoked part of the Separate But Equal law created after the Plessy V. Ferguson case. Equal Educational Rights were provided for the first time in African American history. An increased education helped Blacks give stronger arguments for Civil Rights and gather more support for the Movement in the years to come. -
Murder of Emmet Till
Description: Emmet Till, a 14 year old boy, went to Money, Mississippi to visit relatives. After he spoke to a white woman, he was taken out of his uncles home, beaten, and shot through the head. He was found in a river three days later only recognizable by a ring. The two perpetrators were brought to court but found not guilty although there was strong evidence and eye witnesses testifying against them, -
Murder of Emmet Till Cont.
Sig: This event brought racism to a whole new level because it exposed the willingness of Whites to kill any African American be it a child, an adult, or an elder merely for speaking to a white person. The murder was a catalyst for the protests blacks would start in order to gain Civil Rights because people realized the destruction racism would cause in America and the true injustice that was being shown towards Blacks. It also gave Rosa Parks the courage to start the Bus Boycotts. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Description: The protest lasted for more than one year. It began when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in the front of the bus. African Americans refused to ride buses and later other form of public transportation. As a result, many blacks had to walk, carpool, or take anti segregated taxis. They hoped that by denying the bus companies business, the companies would have to choose between bankruptcy or desegregating the transportation. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott Cont.
Sig: The protest was very effective because it forced the desegregation of public transportation.Companies had to give in to protestors because they could not afford to lose profits. It was a big step towards equal treatment because another piece of Seperate But Equal was removed.It is linked to the Greensboro Sit-ins because both protests are based on the same principles;non-violence,the desegregation of public areas and tactics that force companies to choose a loss in profits or desegregation. -
Greensboro Sit-Ins
Des: After MLK’s Inspiring speech, four college students, the Greensboro Four, decided to contribute to the fight for equality by desegregating lunch counters. At F.W Woolworths, the 4 students refused to leave the counter until they were served and allowed to finish their meals. The protest gained widespread support and many Blacks began to Sit-In all over the country. Like the Montgomery Bus Boycott, storeowners had to choose either a loss of profit or potential violence and desegregation. -
Greensboro Sit-Ins Cont.
Significance: Though some violence occurred, the demonstrations led to many positive results such as the desegregation of lunch counters. Also, the significant media attention increased support for the Civil Rights Movement in general, not just Sit-Ins. The protest is directly related to the Civil rights act of 1964 because the act required the desegregation of all public accommodations which the Sit-Ins contributed towards. -
Freedom Rides begin
Des: The Freedom Riders travelled from D.C to New Orleans on two Greyhound Buses. If one bus failed to reach the destination, the other would leave Immediately. MLK did not initially support the rides because he believed it would do more harm than good. He believed that it would destroy everything the Blacks had fought for. Both Buses never reached Louisiana due to fire bombings, violent mobs, and beatings. The main goal was to test how the south would react to desegregation. -
Freedom Rides Begin Cont.
Sig: The violence shown towards the Riders outraged many activists and un-involved Americans. There was an increased push for equality and the support of organizations like CORE, SNCC and the SCLC. It also gained the support of the president because he was forced to intervene on behalf of the riders in order to stem the violence. Eventually, the freedom rides led to the desegregation of public transportation and it is directly involved in the support and passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. -
March On Washington
Description: The March on Washington was initiated by A Phillip Randolph, a major Civil Rights advocate. It was one of the biggest political rallies in the history of the U.S. The Marchers main goal was to force Congress to pass bills that would protect Civil Rights of African Americans. The Rally received huge amounts of media coverage. MLK also gave his “I Have A Dream” speech during the rally. -
March On Washington Cont.
Sig: The march gained huge amounts of support for the Black cause and for Martin Luther King. It forced Congress to pass some kind of legislation in order to stop the rally from causing too much destruction. Because of this, The March is credited in passing the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act. It also showed the white Race the great organizational skills of Civil Rights leaders and the lengths every single African American was willing to go in order to secure equal Rights for all. -
Passage of the Civil Rights Act
Description: The Civil Rights Act prohibited major forms of discrimination against African Americans like the segregation of schools, workplaces, and public accommodations. -
Passage of the Civil Rights Act Cont.
Sig:It was the largest achievement of the Civil Rights movement because it revoked the 100 year court ruling of Seperate But Equal. Blacks were granted equal economic rights. As a result, they were accepted into better jobs, which increased their economic standing, reputation, and luxury of life. Also, they were guarenteed equal education whcih added to their economic and political standing. The Civil Rights Act marked the beginning of the end of one of the worst time periods in U.S history. -
Passage of the Voting Rights Act
Description: It outlawed the discriminatory voting practices that were adopted after the Civil War. Literacy Tests, Poll Taxes, the Grandfather clause, and many other influences preventing Blacks from voting were deemed Illegal. -
Passage of the Voting Rights Act Cont.
Sig: The law allowed many Blacks, who were denied the right to vote, to become registered voters. After it was passed, laws that aided African Americans gained even more votes, adding to the equality of Blacks. Additionally, political figures who supported Civil Rights were frequently elected due to the increased votes. The act directly relates to the 15th amendment because it prevented any loop holes circumventing what it attempted to guarantee; political Freedom.
