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| One of our goals in this class is to gain a thorough understanding of the individuals who became involved in the Civil Rights Movement. To that end, we will closely examine the work and writings of several activists, in order to learn why each became involved and to learn how activism affected each. Below is a schedule of our topics, including due dates for readings and dates for research assignments. 1954 - Brown v. Board of Education In the 1950s, school segregation was widely accepted throughout the nation. In fact, it was required by law in most southern states. In 1952, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a number of school-segregation cases, including Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. It decided unanimously in 1954 that segregation was unconstitutional, overthrowing the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson ruling that had set the "separate but equal" precedent. back to timeline 1955 - Montgomery Bus Boycott Rosa Parks, a 43-year-old black seamstress, was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man. The following night, fifty leaders of the Negro community met at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church to discuss the issue. Among them was the young minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The leaders organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which would deprive the bus company of 65% of its income, and cost Dr. King a $500 fine or 386 days in jail. He paid the fine, and eight months later, the Supreme Court decided, based on the school segregation cases (Brown v. Board of Education, et. al.), that bus segregation violated the constitution. This is a recreated photo of Ms. Parks. back to timeline 1957 - Desegregation at Little Rock Little Rock Central High School was to begin the 1957 school year desegregated. On September 2, the night before the first day of school, Governor Faubus announced that he had ordered the Arkansas National Guard to monitor the school the next day. When a group of nine black students arrived at Central High on September 3, they were kept from entering by the National Guardsmen. On September 20, Judge Davies granted an injunction against Governor Faubus and three days later the group of nine students returned to Central High School. Although the students were not physically injured, a mob of 1,000 townspeople prevented them from remaining at school. Finally, President Eisenhower ordered 1,000 paratroopers and 10,000 National Guardsmen to Little Rock, and on September 25, Central High School was desegregated. Also, take a look at these photos from Little Rock. back to timeline 1960 - Sit-in Campaign After having been refused service at the lunch counter of a Woolworth's in Greensboro, North Carolina, Joseph McNeill, a Negro college student, returned the next day with three classmates to sit at the counter until they were served. They were not served. The four students returned to the lunch counter each day. When an article in the New York Times drew attention to the students' protest, they were joined by more students, both black and white, and students across the nation were inspired to launch similar protests. Read or listen to these interviews with sit-inners James Farmer, Dr. George Simpkins, Jr., and local businessman Ralph Johns. Here are some photos. back to timeline 1961 - Freedom Rides In 1961, busloads of people waged a cross-country campaign to try to end the segregation of bus terminals. The nonviolent protest, however, was brutally received at many stops along the way. Check out the webquest assignment. back to timeline 1962 - University of Mississippi Riot President Kennedy ordered Federal Marshals to escort James Meredith, the first black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi, to campus. A riot broke out and before the National Guard could arrive to reinforce the marshals, two students were killed. Examine these interesting documents and a photo of James Meredith. back to timeline 1963 - Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama was one of the most severely segregated cities in the 1960s. Black men and women held sit-ins at lunch counters where they were refused service, and "kneel-ins" on church steps where they were denied entrance. Hundreds of demonstrators were fined and imprisoned. In 1963, Dr. King, the Reverend Abernathy and the Reverend Shuttlesworth led a protest march in Birmingham. The protestors were met with policemen and dogs. The three ministers were arrested and taken to Southside Jail. back to timeline 1963 - March on Washington Despite worries that few people would attend and that violence could erupt, A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin organized the historic event that would come to symbolize the Civil Rights Movement. A reporter from the New York Times wrote, "no one could ever remember an invading army quite as gentle as the two hundred thousand civil rights marchers who occupied Washington." back to timeline 1965 - Selma Outraged over the killing of a demonstrator by a state trooper in Marion, Alabama, the black community of Marion decided to hold a march. Martin Luther King agreed to lead the marchers on Sunday, March 7, from Selma to Montgomery, the state capital, where they would appeal directly to Governor Wallace to stop police brutality and call attention to their struggle for suffrage. When Governor Wallace refused to allow the march, Dr. King went to Washington to speak with President Johnson, delaying the demonstration until March 8. However, the people of Selma could not wait and they began the march on Sunday. When the marchers reached the city line, they found a posse of state troopers waiting for them. As the demonstrators crossed the bridge leading out of Selma, they were ordered to disperse, but the troopers did not wait for their warning to be headed. They immediately attacked the crowd (Video: RealPlayer required) of people who had bowed their heads in prayer. Using tear gas and batons, the troopers chased the demonstrators to a black housing project, where they continued to beat the demonstrators as well as residents of the project who had not been at the march. Bloody Sunday received national attention, and numerous marches were organized in response. Martin Luther King led a march to the Selma bridge that Tuesday, during which one protestor was killed. Finally, with President Johnson's permission, Dr. King led a successful march from Selma to Montgomery on March 25. President Johnson gave a rousing speech to Congress concerning civil rights as a result of Bloody Sunday, and passed the Voting Rights Act within that same year. back to timeline 1968 - Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Below is a list of several photos of, documents by, and articles about Dr. King. Letter from Birmingham Jail I Have a Dream Selma Audio/Video clips Photo with Malcolm X Photo with Coretta Photo at March on Washington Photo with family Widow and orphans Photo Essay -- In His Own Words Interview with Thurgood Marshall Biographical sketch Timeline of King's life King's papers at Stanford (with sound files) back to timeline |
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