Civil Rights in the USA 1945-1968

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Civil Rights in the USA 1945-1968

  • Blacks had to overcome de jure {legal} discrimination in the South, and de facto {actual} discrimination in the North.

Harry Truman                1945-53                Democrat

Dwight Eisenhower       1953-61                          Republican

John. F .Kennedy        1961-63                 Democrat

Lyndon. B. Johnson         1963-69                  Democrat

HOW SIGNIFICANT WAS THIS PERIOD IN LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE PROGRESS

There is no doubt that the period of WW2 speeded up some significant developments in the black and other communities, namely:

  • the move to work an industry I the northern and western cities
  • the issues of employment opportunities, housing and other social problems in ghettos
  • racial tension in the northern areas as well as the south
  • the widening of horizons for many black people, who now became more impatient with ‘Jim Crown’ in the south
  • activity in civil rights organisation like NAACP and CORE
  • civil rights issues raised in the case of a number of racial minorities

 HOW DID THE CIVIL RIGHTS EVOLVE IN THE EARLY POST-WAR YEARS?

        There were a number of developments during this period:

  • After 1945, the anti-communist mood of the Cold War made militant campaigning more difficult, although it did raise the issue of racist attitudes in the ‘land of the free’
  • The NAACP concentrated on legal campaigns and eventually achieved success in 1954, although a white backlash to its success led to the destruction of many southern branches, and it was even outlawed in Alabama in 1956
  • The Brown case was a major breakthrough for the Civil Rights Movement, even though it did not bring about the degree if immediate change that was anticipated at first
  • Little rock is an important event In the history of civil rights in the 1950’s although not entirely a typical one
  • There was some presidential interest in civil rights, but it had limited effect.
  • In order to win the black vote in the 1956 election year, the Eisenhower administration drew up a civil rights bill. The bill aimed to ensure all citizens could exercise the right to vote. Civil Rights Act 1957. This was due to his reaction to little rock.
  • Following the 1957 Civil Rights Act, Eisenhower introduced another Civil Rights bill, The 1960 Civil Rights Act that was born towards the end of 1958. This was created due to his reaction to a violent outbreak of bombings against churches and schools in the south. Once again, the politicians from the south were furious over what they saw as Federal interference in state affairs. The bill became an act in 1960 as both parties were fighting for the black vote. Others could argue that after 80 years of federal apathy, something was finally being done and the only way the federal government could go from 1960 was further down the road of advancing the cause of civil rights. This was to lead to two landmark pieces of legislation: the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
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MONTOGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT

The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a vital event in the progress of the Civil Rights Movement:

  • It was a mass protest, involving all social groups in the black community
  • It lasted for a long time and showed what could be achieved by disciplined non-violence
  • It produced an outstanding leader, an important new organisation and a new philosophy
  • It drew the attention of the north to the system of segregation in the south, and exposed the unreasonable behaviour of many southern white people. This was helped by the growing influence if television in the 1960’s.
  • In company ...

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