Study Source A, The Long Shadow of little Rock . What can you learn from Source A about what happened at Little Rock in September 1957??

History Coursework

Study Source A. what can you learn from Source A about what happened at little rock in September 1957?

Source A is from a book written by Elizabeth Eckford, called “The Long Shadow of little Rock”, and was published in 1962. The extract is taken from the day that 9 black students were to enrol at Little Rock High in 1957. During the time there was a very high level of segregation and racism towards the black people, and many blacks were mistreated. It shows how violently and unkindly people reacted to black people just because of the colour of their skin. An example from the Source would be “Lynch her, Lynch her”, this example shows that this kind of treatment is a reflection of how the hatred was turnt into violence. A more straightforward example would be the guard’s failure to defend her; when the guard is supposed to protect her: he raised his bayonet. The Source clearly shows that she is frightened and that nobody would defend her because she was black.

We can learn from the Source that during the late 1950’s racism and inequality was high. We can also see that Little Rock is a racist school and this can reflect on the society at that time in the USA. The Source does need to be questioned, as it is one sided and does not give a wider view; however, the Source being a witnessed account, the Source has a high reliability. We can see from the Source that racism is high, and learn that a very big amount of whites are against blacks. Nobody wanting to defend her supports this and displays inequality.

Study Sources A, B and C.

Does the evidence of Source B and C support Elizabeth Eckford’s account of events at Little Rock (Source A)?

Source B is an article from “New York Times” September 1957. It shows the vicious reaction of the whites to the blacks when they arrive at Little Rock.

Source C is a photograph of Elizabeth Eckford taken on the first day at Little Rock high. Sources B and C support Elizabeth Eckford’s account by showing that the blacks were being highly mistreated and that the reactions the blacks received upon arrival were very highly brutal and aggressive. In Source A Elizabeth Eckford was being glared at with mean looks, Source C backs this up as in the photograph there is clear evidence of this as many of the white people in the crowd have a mean facial expression. In Source A, Elizabeth Eckford is frightened, Source B and C provide evidence for this as Source B describes and Source C shows a hysterical and frightening scene. In Elizabeth Eckford’s account when the crowd was closing in on her is supported by Source C where the events are precisely the same and the crowd is moving closer and closer. Source A as people calling her names, in Source B there is similar evidence as the crowd howls hysterically” The Negroes are in our School”, and in Source C a girl behind her is obviously shouting at her.

The Evidence from Source B and C support Elizabeth Eckford’s view of the events that happened. Her account of events included hostile reactions towards her and these are shown directly as similar events are recalled in the other Sources. The unfriendly and rough approach that Elizabeth Eckford receives in Source A is supported highly in Sources B and C as the treatment she receives there is evidently alike to the treatment described and shown in the other 2 Sources. The manner and tone of Source A are backed up, as the reactions toward Elizabeth Eckford and the other blacks are full of fury, hostility and anger, all three of these are expressed and seen clearly and justify Elizabeth Eckford’s view and recollection of the events at that time. The Sources do not need to be questioned as they are probably taken from a reliable place e.g. media-press.

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The 2 Sources; B and C back up Source A as they reflect the same to Elizabeth’s witnessed account.

Study Sources D and E

How useful are these Sources in helping you understand why some black Americans rejected methods of Martin Luther King? Explain your answer.

This is a preview of the whole essay

The 2 Sources; B and C back up Source A as they reflect the same to Elizabeth’s witnessed account.

Study Sources D and E

How useful are these Sources in helping you understand why some black Americans rejected methods of Martin Luther King? Explain your answer.

Source D is taken from the magazine “Liberation” in 1959.This is a part of it by Martin Luther King. It talks about a non-violent protest. It states that violence is blamed for its consequences. Source E is taken from the Autobiography of Malcolm X, 1970. It talks about the whites being enemies of the blacks. It also talks about the blacks being separated from the blacks and not being able to work together.

The main differences between the 2 leaders are that Malcolm X was a Muslim and was prepared to use violence to achieve what he wanted. Martin Luther King was a Christian and was focused on an anti-violent protest.

Martin Luther King was a Civil Right Leader and believed in an anti-violent approach. People would have supported him because he was very likely to win the support of America with his approach. Many Christians would have also been on his side because of the peaceful approach which was part of their worship. He was successful because of his belief in non-violence. He made speeches, led marches boycotts and sit-ins. He did not use force and this is what helped people believe and support him. The Source reflects on this as it shows how he does not want a violent but a peaceful approach; “When he starts violence he is blamed for its consequences”. He would have been supported also because of his patience in belief in the USA. I think that the Source is reliable because it is written by Martin Luther king and his beliefs in an anti-violent approach are outlined in the Source.

Malcolm X was the leader of the Black Power movement, he believed in a violent approach if that was what was needed. He was against racial equality and advocated black power. He would have won people support because he had an outlet for Black Americans Anger. People would have turnt to him because Martin Luther King’s approach was not achieving everything it should have been fast enough. People would have also supported him because of his religion which was Islam. He might have also gained supporters because he did not want to work on the side of the whites but on their own and was against racial equality as he did not trust the whites. The Source shows this view clearly “It has always been the case with white people that even though we might be with them, we weren’t considered to be part of them”. The Source is reliable because it is taken form Malcolm X’s autobiography and this would have had his full view.

The Sources are quite useful in telling us the point of view from each of the leaders. Martin Luther King s view on a non-violent protest is shown, and Malcolm X’s view on integration and violence is shown. They are useful because they show the 2 sides. However, the Sources are not useful as they do not provide everything that could have caused the rejection of Martin Luther King’s methods. We would need to know what other factors as the political problems that may not allowed Martin Luther King’s methods to have a fast success.

Study Sources F, G and H

Use the evidence of Sources G and H, and your own knowledge, to explain the changes in public opinion shown in Source F.

Source F is the opinion poll results for the years 1961-1964, it shows the public view on the most important problem being faced by the country. Source G is a photograph from Birmingham Alabama, May 1963. It shows Civil Rights protesters being dragged away by power hoses. Source H is from a school history book, written in the 1980’s. It shows how Martin Luther King’s non-violent campaign came into conflict with the police. It also shows how these events were reported and aired on television, and that the previously indifferent whites were now appalled and sickened by the hostility of the police. Throughout this question I will show how Sources G and H support the changes in public opinion shown in Source F.

In 1961 the most important problems being faced by the Americans were prices and inflation. This was most likely related to the consumer society which was growing at a very high rate at the time. In 1962 the main problem being faced had changed rapidly into war, peace and international problems. This was because there was a huge threat of nuclear war breaking out, due to the Cuban Missile Crisis. 1962 was a time in the Cold war where the relations between USA and USSR were very hostile. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the most important event in the cold war as a nuclear war was very close to happening. The main causes of the crisis were USA breaking off all diplomatic relations with Cuba. Relations between Castro the Cuban leader and America were also deteriorating. Castro was feeling threatened by America, so he asked the USSR for help. Russia installed missiles in Cuba and these could reach major cities very quickly. In late October Kennedy created a blockade of the ships coming to Cuba. He soon appeared to have stood up to communism; this gave him an enormous opinion boost.

Following from 1962 to 1963 there was a huge change of events; this was because the world wasn’t in a nuclear threat any longer. John F Kennedy had been assassinated and Lyndon Johnson was the new president. The main problem changed to racial problems. Racial inequality was high at this time, and whites treated blacks very badly. 1963 was also the time of the Birmingham protests, Source G supports this: there are protesters being driven away because they are being showered by power hoses. Source H also supports this view, where Martin Luther King had tried making peaceful protests but was being driven away and causing conflict when police brutally tried to break up the demonstrations. Racial and inequality problems were getting more hostile, Americans could easily see this through television, and this had an impact on their opinion.

In 1964 the main difficulty that America was facing was integration. In 1964 Lyndon B Johnson introduced the Civil Rights Act which was supposed to end segregation and racial discrimination in all areas. Integration was a problem because not everyone agreed that the whites and the blacks could work together. But the brutal white’s behaviour was seen very quickly, as shown in Source H where television passed on the hostile behaviour of the whites. In 1964 Martin Luther King also received the Nobel peace prize. This, the Civil Rights Act, and the overall ending to segregation created the change in public opinion from 1963 following into 1964.

In conclusion, Sources G and H provide evidence for the constant change in public opinion. The situations varied between the years and this had an impact on the opinions of the Americans. The media had a huge impact on people. Since the consumer society was growing many had TVs, this had a huge impact because people could see the most important events at the time. An example would be the brutality of the whites to the peaceful blacks; these kind of events had a huge impact on American opinion and as supported by Source H television made the formerly indifferent people change their attitude towards the matter and become sickened with the hostility.

Study all the Sources. The author of Source I believed that television played a crucial part in ending segregation in the USA. Use the Sources, and your own knowledge, to help explain whether you agree with this view.

Source I is from a representative of the NBC, a national television network. It shows that before the violence and abuse towards the blacks was shown, people had no idea about what was happening, and when the public finally saw the brutality the Congress had no choice left: but to act. The main factors that contributed into helping end segregation were the media: television, protests of individuals: Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, other contributions were the international problems that America was facing during the time.

TV had a huge role in ending Segregation. People could see the abuse that was being held against the blacks for the first time. Television passed on the peaceful protests used by the blacks, and the violence it was being met with. There was increased ownership of TVs, 95% of American homes had a TV, the consumer society was increasing, this can be used as evidence on the role of TV as this means that a vast amount of Americans could see what was happening.

Many other parts of the media contributed to ending segregation. Newspapers and the radio covered a lot of what was happening aswel. Many of the Sources support this e.g. Source B, which is an article on the reaction of the whites on the arrival of black students to whites only school, this a backed up with Source c which is very similar, this Source shows Elizabeth Eckford being abused by the whites who are hysterical at her presence.

Another example is Source G which shows Civil Rights protesters being driven away by hoses.

Many individuals had a huge role in ending segregation. Without their protests the media would not have been able to pass on what was happening. Martin Luther King had a huge impact in ending segregation, he wanted to achieve equality and put a stop to segregation and he used a peaceful protest to achieve this. His anti-violent campaign showed people what kind of abuse the blacks received, and without fighting back he was supported by many. Malcolm X was also one of the main individuals that helped to put an end to segregation. He also wanted to put a stop to segregation; however he used a non-violent protest to achieve this. Lyndon B Johnson was also involved; he introduced the Civil Rights Act which finally put an end to segregation.

Protests were also significant; they were led by Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.

Martin Luther King led Marches, made boycotts- the Montgomery Bus Boycott, sit ins, and made speeches. These passed on information about what was happening at the time. The march on Washington in 1963 and the Birmingham protests in 1963 were influential in the ending of segregation Source G supports this as it is a photograph of the Birmingham protest and it shows the violence the peaceful protesters received in return, this is also supported by Source H which shows that the protests held were significant as they were being met by violence.

The change, where segregation came to an end was not bound to happen. Even though when slaves were freed in 1865, it was still thought that the blacks were unequal.

There were many other factors that influenced segregation coming to an end. International relations between the USA and the USSR were also influential in the ending of segregation. USA wanted to show USSR that America was a democracy and that it was good to its country and its people. Therefore if any problems arose: the inequality and segregation, America would not look good. USA would be shown in bad light and reflect that America could not deal with domestic problems. This would not be good for America and for that reason USA needed to put a stop to segregation.

In conclusion TV was very important in comparison to other factors. I believe that it was the most influential. Television passed on the abuse that the blacks were receiving more than anything else. The congress did not want to act beforehand because it did not find it such a problem. Only when the public of America saw what was happening, and was shocked, sickened and no longer indifferent to the situation, Congress began to act. The Civil Right Act was only introduced in 1964, and in 1963 it was when the worst of the abuse was shown to the public: e.g. the Birmingham protests. Source F supports the fact that opinions quickly changed from 1962 into 1963 from international problems into racial problems, this reflects that the American public was deeply concerned about what was happening during this time. I agree with Source I that television had a very crucial part in ending segregation in the USA. The source needs to be questioned as it is biased because it comes from the NBC and that would be the view of someone from the media. However television was the most significant and this had been proved throughout.

Nataliya Charnetski, 9A