Civil Rights

Overview

What does "civil rights" mean?

Civil rights are basic rights that every citizen has under the laws of the government. In the
United States the civil rights of each individual citizen are protected by the Constitution. Civil
rights for every person means that regardless of gender, skin color, nationality, age, disability, or
religion, a person should not be discriminated against. Civil rights include the right to free
speech, privacy, religion, assembly, a fair trial, and freedom of thought.

The term "civil rights" comes from the Latin term "ius civis", which means "rights of a citizen."
Anyone who is considered a citizen of a country should be treated equally under the law.

Civil Rights Movements

Throughout history there have been different civil rights movements. Each movement fought for
the rights of a given section of the population that was being discriminated against. For
example, the women's suffrage movement fought for the right for women to vote.

 African-American Civil Rights Movement √

 Apartheid
 Disability Rights
 Native American Rights √
 Slavery and Abolitionism
 Women's Suffrage

Civil Rights Leaders

During each civil rights movement there have been men and women who have led the fight for
their own rights as well as those of others. In many cases, these leaders have put their lives in
danger by standing up for what they believe to be right. Some of these leaders are listed below:

 Susan B. Anthony  Rosa Parks

 Cesar Chavez  Jackie Robinson
 Frederick Douglass  Elizabeth Cady Stanton
 Mohandas Gandhi  Mother Teresa
 Helen Keller  Sojourner Truth
 Martin Luther King, Jr.  Harriet Tubman
 Nelson Mandela  Booker T. Washington
 Thurgood Marshall  Ida B. Wells

Events and Other Information

Below you can find other information on the history of civil rights including events, timelines,
and a glossary of terms.

 Jim Crow Laws √  Civil Rights Timeline

 Montgomery Bus Boycott √  African-American Civil Rights

Timeline
 Little Rock Nine √
 Magna Carta
 Birmingham Campaign √
 Bill of Rights
  March on Washington √  Emancipation Proclamation

 Civil Rights Act of 1964 √

African-American Civil Rights Movement

The African-American Civil Rights Movement was an ongoing fight for racial equality that took
place for over 100 years after the Civil War. Leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Booker T.
Washington, and Rosa Parks paved the way for non-violent protests which led to changes in the
law. When most people talk about the "Civil Rights Movement" they are talking about the
protests in the 1950s and 1960s that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Background
The Civil Rights Movement has its background in the abolitionist movement before the Civil
War. Abolitionists were people that thought slavery was morally wrong and wanted it to come to
an end. Before the Civil War, many of the
northern states had outlawed slavery. During
the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln freed the
slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation.
After the war, slavery was made illegal with
the thirteenth amendment to the U.S.
Constitution.

Segregation and the Jim Crow Laws

After the Civil War, many southern states
continued to treat African-Americans as
second class citizens. They implemented laws that kept black people separate from white
people. These laws became known as Jim Crow laws. They required separate schools,
restaurants, restrooms, and transportation based on the color of a person's skin. Other laws
prevented many black people from voting.

Early Protests
In the early 1900s, black people began to protest the Jim Crow laws that southern states were
implementing to enforce segregation. Several African-American leaders such as W.E.B. Du Bois
and Ida B. Wells joined together to found the NAACP (The National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People) in 1909. Another leader, Booker T. Washington, helped to
form schools to educate African-Americans in order to improve their status in society.

The Movement Grows

The civil rights movement gained momentum in the 1950s when the Supreme Court ruled that
segregation in schools was illegal in the case of Brown v. Board of Education. Federal troops
were brought in to Little Rock, Arkansas to allow the Little Rock Nine to attend a previously all
white high school.

Major Events in the Movement

The 1950's and early 1960's brought about several major events in the fight for the civil rights of
African-Americans. In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat on the bus to a
white passenger. This sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted for over a year and
brought Martin Luther King, Jr. to the forefront of the movement. King led a number of non-
violent protests including the Birmingham Campaign and the March on Washington.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson. This act
outlawed segregation and the Jim Crow laws of the south. It also outlawed discrimination based
on race, national background, and gender. Although there were still many issues, this law gave
the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and other
organizations a strong base on which to fight discrimination in the courts.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

In 1965, another law was passed called the Voting Rights Act. This law said that citizens could
not be denied the right to vote based on their race. It outlawed literacy tests (a requirement that
people be able to read) and poll taxes (a fee that people had to pay to vote).

Interesting Facts about the African-American Civil Rights Movement

 The Civil Rights Act was originally proposed by President John F. Kennedy.
 The 1968 Civil Rights Act outlawed discrimination in the selling or renting of housing.

 The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee was once the Lorraine
Motel, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot and killed in 1968.

 Today, African-Americans have been elected or appointed to the highest positions in the
U.S. government including Secretary of State (Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice) and
President (Barack Obama).

QUIZ

1) What Constitutional amendment made slavery illegal?

a) 2nd
b) 5th
c) 9th
d) 13th
e) 19th

2) What were people called who worked to outlaw slavery?

a) Prohibitionists
b) Abolitionists
c) Federalists
c) Slavers
d) Legalists

3) What Supreme Court ruling said that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional?
a) Dred Scott v. Sanford
b) Marbury v. Madison
c) Brown v. Board of Education
d) Miranda v. Arizona
e) All of the above

4) What were the laws called that separated black people from white people?
a) Jim Crow laws
b) Amendments
c) New Deal laws
d) Emancipation laws
e) Lincoln laws

5) What civil rights leader refused to give up their seat on the bus to a white person?
a) W.E.B Du Bois
b) Rosa Parks
c) Ida B. Wells
d) Martin Luther King
e) Harriet Tubman

6) What president signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law?
a) John F. Kennedy
b) Dwight D. Eisenhower
c) Lyndon Johnson
d) Jimmy Carter
e) Gerald Ford

7) Which of the following laws said that citizens could not be denied the right to vote based on
their race?
a) Social Security Act
b) Emancipation Proclamation
c) Labor Relations Act
d) Fair Labor Standards Act
e) Voting Rights Act of 1965

8) Where is the National Civil Rights Museum located?

a) Georgia
b) Alabama
c) Vermont
d) Tennessee
e) California

9) Who became the leader of the Civil Rights Movement during the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
a) Martin Luther King, Jr.
b) Lyndon Johnson
c) Ida B. Wells
d) Frederick Douglass
e) None of the above

10) What was it called when people had to pay a fee to vote?
a) Segregation
b) Voting dues
c) Poll tax
d) Ballot price
e) Right to vote

Native American Rights

The Native American tribes of the United States have been fighting for their rights since the
arrival of the Europeans. Today they are still fighting for their civil rights and the rights of their
people.

Early History
With the arrival of Europeans in the Americas, the way of life for Native Americans was
changed forever. The Europeans brought diseases that killed as many as 90% of the natives.
They also brought a different way of life. They wanted to take over the land and establish their
own government.
As the British colonies, and later the United States, began to settle the east coast, the Native
American tribes were pushed to the west. They tried to fight back, but the European's superior
numbers and weapons gave them little chance.

The Indians are Forced Out

In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act. This law resulted in the
forced removal of the Five Civilized Tribes (the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek, Seminole, and
Choctaw) from the Southeastern United States to Indian Territory in Oklahoma.

Some Native American tribes in the southeast were forcibly marched to Oklahoma. Today this
march is called the Trail of Tears. In 1838, the Cherokee tribe was forced to leave their home
and march to Oklahoma. Around 4,000 Cherokee people died during the march.

No Longer Considered Nations

Up until 1871, the United States had established treaties with different Native American tribes.
The tribes were recognized as independent nations. However, the Indian Appropriations Act of
1871 said that the tribes were no longer considered nations and that the previous treaties with
the tribes were no longer valid.

Getting Worse
Things didn't get better for Native Americans. They were forced to live on reservations, but at
the same time they continued to lose land through new policies made by the U.S. government
such as the General Allotment Act of 1887. The Native Americans on reservations often lived in
poverty, had low employment, and poor education.

Indian Citizenship Act

The fourteenth amendment to the Constitution states that all persons born in the United States
are citizens. However, this didn't apply to Native Americans. They were not allowed to vote
even though they were born in the country. In 1924, the Indian Citizen Act was passed. This law
gave Native Americans full citizenship in the United States including the right to vote. Despite
this law, some states were slow to allow Indians to vote. It wasn't until 1948 that they were
allowed to vote in every state.

Making Things Better

Things began to improve somewhat in the 1900s. The Indian Reorganization Act was signed
into law in 1934. It reversed some of the issues with earlier laws and renewed the rights of the
Indians to form their own governments. In 1968, the Indian Civil Rights Act was signed into
law. A year later, in 1969, the National Indian Education Association was formed to help
improve the education of Native Americans.

Indian Civil Rights Act

The Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 was a big step in advancing the rights of Native Americans.
It is sometimes called the Indian Bill of Rights. This law guaranteed important civil rights for
Native Americans. This law guarantees many of the same rights that are in the Bill of Rights
such as free speech, a speedy and fair trial, the right to due process and a trial by jury, the right
to an attorney, freedom of the press, and more. This was an important law and a big step
forward in the fight for Native American civil rights.
Moving Forward
There are many complex issues surrounding Native American civil rights. This is mostly
because people that live on reservations are dual citizens. They are citizens of the United States,
but also of a tribal nation. Other current issues include voting rights and the use of Native
American images as the mascots for sports teams.

QUIZ

1) What killed around 90% of Native Americans?

a) Earthquakes
b) Guns
c) Bear attacks
d) Disease
e) Hurricanes

2) The arrival of European settlers had little impact on the daily lives of Native Americans.
TRUE FALSE

3) What president signed the Indian Removal Act in 1830?

a) Thomas Jefferson
b) Bill Clinton
c) Andrew Jackson
d) Abraham Lincoln
e) John Adams

4) Where were the Five Civilized Tribes forced to move by the U.S. government?
a) Oklahoma
b) Texas
c) California
d) Canada
3) Oregon

5) What name was given to the forced march of Native Americans from their homelands?
a) Endless Journey
b) Death March
c) Great Betrayal
d) March on Washington
e) Trail of Tears

6) By what nickname is the Indian Civil Right Act sometimes called?

a) Native American Law
b) Indian Bill of Rights
c) Native American Amendment
d) Indian Magna Carta
e) Indian Constitution

7) What law gave Native Americans full citizenship in the United States and the right to vote?
a) Fourteenth Amendment
b) Indian Removal Act
c) General Allotment Act
d) Indian Citizenship Act
e) Nineteenth Amendment
8) The Indian Appropriations Act said that Native American tribes were no longer what?
a)United States Citizens
b) Independent Nations
c) Certified States of the Union
d) All of the above
e) None of the above

9) There are still many complex issues surrounding Native American civil rights today?
TRUE FALSE

10) What did the Indian Civil Rights Act guarantee Native Americans?
a) The right to an attorney
b) Trial by jury
c) Free speech
d) A speedy and fair trial
e) All of the above

Jim Crow Laws

What were the Jim Crow laws?

Jim Crow laws were laws in the South based on race. They enforced segregation between white
people and black people in public places such as schools, transportation, restrooms, and
restaurants. They also made it difficult for black people to vote.

When were the Jim Crow laws enforced?

After the Civil War there was a period in the South called the Reconstruction. During this time
the federal government controlled the southern states. However, after the Reconstruction, the
state governments took back over. Most Jim Crow laws were put in place in the late 1800s and
early 1900s. Many of them were enforced until the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Why were they called "Jim Crow"?

The name "Jim Crow" comes from an African-American character in a song from 1832. After
the song came out, the term "Jim Crow" was often used to refer to African-Americans and soon
the segregation laws became known as "Jim Crow" laws.

Examples of Jim Crow Laws

Jim Crow laws were designed to keep black and white people apart. They touched on many
aspects of society. Here are a few examples of laws in different states:
 Alabama - All passenger stations shall have separate waiting rooms and separate ticket
windows for the white and colored races.
 Florida - The schools for white children and the schools for black children shall be
conducted separately.

 Georgia - The officer in charge shall not bury any colored persons upon the ground set
apart for the burial of white persons.

 Mississippi - Prison wardens shall see that the white convicts shall have separate
apartments for both eating and sleeping from the negro convicts.
There were also laws that tried to prevent black people from voting. These included poll taxes (a
fee people had to pay to vote) and reading tests that people had to pass before they could vote.

Grandfather Clauses
In order to make sure that all white
people could vote, many states enacted
"grandfather" clauses into their voting
laws. These laws stated that if your
ancestors could vote before the Civil
War, then you did not have to pass the
reading test. This allowed for white
people who could not read to vote. This is
where the term "grandfather clause"
comes from.

Black Codes
After the Civil War, many southern states created laws called Black Codes. These laws were
even harsher than the Jim Crow laws. They tried to maintain something like slavery in the south
even after the war. These laws made it difficult for black people to leave their current jobs and
allowed them to be arrested for just about any reason. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the
Fourteenth Amendment tried to put an end to the Black Codes.

Fighting Segregation
African-Americans began to organize, protest, and fight segregation and the Jim Crow laws in
the 1900s. In 1954, the Supreme Court said that segregation of the schools was illegal in the
famous Brown v. Board of Education case. Later, protests such as the Montgomery Bus
Boycott, the Birmingham Campaign, and the March on Washington brought the issue of Jim
Crow to national attention.

The End of Jim Crow Laws

Jim Crow laws were made illegal with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the
Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Interesting Facts about Jim Crow Laws

 The U.S. army was segregated until 1948 when President Harry Truman ordered the
armed services desegregated.
 As many as 6 million African-Americans relocated to the North and West to get away
from the Jim Crow laws of the south. This is sometimes called the Great Migration.

 Not all Jim Crow laws were in the south or were specific to black people. There were
other racial laws in other states such as a law in California that made it illegal for people
of Chinese ancestry to vote. Another California law made it illegal to sell alcohol to
Indians.

 The phrase "separate but equal" was often used to justify segregation.

QUIZ

1) What was the purpose of the Jim Crow Laws?

a) Segregation
b) To keep black people and white people separate
c) To keep black people from voting
d) All of the above
e) None of the above
2) What was it called when people were charged a fee to vote?
a) Voter registration
b) Poll tax
c) Voter subscription
d) Literacy test
e) Vote price

3) What rule allowed white people who couldn't pass the reading test to vote?
a) Grandfather clause
b) Literacy Act
c) Reading law
d) Pre-war clause
e) Old man law

4) What was it called when millions of African-Americans moved north to get away from the
Jim Crow laws?
a) Underground Railroad
b) Big Move
c) Great Migration
d) Freedom March
e) Giant Exodus

5) What areas of society were affected by Jim Crow Laws?

a) Schools
b) Prisons
c) Restaurants
d) Transportation
e) All of the above

6) What laws in the South tried to maintain something like slavery even after the Civil War?
a) New Deal
b) Black codes
c) Intolerable Acts
d) African Acts
e) Slave codes

7) What Supreme Court ruling said that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional?
a) Marbury v. Madison
b) Dred Scott v. Sandford
c) Brown v. Board of Education
d) Plessy v. Ferguson
e) Miranda v. Arizona

8) What president ordered that the army be desegregated?

a) Abraham Lincoln
b) Franklin Roosevelt
c) John F. Kennedy
d) Harry Truman
e) Woodrow Wilson

9) Not all Jim Crow laws were in the South.

TRUE FALSE

10) What law passed in 1964 helped put an end to Jim Crow Laws?
a) Civil Rights Act
b) Thirteenth Amendment
c) Emancipation Proclamation
d) New Deal
e) Social Security Act

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Montgomery Bus Boycott

The Montgomery Bus Boycott was one of the major events in the Civil Rights Movement in the
United States. It signaled that a peaceful protest could result in the changing of laws to protect
the equal rights of all people regardless of race.

Before the Boycott

Before 1955, segregation between the races was common in the south. This meant that public
areas such as schools, rest rooms, water fountains, and restaurants had separate areas for black
people and white people. This was also true of public transportation such as buses and trains.
There were areas where black people could sit and
other areas where white people could sit.

What started it?

On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks was taking the bus home from work. She was already sitting
down and was in the row closest to the front for black people. When the bus began to fill up, the
driver told the people in Rosa's row to move back in order to make room for a white passenger.
Rosa was tired of being treated like a second class person. She refused to move. Rosa was then
arrested and fined $10.

The Boycott
Although other people had been arrested for similar infractions, it was Rosa's arrest that sparked
a protest Rosa Parks
against segregation. Civil rights leaders and ministers

got together to organize a day to boycott the buses.

That meant that for one day black people would not
ride the buses. They picked December 5th. They
handed out pamphlets so people would know what to do
and on December 5th around 90% of black people in
Montgomery did not ride the busses.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

The boycott was planned at a meeting in Martin
Luther King, Jr.'s church. They formed a group called
the Montgomery Improvement Association with Martin Luther King, Jr. as the leader. After the
first day of the boycott, the group voted to continue the boycott. King made a speech about the
boycott where he said "If we are wrong, the Supreme Court is wrong, …the Constitution is
wrong, ….God Almighty is wrong."

Working Together
In order to get to work, black people carpooled, walked, rode bicycles, and used horse-drawn
buggies. Black taxi drivers lowered their fares to ten cents, which was the same price as a bus
fare. Despite not riding the bus, black people found ways to travel by organizing and working
together.

Backlash
Some white people were not happy with the boycott. The government got involved by fining
taxi drivers who did not charge at least 45 cents for a ride. They also indicted many of the
leaders on the grounds that they were interfering with a business. Martin Luther King Jr. was
ordered to pay a $500 fine. He ended up getting arrested and spent two weeks in jail.

Some of the white citizens turned to violence. They firebombed Martin Luther King Jr.'s home
as well as several black churches. Sometimes the boycotters were attacked while walking.
Despite this, King was adamant that the protests remain non-violent. In a speech to some angry
protesters he said "We must love our white brothers, no matter what they do to us."

How long did the boycott last?

The boycott lasted for over a year. It finally ended on December 20, 1956 after 381 days.

President Obama on the same bus where Rosa Parks made her stand

Results
The Montgomery Bus Boycott brought the subject of racial segregation to the forefront of
American politics. A lawsuit was filed against the racial segregation laws. On June 4, 1956 the
laws were determined unconstitutional. The boycott had worked in that black people were now
allowed to sit wherever they wanted to on the bus. In addition, the boycott had created a new
leader for the civil rights movement in Martin Luther King, Jr.

Interesting Facts about the Montgomery Bus Boycott

 One of the first leaders of the boycott was Jo Ann Robinson who stayed up all night
after Rosa was arrested and made copies of a flyer to hand out about the boycott.
 E.D. Dixon was president of the local NAACP at the time. He helped to select Martin
Luther King, Jr. as the leader of the boycott.

 Local car insurers stopped insuring cars that participated in the boycott's carpools.

 Black churches across the country donated shoes to the boycotters who were wearing
out their shoes walking.

 The Supreme Court held up the ruling that segregation was unconstitutional.

QUIZ

1) In what state did the Montgomery Bus Boycott take place?

a) Georgia
b) Alabama
c) Mississippi
d) South Carolina
e) Virginia

2) Who is famous for not giving up their seat on the bus to a white passenger?
a) Frederick Douglass
b) Harriet Tubman
c) Ida B. Wells
d) Rosa Parks
e) Martin Luther King, Jr.

3) What is it called when people are separated by race?

a) Segregation
b) Civil Rights
c) Prohibition
d) Suffrage
e) Boycotting

4) What year did the Montgomery Bus Boycott begin?

a) 1945
b) 1955
c) 1965
d) 1975
e) 1985

5) How long did the boycott last?

a) day
b) Three weeks
c) Two months
d) Six months
e) Over a year

6) What leader of the boycott later became the leader of the Civil Rights Movement?
a) Booker T. Washington
b) Frederick Douglass
c) Martin Luther King, Jr.
d) W.E.B. Du Bois
e) Rosa Parks

7) The courts ruled that segregation was illegal.

TRUE FALSE

8) How did black people get to work during the boycott?

a) They walked
b) They rode bicycles
c) They carpooled
d) They rode taxis
e) All of the above

9) According to the article, what did black churches around the country donate to the
boycotters?
a) Food
b) Blankets
c) Cars
d) Shoes
e) Private busses

10) How much was Rosa Parks fined for what she did?
a) $1
b) $10
c) $50
d) 100
e) $500

March on Washington

Background
Despite gaining their freedom from slavery after the end of the civil war, African Americans
were still facing legal discrimination in the 1950s and early 1960s. This included segregation of
schools, lower wages, and discrimination when applying for jobs. The civil rights movement
was an effort to bring these issues to the attention of lawmakers and the nation. One of the
planned events was a march on Washington D.C. in 1963.

Why did people march?

The signs telling people about the march called it the "March on Washington for Jobs and
Freedom." African Americans wanted an end to segregation and the Jim Crow laws in the south.
They wanted to be treated fairly and to be given a fair chance at getting jobs. The march was a
peaceful way of protesting and bringing these issues to the forefront of Washington politics.

Planning the March

The March was planned to take place on August 28, 1963. 1963 was the 100 year anniversary of
the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves during the Civil War. There were six main
leaders of the march that were called the "Big Six." They included Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy
Wilkins, James Farmer, A. Philip Randolph, John Lewis, and Whitney Young.

Because there would be so many people marching, it took

a lot of planning. The Big Six met with President John F.
Kennedy before the march to discuss their agenda. They
agreed to do all they could to keep the march peaceful.
Some cities and companies even agreed to give workers
the day off.

How many people marched?

It is estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 people
showed up for the march. Hundreds of buses traveled to
Washington D.C. from around the country. This huge mass
of people marched down the streets of the city and into the
National Mall. They gathered between the Washington
Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. A large stage and
sound system were set up at the Lincoln Memorial where
the leaders would speak.

I Have a Dream
Several of the leaders spoke to the crowd from the Lincoln memorial including three of the Big
Six. There were also performances by singers including Mahalia Jackson, Marian Anderson,
Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan.
One of the final speeches was given by Martin Luther King, Jr. In this speech he spoke of his
dream of a country where all people would be treated equally regardless of race. Today this
speech is called the "I Have a Dream" speech and it is considered one of the greatest speeches in
history. One famous quote from this speech is "I have a dream that my four little children will
one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the
content of their character. I have a dream today!"

Meeting with the President

When the speakers had finished and the March was over, the leaders met with President
Kennedy to discuss the issues and the upcoming civil rights legislation.

Results
The March was considered a rousing success. The issues brought up regarding civil rights and
jobs were carried by the media and brought to the attention of the country. Less than one year
later, on July 2, 1964, the Civil Rights Act was passed.

Interesting Facts about the March on Washington

 There is an inscription at the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his
"I Have a Dream" speech.
 In 2013, the 50 Year Anniversary of the March on Washington was held.

 There are stories of people who got to the March in unique ways including a man who
roller skated from Chicago and another who bicycled from Ohio.

 It was A. Philip Randolph who had the original idea for the March.

 There is a U.S. postage stamp that memorializes the event.

QUIZ

1) What was one of the things that the March on Washington hoped to accomplish?
a. The right to vote for women
b. Stop the Vietnam War
c. An end to segregation
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

2) What nickname was used for the main leaders of the march?
a. Martin's Men
b. Super Seven
c. Conductors
d. Big Six
e. Fab Five

3) Around how many people attended the march?

a. 10,000
b. 50,000
c. 250,000
d. 1,000,000
e. 3,000,000

4) Who was president during the March on Washington?

a. John F. Kennedy
b. D. Eisenhower
c. Harry Truman
d. Richard Nixon
e. Jimmy Carter

5) What is the famous speech given by Martin Luther King, Jr. called today?
a. My Children
b. I Have a Dream
c. The March
d. We Shall Overcome
e. Fourteen Points

6) The leaders of the march met with the president when the march was over.
TRUE FALSE

7) Who does the article credit with first having the idea for the march?
a. John F. Kennedy
b. Martin Luther King, Jr.
c. Harriet Tubman
d. Booker T. Washington
e. A. Philip Randolph

8) What major law was passed around a year later as a result of the March on Washington?
a. Fair Labor Standards Act
b. Social Security Act
c. Great March Act
d. Civil Rights Act
e. Washington Act

9) The march commemorated the 100 year anniversary of what major event?
a. Thirteenth Amendment
b. Signing of the Declaration of Independence
c. Emancipation Proclamation
d. The U.S. Constitution
e. End of Women's Suffrage

10) The march was considered a rousing success. TRUE FALSE

Civil Rights Act of 1964

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was one of the most important civil rights laws in the history of
the United States. It outlawed discrimination, ended racial segregation, and protected the voting
rights of minorities and women.
 President Lyndon Johnson signing the law

Background
The Declaration of Independence declared that "All men are created equal." However, when the
country was first formed this quote didn't apply to everyone, only to wealthy white landowners.
Over time, things did improve. The slaves were set free after the Civil War and both women and
non-white people were given the right to vote with the 15th and the 19th amendments.

Despite these changes, however, there were still people who were being denied their basic civil
rights. Jim Crow laws in the south allowed for racial segregation and discrimination based on
gender, race, and religion was legal. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s leaders such as
Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for the civil rights of all people. Events such as the March on
Washington, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Birmingham Campaign brought these issues
to the forefront of American politics. A new law was needed to protect the civil rights of all
people.

President John F. Kennedy

On June 11, 1963 President John F. Kennedy gave a speech calling for a civil rights law that
would give "all Americans the right to be served in facilities that are open to the public" and
would offer "greater protection for the right to vote." President Kennedy began to work with
Congress to create a new civil rights bill. However, Kennedy was assassinated on November 22,
1963 and President Lyndon Johnson took over.

Civil Rights leaders meeting with President Johnson

Signed into Law

President Johnson also wanted a new civil rights bill to be passed. He made the bill one of his
top priorities. After working the bill through the House and the Senate, President Johnson
signed the bill into law on July 2, 1964.
Main Points of the Law
The law was divided up into 11 sections called titles.
 Title I - The voting requirements must be the same for all people.
 Title II - Outlawed discrimination in all public places such as hotels, restaurants, and
theatres.

 Title III - Access to public facilities could not be denied based on race, religion, or
national origin.

 Title IV - Required that public schools no longer be segregated.

 Title V - Gave more powers to the Civil Rights Commission.

 Title VI - Outlawed discrimination by government agencies.

 Title VII - Outlawed discrimination by employers based on race, gender, religion, or

national origin.

 Title VIII - Required that voter data and registration information be provided to the
government.

 Title IX - Allowed civil rights lawsuits to be moved from local courts to federal courts.

 Title X - Established the Community Relations Service.

 Title XI - Miscellaneous.

Voting Rights Act

A year after the Civil Rights Act was signed into law, another law called the Voting Rights Act
of 1965 was passed. This law was meant to insure that the right to vote was not denied any
person "on account of race or color."

Interesting Facts about the Civil Rights Act of 1964

 A higher percentage of republicans (80%) in the House voted in favor of the law than
democrats (63%). Same thing occurred in the Senate where 82% of republicans voted in
favor versus 69% of democrats.
 The Equal Pay Act of 1963 said that men and women should be paid the same money
for doing the same job.

 Southern democrats were staunchly against the bill and filibustered for 83 days.

 Most voting requirements beyond age and citizenship were eliminated by the Voting
Rights Act.

 Martin Luther King, Jr. attended the official signing-in of the law by President Johnson.

QUIZ

1) What president signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law?
a. Dwight D. Eisenhower
b. Abraham Lincoln
c. Lyndon Johnson
d. Richard Nixon
e. John F. Kennedy
2) The new law outlawed discrimination by employers based on what?
a. Race
b. Gender
c. Religion
d. National origin
e. All of the above

3) The slaves were set free after what war?

a. World War II
b. Civil War
c. War of 1812
d. Mexican-American War
e. Revolutionary War

4) What were the laws called that enforced racial segregation?

a. Jim Crow laws
b. Civil Laws
c. Constitutional Laws
d. Separation Laws
e. Southern Laws

5) Under the new law, public schools could still be segregated by race. TRUE FALSE

6) How many sections did the law have?

a. 2
b. 5
c. 11
d. 24
e. 70

7) What political group filibustered against the law for 83 days?

a. Northern Republicans
b. Northern Democrats
c. Southern Republicans
d. Southern Democrats

8) What stopped President Kennedy from signing the law?

a. He was against the law
b. He was assassinated
c. He lost the election
d. He was too busy
e. Nothing, he signed it

9) What law was passed in 1965 to insure that the right to vote was not denied based on race or
color?
a. Voting Rights Act
b. Social Security Act
c. Fair Labor Standards Act
d. Voters Standard Act
e. Disabilities Rights Act

10) The Civil Rights Act of 1964 only protects civil rights based on race. TRUE FALSE
 Sit-ins and Freedom Rides
Sit-ins and Freedom Rides were nonviolent, civil rights actions used to challenge segregation.

By the beginning of the '60s,

Mississippi Marshals, seen through
a bus window as Freedom Riders make a stop on bus trip
from Montgomery, Ala., to Jackson, Miss.
schools and universities across
the country were integrated, and
the success in Montgomery had
sprouted civil rights
organizations in cities
everywhere. Not every business
or school complied with the
changes, though, and black
students started to demonstrate
the fact that inequalities still
U.S. National Guardsmen and
existed, staging what were
called sit-ins.

On Feb. 1, 1960, four black students from the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical
College, Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, David Richmond and Ezell Blair Jr., sat down at the
counter of a Woolworth's and asked to be served. They knew they wouldn't be, because the
lunch counter at which they sat was for whites only. Still, they continued to sit and refused to
get up until they were forced out when the store closed for the night. The next day, a much
larger group of students showed up either to participate or witness the sit-in, and after
newspapers and civil rights groups heard about the activity, sit-ins were held in several cities
across the country.

These sit-ins were very simple in nature. A group of students would sit down at a lunch counter
and ask to be served. If they were given food or coffee, they'd move on down to the next
counter. Once they were refused service, they would remain seated until served. The key during
the sit-ins was nonviolence -- if participants were hit, they couldn't hit back. If they were
taunted, they remained silent. Students also dressed in their Sunday best to set themselves apart
from the heckling white students. They were met with the usual share of beatings and
imprisonments, and by August 1961, more than 3,000 students across the country were arrested.

Another group that set out to test the judgment of the Supreme Court was the Freedom Riders.
On May 4, 1961, a racially mixed group of people left Washington, D.C., on a bus and headed
for New Orleans, La. Along the way, groups mixed up their seating -- whites moved to the
blacks-only section and vice versa. They knew what they were doing was perfectly legal
according to recent Supreme Court cases, but they also knew they'd meet heavy opposition from
the public. They simply wanted to make sure the government would respond in a moment of
crisis. With rising tensions and the possibility of violence, the Freedom Riders were even
prepared for death.

Almost everywhere the riders stopped along their trip, they were met with angry protesters and
violence. Black and white Freedom Riders were beaten, buses were stoned and tires were
slashed. More than 300 riders were arrested during the trip, which never finished its trip to New
Orleans. The Freedom Riders raised civil rights awareness, however, and especially caught the
attention of the young Kennedy Administration.

Little Rock Nine

Background
In 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was legal for schools to be segregated. This meant
that there could be schools just for white children and schools just for black children. However,
the schools for black children were not as good and people thought this was unfair.

Brown v. Board of Education

In order to fight against segregation in schools, a lawsuit called Brown v. Board of Education
was brought to the Supreme Court in 1954. The lawyer representing African-Americans was
Thurgood Marshall. He won the case and the Supreme Court said that segregation in schools
was unconstitutional.

Reality
Despite the new ruling of the Supreme Court, some schools in the South did not allow black
children. In Little Rock, Arkansas, a plan was put together to slowly integrate the schools, but it
allowed for integration very slowly and didn't allow for blacks to attend some high schools.

Little Rock Integration

Protest by John T. Bledsoe

Who were the Little Rock Nine?

One of the high schools that blacks were not allowed to attend was Central High School in Little
Rock, Arkansas. The local leader of the NAACP was a lady named Daisy Bates. Daisy recruited
nine African-American high school students to enroll at Central High. The nine students were
Elizabeth Eckford, Minnijean Brown, Gloria Ray, Terrance Roberts, Ernest Green, Thelma
Mothershed, Jefferson Thomas, Melba Patillo, and Carlotta Walls. These students became
known as the Little Rock Nine.

First Day at School

When the Little Rock Nine went to attend the first day of school on September 4, 1957 they
were probably scared and worried. It's bad enough to go to a first day at a new school, but this
was much worse. When the students arrived there were people yelling at them. They told them
to go away and that they didn't want them there. In addition to the other students, there were
National Guard soldiers blocking their way into the school. The governor of Arkansas had
deployed the soldiers to prevent the students from going to school and in defiance of the
Supreme Court. The students were scared and they returned home.
Armed Escort
After the Arkansas governor got involved in stopping the Little Rock Nine from attending
school, President Dwight Eisenhower took action. He sent the U.S. Army to Little Rock to
protect the students. A few weeks later, the students attended school surrounded by army
soldiers.

Attending School
Having the soldiers only protected the Little Rock Nine from harm, but they still had a very
difficult year. Many of the white students treated them poorly and called them names. It took a
lot of courage to stay in school even for one day. One student, Minnijean Brown, couldn't take it
any longer and finally left for a high school in New York. The other eight, however, made it to
the end of the year and one student, Ernest Green, graduated.

Reaction
After the first year, in 1958, the Arkansas governor closed all the public high schools in Little
Rock. He decided that it was better to have no school at all than to have integrated schools. The
schools remained closed for the entire school year. When the schools reopened the following
year, many people blamed the Little Rock Nine for causing them to miss a year of school. The
racial tension got worse in the coming years.

Results
Although the immediate results of the Little Rock Nine's actions were not positive, they did help
the de-segregation of public schools to take a huge step forward in the South. Their bravery
gave other students the courage to press forward in the years to come.

Interesting Facts about the Little Rock Nine

 Before going to school, Lois Patillo told her daughter Melba "Smile, no matter what.
Remember, not everyone approved of what Jesus did, but that didn't stop him."
 Melba Patillo grew up to become a reporter for NBC News.
 Terrance Roberts continued his education and eventually earned his Ph.D. and became a
professor at UCLA.
 One of the most successful of the Little Rock Nine was Ernest Green who worked for
President Jimmy Carter as the Assistant Secretary of Labor.

TEST

1) What Supreme Court ruling said that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional?
a. Marbury v. Madison
b. Dred Scott v. Sandford
c. Brown v. Board of Education
d. Plessy v. Ferguson
e. Miranda v. Arizona

2) In what state did the Little Rock Nine attend high school?
a. Georgia
b. Alabama
c. South Carolina
d. Mississippi
e. Arkansas
3) Who ordered the national guard to stop the Little Rock Nine on their first day of school?
a. The governor
b. The major
c. The principal
d. A senator
e. The president

4) What high school did the Little Rock Nine attend?

a. Western High School
b. Central High School
c. County High School
d. City High School
e. Middle High School

5) Who organized the Little Rock Nine?

a. Harriet Tubman
b. Martin Luther King, Jr.
c. Ernest Green
d. Daisy Bates
e. Thurgood Marshall

6) Once they were attending school, things were easy for the Little Rock Nine.
TRUE FALSE

7) What president sent the U.S. Army to protect the Little Rock Nine?
a. John F. Kennedy
b. Franklin Roosevelt
c. Dwight D. Eisenhower
c. Harry Truman
d. Richard Nixon

8) What happened after the first year that the Little Rock Nine attended high school?
a. The governor closed all public high schools
b. All public high schools in the state became integrated
c. Even more black students attended Central High
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

9) Which student would later become the Assistant Secretary of Labor for President Jimmy
Carter?
a. Thelma Mothershed
b. Ernest Green
c. Jefferson Thomas
d. Melba Patillo
e. Gloria Ray

10) How many of the Little Rock Nine made it through the entire year of school?
a. 1
b. 3
c. 6
d. 8
e. 9
 Birmingham Campaign

What was the Birmingham Campaign?

The Birmingham Campaign was a series of protests against racial segregation in Birmingham,
Alabama that took place in April of 1963.

Background
In the early 1960s, Birmingham, Alabama was a very segregated city. This meant that black
people and white people were kept separated. They had different schools, different restaurants,
different water fountains, and different places they could live. There were even laws that
allowed and enforced segregation called Jim Crow laws. In most cases, the facilities such as
schools for black people were not as good as those for white people.

Planning a Protest
In order to bring the issue of segregation in Birmingham to the rest of the nation, several
African-American leaders decided to organize a mass protest. These leaders included Martin
Luther King, Jr., Wyatt Tee Walker, and Fred Shuttlesworth.

Project C
The protests were codenamed Project C. The "C" stood for "confrontation." The protests would
be non-violent and included boycotting downtown stores, sit-ins, and marches. The organizers
thought that if enough people protested, the local government would be forced to "confront"
them and this would make national news gaining them support from the federal government and
the rest of the country.

The protests began on April 3, 1963. Volunteers boycotted downtown stores, marched through
the streets, held sit-ins at all-white lunch counters, and held kneel-ins in all-white churches.

Going to Jail
The main opponent to the protesters was a Birmingham politician named Bull Connor. Connor
got laws passed that said the protests were illegal. He threatened to arrest the protesters. On
April 12, 1963, knowing they would get arrested, a number of protesters led by Martin Luther
King, Jr. set out on a march. They were all arrested and sent to jail.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

King remained in Jail until April 20, 1963. While in jail he wrote his famous "Letter from
Birmingham Jail." In this letter he outlined why his strategy for non-violent protest against
racism was so important. He said that the people had a moral responsibility to break unjust laws.
The letter has become an important document in the history of the American civil rights
movement.

Youth Protests
Despite the efforts of the campaign, it wasn't getting the national attention the planners had
hoped. They decided to include school children in the protests. On May 2, over one thousand
African-American children skipped school and joined in the protests. Soon the Birmingham jails
were overflowing with protesters.

The next day, with the jails full, Bull Connor decided to try and disperse the protesters in order
to keep them from downtown Birmingham. He used police dogs and fire hoses on the children.
Pictures of children getting knocked down by the spray from fire hoses and attacked by dogs
made national news. The protests had grabbed the attention of the country.
An Agreement
The protests continued for several days, but on May 10th an agreement was reached between
the protest organizers and the city of Birmingham. The segregation in the city would come to an
end. There would no longer be separate restrooms, drinking fountains, and lunch counters.
Black people would also be hired as salespeople and clerks in the stores.

Things Turn Violent

On May 11th, a bomb went off at the Gaston Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was staying.
Fortunately he had left earlier. Another bomb blew up the home of King's younger brother A.D.
King. In response to the bombings, the protesters became violent. They rioted throughout the
city, burning buildings and cars and attacking police officers. Soldiers from the U.S. army were
sent in to regain control.

Bomb Wreckage near Gaston Motel by Marion S. Trikosko

Results
Although there were still many issues with racism, the Birmingham campaign did break down
some barriers with segregation in the city. When the new school year started up in September of
1963, the schools were integrated as well. Perhaps the most important result of the campaign
was in bringing the issues to a national level and getting leaders such as President John F.
Kennedy involved.

TEST

1) In what state did the Birmingham

Campaign take place?
a. Texas
b. Florida
c. Mississippi
d. Alabama
e. Georgia

2) What were the laws called that

enforced segregation?
a. Jim Crow laws
b. Civil Laws
c. Constitutional Laws
d. Separation Laws
e. Southern Laws

3) What year did the Birmingham Campaign take place?

a. 1955
b. 1960
c. 1963
d. 1968
e. 1972

4) The Birmingham Campaign was an unplanned and violent protest.

TRUE FALSE

5) Who wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail?

a. Bull Connor
b. Frederick Douglass
c. W.E.B. Du Bois
d. Bill Clinton
e. Martin Luther King, Jr.

6) What was the code name for the protests?

a. Code name X
b. NV Protest
c. Sitting Bull
d. Project C
e. Revolution

7) When did the protests finally get national attention?

a. When people were arrested
b. When kids began to protest
c. At the beginning
d. When the president got involved
e. Never

8) What politician was the main opponent to the protestors?

a. John F. Kennedy
b. Martin Luther King, Jr.
c. Bull Connor
d. Booker T. Washington
e. Bill Clinton

9) How did the people protest?

a. They boycotted stores
b. They marched in the streets
c. Sit-ins
d. Kneel-ins
e. All of the above

10) The city of Birmingham agreed to end segregation as a result of the protests.
TRUE FALSE
 ANSWER KEY

Afrrican-American Civil Rights Movement

1. d 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. b 6. c 7. e 8. d 9. a 10. c

Native American Rights

1. d 2. F 3. c 4. a 5. e 6. b 7. d 8. b 9. T 10. e

Jim Crow Laws

1. d 2. b 3. a 4. c 5. e 6. b 7. c 8. d 9. T 10. a

Montgomery Bus Boycott

1. b 2. d 3. a 4. b 5. e 6. c 7. T 8. e 9. d 10. b

March on Washington
1. c 2. d 3. c 4. a 5. b 6. T 7. e 8. d 9. c 10. T

Civil Rights Act of 1964

1. c 2. e 3. b 4. a 5. F 6. c 7. d 8. b 9. a 10. F

Little Rock Nine

1. c 2. e 3. a 4. b 5. d 6. F 7. c 8. a 9. b 10. d
Birmingham Campaign
1. d 2. a 3. c 4. F 5. e 6. d 7. b 8. c 9. e 10. T