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How Was Black Families During the Civil Rights Era

The ceremonious rights movement was a struggle for social justice that took place mainly during the 1950s and 1960s for Black Americans to proceeds equal rights nether the law in the United States. The Civil State of war had officially abolished slavery, simply it didn't end discrimination against Black people—they connected to suffer the devastating effects of racism, especially in the South. By the mid-20th century, Blackness Americans had had more than enough of prejudice and violence against them. They, forth with many white Americans, mobilized and began an unprecedented fight for equality that spanned ii decades.

WATCH: The Civil Rights Motility on HISTORY Vault

Jim Crow Laws

During Reconstruction, Black people took on leadership roles like never before. They held public function and sought legislative changes for equality and the right to vote.

In 1868, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution gave Black people equal protection under the constabulary. In 1870, the 15th Subpoena granted Black American men the correct to vote. Still, many white Americans, especially those in the South, were unhappy that people they'd once enslaved were at present on a more-or-less equal playing field.

To marginalize Black people, keep them divide from white people and erase the progress they'd made during Reconstruction, "Jim Crow" laws were established in the Southward beginning in the late 19th century. Black people couldn't employ the same public facilities as white people, live in many of the aforementioned towns or go to the aforementioned schools. Interracial marriage was illegal, and most Blackness people couldn't vote because they were unable to pass voter literacy tests.

READ MORE: How Jim Crows Limited African American Progress

Jim Crow laws weren't adopted in northern states; yet, Black people yet experienced bigotry at their jobs or when they tried to purchase a house or get an education. To make matters worse, laws were passed in some states to limit voting rights for Blackness Americans.

Moreover, southern segregation gained ground in 1896 when the U.Southward. Supreme Court alleged in Plessy 5. Ferguson that facilities for Black and white people could be "separate but equal."

READ MORE: When Did African Americans Get the Right to Vote?

World War II and Civil Rights

Prior to Globe War Two, virtually Black people worked equally depression-wage farmers, factory workers, domestics or servants. By the early 1940s, war-related work was booming, only most Black Americans weren't given the improve paying jobs. They were besides discouraged from joining the war machine.

After thousands of Black people threatened to march on Washington to need equal employment rights, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Gild 8802 on June 25, 1941. It opened national defense jobs and other government jobs to all Americans regardless of race, creed, color or national origin.

Black men and women served heroically in World War II, despite suffering segregation and discrimination during their deployment. The Tuskegee Airmen broke the racial barrier to become the first Black military aviators in the U.S. Regular army Air Corps and earned more than 150 Distinguished Flight Crosses. All the same many Blackness veterans were met with prejudice and scorn upon returning home. This was a stark contrast to why America had entered the state of war to begin with—to defend freedom and democracy in the world.

Every bit the Cold War began, President Harry Truman initiated a civil rights calendar, and in 1948 issued Executive Club 9981 to end bigotry in the armed forces. These events helped set the stage for grass-roots initiatives to enact racial equality legislation and incite the civil rights movement.

READ MORE: Why Harry Truman Ended Segregation in the US Military

Rosa Parks

On December 1, 1955, a 42-year-one-time adult female named Rosa Parks constitute a seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus after work. Segregation laws at the fourth dimension stated Blackness passengers must sit in designated seats at the back of the passenger vehicle, and Parks had complied.

When a white man got on the coach and couldn't find a seat in the white section at the forepart of the motorcoach, the omnibus driver instructed Parks and iii other Black passengers to surrender their seats. Parks refused and was arrested.

As word of her arrest ignited outrage and support, Parks unwittingly became the "mother of the mod day civil rights movement." Black community leaders formed the Montgomery Comeback Association (MIA) led by Baptist minister Martin Luther Rex Jr., a role which would place him front end and center in the fight for civil rights.

Parks' courage incited the MIA to stage a boycott of the Montgomery bus system. The Montgomery Bus Cold-shoulder lasted 381 days. On Nov 14, 1956 the Supreme Court ruled segregated seating was unconstitutional.

Niggling Rock Nine

In 1954, the ceremonious rights movement gained momentum when the United States Supreme Court made segregation illegal in public schools in the case of Brownish 5. Board of Education. In 1957, Central High School in Little Stone, Arkansas asked for volunteers from all-Blackness high schools to attend the formerly segregated school.

On September 3, 1957, nine Blackness students, known as the Little Stone 9, arrived at Central High Schoolhouse to begin classes but were instead met by the Arkansas National Baby-sit (on order of Governor Orval Faubus) and a screaming, threatening mob. The Footling Rock Ix tried again a couple of weeks later and made it within, but had to exist removed for their prophylactic when violence ensued.

Finally, President Dwight D. Eisenhower intervened and ordered federal troops to escort the Piffling Rock Nine to and from classes at Fundamental High. Still, the students faced continual harassment and prejudice.

Their efforts, nevertheless, brought much-needed attention to the consequence of desegregation and fueled protests on both sides of the effect.

READ MORE: Why Eisenhower Sent the 101st Airborne to Little Rock Later Brown 5. Lath

Civil Rights Act of 1957

Even though all Americans had gained the right to vote, many southern states made information technology difficult for Black citizens. They frequently required prospective voters of colour to have literacy tests that were confusing, misleading and nearly incommunicable to pass.

Wanting to bear witness a commitment to the ceremonious rights motility and minimize racial tensions in the South, the Eisenhower administration pressured Congress to consider new civil rights legislation.

On September ix, 1957, President Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Human activity of 1957 into police force, the first major ceremonious rights legislation since Reconstruction. It allowed federal prosecution of anyone who tried to foreclose someone from voting. It also created a commission to investigate voter fraud.

Woolworth'southward Lunch Counter

Despite making some gains, Black Americans nevertheless experienced blatant prejudice in their daily lives. On February 1, 1960, four college students took a stand against segregation in Greensboro, North Carolina when they refused to leave a Woolworth's lunch counter without being served.

Over the next several days, hundreds of people joined their crusade in what became known every bit the Greensboro sit-ins. After some were arrested and charged with trespassing, protesters launched a boycott of all segregated lunch counters until the owners caved and the original 4 students were finally served at the Woolworth's lunch counter where they'd first stood their ground.

Their efforts spearheaded peaceful sit-ins and demonstrations in dozens of cities and helped launch the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Commission to encourage all students to get involved in the civil rights move. It besides defenseless the center of immature college graduate Stokely Carmichael, who joined the SNCC during the Liberty Summer of 1964 to annals Blackness voters in Mississippi. In 1966, Carmichael became the chair of the SNCC, giving his famous speech in which he originated the phrase "Black ability."

READ More: How the Greensboro Iv Sit-in Sparked a Motility

Freedom Riders

On May iv, 1961, 13 "Freedom Riders"—vii Black and six white activists–mounted a Greyhound bus in Washington, D.C., embarking on a bus tour of the American south to protest segregated double-decker terminals. They were testing the 1960 determination past the Supreme Court in Boynton five. Virginia that declared the segregation of interstate transportation facilities unconstitutional.

Facing violence from both police officers and white protesters, the Freedom Rides drew international attending. On Mother's Twenty-four hours 1961, the autobus reached Anniston, Alabama, where a mob mounted the bus and threw a bomb into information technology. The Freedom Riders escaped the burning bus, but were badly beaten. Photos of the motorcoach engulfed in flames were widely circulated, and the group could not find a jitney driver to take them farther. U.S. Chaser General Robert F. Kennedy (brother to President John F. Kennedy) negotiated with Alabama Governor John Patterson to find a suitable driver, and the Freedom Riders resumed their journey under law escort on May 20. But the officers left the group in one case they reached Montgomery, where a white mob brutally attacked the bus. Attorney Full general Kennedy responded to the riders—and a call from Martin Luther Rex Jr.—past sending federal marshals to Montgomery.

On May 24, 1961, a group of Freedom Riders reached Jackson, Mississippi. Though met with hundreds of supporters, the group was arrested for trespassing in a "whites-but" facility and sentenced to 30 days in jail. Attorneys for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) brought the matter to the U.Due south. Supreme Court, who reversed the convictions. Hundreds of new Freedom Riders were drawn to the cause, and the rides continued.

In the fall of 1961, under pressure from the Kennedy assistants, the Interstate Commerce Commission issued regulations prohibiting segregation in interstate transit terminals

HISTORY and Google Earth: Follow the Freedom Riders' Journey Confronting Segregation During the Civil Rights Era

March on Washington

Arguably one of the most famous events of the ceremonious rights movement took place on August 28, 1963: the March on Washington. It was organized and attended by civil rights leaders such equally A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King Jr.

More than 200,000 people of all races congregated in Washington, D. C. for the peaceful march with the principal purpose of forcing civil rights legislation and establishing task equality for everyone. The highlight of the march was King'south speech in which he continually stated, "I have a dream…"

King's "I Have a Dream" voice communication galvanized the national civil rights motion and became a slogan for equality and liberty.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Human activity of 1964—legislation initiated by President John F. Kennedy before his assassination—into law on July 2 of that year.

Rex and other civil rights activists witnessed the signing. The law guaranteed equal employment for all, limited the employ of voter literacy tests and allowed federal regime to ensure public facilities were integrated.

READ MORE: 8 Steps That Paved the Way to the Civil Rights Deed of 1964

Encarmine Sunday

On March 7, 1965, the civil rights movement in Alabama took an especially violent turn as 600 peaceful demonstrators participated in the Selma to Montgomery march to protest the killing of Black civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson by a white law officer and to encourage legislation to enforce the 15th amendment.

As the protesters neared the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they were blocked by Alabama state and local police sent by Alabama governor George C. Wallace, a song opponent of desegregation. Refusing to stand down, protesters moved forward and were viciously beaten and teargassed by police and dozens of protesters were hospitalized.

The entire incident was televised and became known as "Bloody Sun." Some activists wanted to retaliate with violence, but King pushed for irenic protests and somewhen gained federal protection for some other march.

Voting Rights Deed of 1965

When President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Deed into law on August 6, 1965, he took the Civil Rights Act of 1964 several steps farther. The new law banned all voter literacy tests and provided federal examiners in sure voting jurisdictions.

It as well allowed the chaser full general to contest land and local poll taxes. As a issue, poll taxes were later declared unconstitutional in Harper five. Virginia State Board of Elections in 1966.

Function of the Act was walked back decades later, in 2013, when a Supreme Court decision ruled that Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act was unconstitutional, belongings that the constraints placed on certain states and federal review of states' voting procedures were outdated.

Civil Rights Leaders Assassinated

The civil rights movement had tragic consequences for two of its leaders in the belatedly 1960s. On Feb 21, 1965, former Nation of Islam leader and Organization of Afro-American Unity founder Malcolm X was assassinated at a rally.

On April iv, 1968, civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on his hotel room'due south balcony. Emotionally-charged annexation and riots followed, putting even more pressure on the Johnson administration to button through additional civil rights laws.

READ MORE: Why People Rioted After Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassination

Fair Housing Act of 1968

The Fair Housing Act became law on April 11, 1968, just days afterwards Male monarch's assassination. It prevented housing discrimination based on race, sex, national origin and religion. Information technology was besides the final legislation enacted during the ceremonious rights era.

The ceremonious rights motion was an empowering yet precarious time for Black Americans. The efforts of civil rights activists and countless protesters of all races brought about legislation to finish segregation, Black voter suppression and discriminatory employment and housing practices.

READ More:

Civil Rights Movement Timeline
Six Unsung Heroines of the Ceremonious Rights Movement
x Things You May Non Know About Martin Luther King Jr.

Sources

A Brief History of Jim Crow. Constitutional Rights Foundation.
Civil Rights Human action of 1957. Civil Rights Digital Library.
Document for June 25th: Executive Order 8802: Prohibition of Bigotry in the Defense force Industry. National Archives.
Greensboro Lunch Counter Sit-in. African American Odyssey.
Little Rock School Desegregation (1957). The Martin Luther Male monarch, Jr. Research and Instruction Plant Stanford.
Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Global Freedom Struggle. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Enquiry and Pedagogy Establish Stanford.
Rosa Marie Parks Biography. Rosa and Raymond Parks.
Selma, Alabama, (Bloody Sunday March vii, 1965). BlackPast.org.
The Civil Rights Movement (1919-1960s). National Humanities Center.
The Little Rock Ix. National Park Service U.S. Section of the Interior: Piddling Rock Central Loftier School National Historic Site.
Turning Point: World State of war Two. Virginia Historical Lodge.

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Source: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement

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