This summary is from the IEB syllabus for Paper 2 History. In this paper candidates are required to have some knowledge on the topic in order to apply that knowledge and answer questions on the sources.Civil Society protests in 1950s -1970s is a long and difficult chapter that I have managed to su...
Shira Woolf History Source Based Summary – Civil Society Protests 1
CIVIL SOCIETY PROTESTS 1950s -1970s
Response to anger and dissatisfaction due to WW2 (1945) where people fought freedom from
oppression
People had growing dissatisfaction, discontent + anger àwanted equality à protest against racial
inequality
GROUP AIM ACTION
1. Black people Freedom, equality, no Civil rights movement
segregation
2. Students Anti-war, peace Protests
3. Women Liberation, equality Marches
BACKGROUND OF CIVIL SOCIETY PROTESTS IN USA
Mainly: southern America à history of black people: slaves on cotton plantation à no equality after
civil war
1983: Slavery Abolished à still racial seg. / No right to vote
White slave gov in south refused Federal Gov laws à came up with Jim Crow laws = ‘separate but
equal’
• Ku Klux Klan lynching sparked CRM
BLACK PEOPLE
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS: SCHOOL DESEGREGATION 1957
1954: court ruled segregation in education = unfair
1957: ‘Little Rock Nine’ were protested + prevented from entering school à no protection from
police
President sent groups to protect
à highlight inequality in schools
Result: black people took a stand: resulted laws being past to end the discrimination
MARTIN LUTHER KING J.R: CRM IN USA
Adapted pacifist idea à from success of Gandhi and his non- violent protest
1957: SCLC was started
BELIEFS ROLE IMPACT/INFLUENCE
Power of mass nonviolence Raise social issues Role model
Power of love Effective orator Unified + equality
Ultimate integration Took initiative Multiracial society
(multiracial)
Attract attention Maintain peace Approached president for
support
Pressure to change laws Prepared to suffer for his Lobbies congress à to
beliefs influence legislation. action
28 AUGUST 1963: ‘I HAVE A DREAM’
Called for civil + economic rights + end racism
IMPACT: helped create civil rights act of 1964 + Voting rights act of 1965
à end racial eg. In the USA
1955: BUS BOYCOTTS
Rosa Parks helped desegregate busses à her and MLK were arrested à bus segregation =
unconstitutional
, Shira Woolf History Source Based Summary – Civil Society Protests 2
1960: SIT INS
SNCC protested against white only facilities à arrested à desegregation
1961: FREEDOM RIDERS
CORE wanted to get the media’s attention à there was opposition from the KKK à interstate travel
desegregated
1963:
APRIL: BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA MARCH (CENTRE OF WHITE OPPOSITION TO CRM)
SCLC wanted more job opportunities à authorities had a violent reaction, used police dogs/ water
cannons à there was major media cover and exposure in the press
AUGUST: LINCOLN MEMORIAL. ‘I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH’
MLK J.r. + millions attended in hope of achieving jobs, civil rights and equality à authorities were
peaceful à solidarity widely publicised, increased sympathy, king won Nobel peace prize
SHORT TERM GAINS: JFK = Civil Rights Bill (job opportunities, black votes, discrimination banned)
1964:
CORE + SNCC + NAACP:
1. FREEDOM SUMMER CAMPAGIN: Educate black people to vote, 30 schools in south open à
KKK targeted: 3 CRM workers murdered
2. King travelled USA to inspire & create
2 JULY 1964: LBJ SIGNED CIVIL RIGHTS ACT
1965:
MONTGOMERY ALABAMA MARCH
MLK Jr. protested delays in registered black voters + attention to persecution of black people in
Alabama à authorities stalled attempts to register black voters and protesters attacked back violently
(Black Sunday) à international coverage + National Voting Rights Act signed
Race riots à 30 killed, Malcom X murdered
1967:
1. Thurgood Marshall (first black judge) appointed in supreme court
2. Inter-racial marriage = legal
3. King criticised Vietnam war
1968:
1. King assassinated
2. Second Civil Rights Act passed à Multiracial society + equality
Theory: no discrimination allowed
Practice: social + economic life remained unchanged ☹
LONG TERMS GAINS OF CRM
• Showed success of non-violence
• Attention of media à publicised violence
• Sympathy + support
• Respect from many whites
BLACK POWER MOVEMENT
More extreme than CRM as it advocated militant (assertive) approach to achieve their goals
à promote black solidarity, self-esteem, pride, challenge white supremacy, no longer use ‘N’ word
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