Chapter 5 Civil Rights Minorities have always struggled

Chapter 5 Civil Rights • Minorities have always struggled for civil rights in America. • Question: – Which branch of government should be accountable for making America equal?

America and Civil Rights • By 1840 – Half of population in South is slave • There is no way the South is giving up their means of production! • Civil Rights begins in the North – William Lloyd Garrison • Abolitionist who wrote in paper about necessity of “fulfilling our Founding Father’s dreams”…

What to do with slaves? • Former slaves became spoken advocates for freedom of all blacks! • 2 Ways to Do This: • Frederick Douglass – Wanted a free diverse America » Worth fighting for! • Liberia? – Colony set up in Africa for freed slaves by Congress » Goal: Get blacks out of America!

What about other minorities? • July 1848 – Women want rights as well… • So they hold a convention to discuss issues – Called Seneca Falls Convention – Elizabeth Cady Stanton • Advocate for women’s suffrage – But would take any rights they could… » Oct. , 1848 • NY restores right of women to own property

The States Try to Fix These Issues By Themselves • 1860 – Able Lincoln gets elected • South secedes and begins the Civil War • 1863 – Pres. Lincoln frees all slaves in rebellious states • Done by executive order as Commander in Chief – Congress can not stop this!

Civil War Ends…now what? • Congress wants to ensure this never happens again! – How? • Write it in the Constitution! • 13 th Amendment (1865) – Abolished slavery • 14 th Amendment (1868) – Guarantees equal protection of law to all • 15 th Amendment (1870) – Guarantees voting rights to blacks – Does this ensure equality? » Think: • What about women? • How do you enforce this if government is full of white people?

Jim Crow leads to Plessy vs. Ferguson • By 1877 – End of Ind. Revolution • Jim Crow laws were in full affect • 1896 – System of inequality in the South set up to keep blacks inferior – S. Ct rules in favor of Jim Crow • Plessy v. Ferguson – “separate but equal” » Blacks and whites are to be segregated by law if necessary! » How can we fix this? • Congress? • President?

The People Fight for Their Own Rights • Citizens begin to organize to advocate civil rights – 1909 • Natl. Assoc. For Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) – Established by whites and blacks for equality – 1917 • Natl. American Woman Suffrage Assoc. (NAWSA) – Had 2 million members! – 1920 » 19 th Amendment • Grants women right to vote

Supreme Court Forces Blacks and Whites To Live and Learn Together • 1948 – Shelley v. Kraemer • S. Ct ruled that house sales can no longer be segregated by contract! • 1954 – Brown v. Board • S. Ct ruled states can no longer discriminate based on race – Specifically in public utilities » Ends “de jure” laws • Such as “Separate but Equal” • Question: How do you enforce Brown v. Board in America? • Therefore, segregation becomes de facto • De facto = by fact • This is why segregation in schools still exists…

Brown v. Board leads to all sorts of problems…

Brown v. Board leads to all sorts of problems…

Brown v. Board leads to all sorts of problems…

Finally, a voice is heard above the rest… • 1963 – Martin Luther King, Jr. • Gives a speech in Washington, D. C. – Asks for America to dream of equality • Brought a million friends with him… • Pres. Kennedy is in favor of signing executive order ensuring Civil Rights • Why does this not happen in 1963?

Resistance to change is strong JFK is shot and killed in Dallas, TX Nov. 1963

New POTUS Lyndon B. Johnson refuses to stop fighting • Signs Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Declared all discrimination based on race by private employers and state governments illegal – Also established agencies to enforce the new laws • Dept. of Justice had power to arrest and detain all who failed to uphold the new law

How did Civil Rights help equality? • Public Accommodations • No more “colored” items: – – Restaurants Bathrooms Water fountains Theatres • School Desegregation • No more segregation based on neighborhoods – Birth of “open enrollment” » Government must provide busing! • Or reimburse parents

Civil Rights Act of 1964 doesn’t fix everything… • Pres. LBJ wanted to do more for minorities – Felt that making laws was not enough! • Wanted to ensure that minorities got a fair shot at equality! • End of 1960’s – LBJ passed multiple executive orders obligation federal government to hire minorities • Affirmative action – Programs that provide members of certain minority groups access to opportunities previously kept from them: » Educational » Employment

Debate: Is Affirmative Action Still Needed?