Taking a break for this month!
New Topic-Black Lives Matter Movement!
2002 Oscars, Barack Obama, and the Smithsonian Museum
Citation: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/halle-berry-denzel-washington-triumph-at-oscars
Oscars 2002, History.Com
The 2002 Oscars was the first
Oscar ceremony since 9/11. The security
was tighter than ever and the tone of the night was very subdued. Halle Berry
was presented with the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in
Monster Ball. She tearfully cried and said “the door has been opened” for
actresses of color. Then Denzel Washington became only the second
African-American to win Best Actor in the movie Training Day.
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/barack-obama
Barack Obama, History. Com
Here’s a little disclosure
about me. I was at my brother’s godmother party when Obama won the election. I
have never seen so many elated when he won. Yes, we can! I was a freshman in
college when I voted for Obama for his second term. On November 4th,
2008, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was elected President of the United
States over Senator John McCain of Arizona. Obama became the 44th
president, and the first African-American to be elected to the office. Obama please come back, we need you!
Citation: https://nmaahc.si.edu
Smithsonian National Museum of
African-American History and Culture
I had the honor to actually
visit this museum and I absolutely enjoyed myself. The food was amazing. Please
check out the website!
The Million Man March, Colin Powell
Citation: https://www.noi.org/about-million-man-march/
The Million Man March, October
16th, 1995
The March was led by Louis
Farrakhan, more than a million Black men gathered in Washington D.C. to declare
their right to justice. The march showed black men in a positive light.
Farrakhan wanted black men to take responsibility for their actions and uplift
their communities.
Citation: https://www.biography.com/people/colin-powell-9445708
Colin Powell, Biography.com
Colin Powell was the first
African-American appointed as the U.S. Secretary of State, and the first to
serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Colin Luther Powell was a united states man
and a retired four-star general in the United States army. He was the 65th
United States Secretary of State (2001-2005), serving under President George W.
Bush. He was born on April 5th, 1937, in Harlem, New York. Powell
was the son of Jamaican immigrants Luther and Maud Powell. Then he graduated
from City College of New York and studied geology. Next, he became commander of
his unit in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. Lastly, he earned his MBA
(Master of Business Administration) at George Washington University. Right
after that he was assigned to the office of management and budget during the
Nixon administration. Afterwards he retired from the army in 1993 and he
retired from all political endeavors in 2006.
Los Angeles Riots 1992
Citation: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/riots-erupt-in-los-angeles
Los Angeles Riots, 1992, History. Com
In Los Angeles, California a riot broke out after four Los Angeles police officers had been caught beating Rodney King brutally. Rodney King was unarmed and all of the officers were acquitted. Hours after the verdict people were furious and they started to protest, and burn down buildings. The violence quickly began. On March 3rd, 1991, paroled felon Rodney King led the police on a high-speed chase through the streets of Los Angeles County before eventually surrendering. King was intoxicated and he resisted arrest, however, he did not deserve to get brutally beaten by four police officers. The officers’ names are Laurence Powell, Theodore Briseno, Timothy Wind and Stacey Koon. King was released without charges and Sergeant Koon and the other officers were indicted by a Los Angeles grand jury in connection with the beating. All of the officers were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force. Powell and Koon also charged with filing false reports. On April 29th, 1992, all of the officers were acquitted and the LA Riots broke out. Violence erupted at the intersection of Florence Boulevard and Normandie Avenue in South-Central Los Angeles. Three African-American men beat a white truck driver named Reginald Denny very badly. The violence continued for 24 hours until President George HW Bush ordered military troops and riot-trained federal officers to LA. The LA Riots killed more than 60 people, injured almost 2,000 people and led to 7,000 arrests, and caused nearly $1 billion in property damages, including the burnings of more than 3,000 buildings. In federal court on April 17th, 1993, Koon and Powell were convicted of violating Rodney King’s constitutional rights and they were sentenced to two and half years in prison.
Citation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0ZyGclmCHY
Rodney King Beating LA Riots TV Special with Mike Wallace, Published on Dec 31, 2016
Rodney King is a 25-year-old high school dropout with a criminal record. He was shot by a Taser gun, one police officer stomped on his head and kicked him repeatedly, and both his wrist and ankles were bound to the ground. The tape recording of King’s beating was broadcasted to the world and people flipped out. Eyewitnesses saw him getting beat repeatedly and they were in awe. The police thought that King was high on drugs and resisting arrest. Rodney King stated, “They beat on me, all over my body, they beat on my ankles, it hurts, it hurts real bad because it was hit with a stick, and the same with my face, my jaw, I was scared, I was scared for my life.” Stacey Koon, Ted Briseno, Larry Powell and Tim Wind face felony charges. Eleven days later they faced a white-middle class jury. Koon was the sergeant and he was facing more charges than the others because he was supposed to keep his officers in line that night. He is accused of assault and intentional great bodily harm, then he tried to cover up his tracks by writing a false police report. Powell was a veteran and Win a rookie also faced assault charges. Briseno is shown on the tape shouting at King and then stomping on his head. Win and Powell were writing these offensive statements about African-Americans on their dispatcher it was shown in the trial. Win and Powell wrote “It was night filled with gorillas in the mist, they wrote that on their dispatcher just hours before the Rodney King’s beating. Win and Powell also wrote another offensive statement about Blacks last week on their dispatcher and it reads “I haven’t beaten anyone this bad in a long time.” The officers were laughing after they beaten Rodney King it was picked up the supervising sergeant command center. However, in the courtroom Briseno testified against his officers, but the prosecutor White could not break Koon’s story. Koon told the prosecutor that’s how the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) trained him, and he was taught to beat someone repeatedly until they comply. The officers’ attorneys stated that if the verdict reads guilty most of Los Angeles would lose faith in their police officers and that being a police officer is tough and sometimes requires physical force. However, Prosecutor White fought back “It was an embarrassment, it is embarrassing to every man and woman across this country who puts on a uniform every day and follow the law.” After the verdict read not guilty the LA riots broke out. Protestors said things like “We declare a war, one injustice after another!” Crowds of people were chanting “No Justice, No Peace!” A black woman while shopping with her kids told the reporter “It was on fil, its bull shit, it’s not going to stop.” Between Florence Blvd and Normandie Blvd in South Central was when the riot first broke out. Anyone who was not black was prone to violence, Reginald Denney received a vicious beating from three black men, he was rescued by other Blacks. Darryl Gates was the police chief and he was not in the city when the riots broke out. He turned a blind eye. People of all backgrounds were protesting. Then the looting began, they threw bottles into the police headquarters windows, and they committed arson. Mayor Bradley asked the Governor of California Pete Wilson to send over 2,000 National Guards to try to calm things down. Other cities started to riot like Seattle, San Francisco, Tampa, Birmingham, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Police were outnumbered in Los Angeles because so many people were looting the stores and many police officers were not doing anything. Store owners had rifles and ammunition. Bus service was halted; the selling of ammunition and gas was also banned. Public schools were closed and looters were throwing gas bombs into the store. The Riots involved mostly Hispanics because they made up 44% of the population. Rodney King begged for the rioting to stop, he did not like it. Finally, President George HW Bush ordered 5,000 federal troops into the Los Angeles to help control the violence. The four officers were bought up on civil rights charges in federal court. George HW Bush said, “What I saw was revolting, anger, and pain. How could I explain this to my grandchildren?” He was talking about the LA riots and what he witnessed on the news. The massive military and police presence had finally brought LA under control on May 3rd, 1992.
Affirmative Action, Jesse Jackson, The Oprah Winfrey Show
Citation: https://www.britannica.com/topic/affirmative-action
Affirmative Action, Written By:
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica
Affirmative Action, is when
laws were passed to improve the employment or educational opportunities for
minority groups and women. Affirmative action was brought forward by President
Lyndon Johnson. Businesses could not use aptitude tests that were discriminatory
towards African-Americans, however, affirmative action was known as “reverse
discrimination.”
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/jesse-jackson
Jesse Jackson, History.com
Jesse Jackson was the third
African-American candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination. In 1984,
Jackson ran for the Democratic Presidential nomination. He won five primaries
and caucuses and more than 18% of votes cast.
Citation: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/oprah-goes-national
Oprah launched syndicated TV
Show, History.com
Oprah Winfrey syndicated her
talk show September 8th, 1986. She began her TV career as a local
news anchor in Nashville and Baltimore before moving to Chicago in 1984 to host
a low-rated morning talk program. Winfrey signed a syndication deal with King’s
World and The Oprah Winfrey Show was broadcasted nationally. The Oprah Winfrey
Show was the highest-rated talk show in TV history. In 2008, The Oprah Winfrey
Show had an estimated weekly audience of some 46 million viewers in the US,
broadcast around the world in 134 countries. The show ended on May 2011, after
she launched the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
Shirley Chisholm
Citation: https://www.biography.com/people/shirley-chisholm-9247015
Shirley Chisholm, Biography.com
Shirley Chisholm became the
first African-American congress woman in 1968. In 1972, she ran for presidency
for the democratic party. She was born Shirley Anita St. Hill on November 30th,
1924 in Brooklyn, NY. Chisholm represented the New York state in the U.S. house
of representatives for seven terms. Throughout, her political career she fought
for education opportunities and social justice for minorities. She became one
of the primary members of the black caucus in 1969. Chisholm left congress in 1983 to teach and
she died in Florida in 2005.
Chisholm ’72- unbought and
unbossed 2004, Director: Shola Lynch
At the Concord Baptist Church
in Brooklyn, NY on January 1972 Shirley Chisholm speaks. She says “I stand
before you today as a candidate for the democratic nomination for the
presidency of the United States of America.” Chisholm is the first black woman
to run for office. She called her 1972 campaign “Unbought and Unbossed!” Chisholm
did not want to be known as the first black woman to run for presidency. She
wanted to be remembered for having courage and perseverance. As she addresses
the crowd this is what she said, “I am not the candidate for black America although
I am black and proud. I am not the candidate for the women’s movement of this
country, although I am a woman and I am equally proud of that. I am the
candidate of the people of America.” Before there was Barack Obama there was
Shirley Chisholm who was advocating for social justice, head start and equal
job opportunities. Chisholm was broadcasted everywhere as the CBS evening news
reporter Walter Cronkite reported “Ms. Shirley Chisholm the first black woman
to serve in congress.” She inspired everyone particularly black women like
Barbara Lee. Lee was part of the Black Student Union and the union invited
Chisholm to speak. Chisholm told the union that she is running for president.
Everyone in the Union thought she was crazy, but Lee realized how important it
was to register to vote. Barbara Lee said, “Martin Luther King said the most
important thing for an African-American to do is to evoke their citizenship.” Lee
realized that Chisholm was taking full advantage of her citizenship and that
inspired her to register to vote. In 1972, Chisholm is campaigning for
presidency diligently. She would talk to any group regardless of race, sex or
sexual orientation. The National Organization for Women (NOW) supported her.
Many white women from the organization applauded her courageous efforts to run
for presidency. Chisholm was popular. Shirley Chisholm was West Indian. Her
mother was from Barbados and her father was from Guyana. She was born Shirley
Anita St. Hill. Her mother took her to Barbados to live and receive a strong
education. Chisholm stayed in Barbados for seven years. Then she left Barbados
with her sister in 1934 and her father bought a brownstone in Brooklyn.
Chisholm graduated from Columbia University with a Master’s degree and became a
daycare teacher. She became interested in politics, because she realized that
blacks needed representation. Edmund Muskie, George Wallace, George McGovern,
Hubert Humphrey and Shirley Chisholm all ran for the Democratic Presidential
nomination, while Nixon was running for the republican party. The Vietnam War
was still going on and many young people wanted the war to end, because young
men could be drafted to fight in the war. Therefore, the 26th
amendment was created and the amendment states that 18-year-olds can vote.
Chisholm did not support troops being in the war because she said over 75% in
budget is used for the war. Chisholm was undermining America’s view on women. Black
women were not valued and educated, and Chisholm was the opposite. Women were
discriminated in so many ways. For example, a married woman could not have her
own name printed on a credit card, because it was assumed that her husband paid
the bills. An also women had higher car insurance because insurance companies
taught that a woman would get into more accidents, because she would have her boyfriend’s
drive her car. These issues sparked the women’s movement. Chisolm was in the
center of that because it was unnatural for woman to have ambition. She also
was a positive role model for black children. Chisolm encouraged children to
stay in school and make something of themselves, but others viewed her
differently. She received hate mail and she was attacked three times. A man
tried to stab her in the back with a 10-inch blade and her bumper stickers
would read “Nigger go home!” Even though, Chisholm lost the democratic
presidential nominations, she is a legend. Chisholm broke down barriers.
Fair Housing Act!
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/fair-housing-act
Fair Housing Act, History.com
The Fair Housing Act was the
last major legislation passed of the Civil Rights era. The law prohibited discrimination
concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion,
national origin, sex or sexual orientation. However, after the law was passed
many whites moved out of the urban cities to the suburbs.
Lovings vs. Virginia
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/loving-v-virginia
Loving Vs. Virginia,
History.com
Loving Vs. Virginia was a
Supreme Court case that challenged the “interracial” laws in Virginia. The
plaintiffs in the case were Richard and Mildred Loving. Richard is a white man
and Mildred is an African-American woman with Native American ancestry. In June
1958, they exchanged their vows in D.C. where interracial marriage was legal
then they moved to their home state Virginia. On July 11th, 1958,
just five weeks after their wedding, the Lovings were arrested by the local
sheriff. Richard and Mildred were facing a felony. The Lovings were forced to
leave Virginia, so Mildred wrote to Robert Kennedy, and Kennedy referred them
to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The Judge eventually legalized
their marriage and returned to Central Point, Virginia. Sadly, Richard was
killed in a car accident in 1975, but his wife survived. She eventually died in
2008. The couple had three children.
Black Panther Party
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-panthers
Black Panther Party,
History.com
The Black Panthers also known
as the Black Panther Party was a political organization founded in 1966 by Huey
Newton and Bobby Seale. The organization was created to challenge the police
brutality against the African-American community. The FBI worked diligently to
dismantle the Black Panthers and they were successful. Huey Newton and Bobby
Seale met in 1961 while students at Merritt College in Oakland, California.
They formed the Negro History Fact Group, that taught black history in the
school. The founders created the party after Malcom X was assassinated and an
unarmed black teenager was shot by the police. They created the ten-point
program which called for to immediately end police brutality, unemployment for
African-Americans, for African-Americans to have land, housing, and justice. Their
goal was to get more African-Americans elected in office. The Black Panther
Party was a social organization they helped out many black communities and
offered free breakfast, but some members were violent. In 1967, founder Huey
Newton allegedly killed Oakland Police officer John Frey. Newton was convicted
of manslaughter and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Eldrige Cleaver
who was the editor of the Black Panther newspaper and 17-year-old Bobby Hutton were
involved in a shootout in 1968. The organization was an FBI target and J. Edgar
Hoover stated that the organization was a threat to American Society. The FBI dismantled
the free breakfast program and exploited the rivalries between Black
Nationalist groups. The Black Panther Party officially disbanded in 1982.
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of
the Revolution
Director: Stanley Nelson Jr.
The Black Panther Party has a
very complex history. The whites were treating the blacks horribly. Black
people were getting attacked by dogs and police spraying them with fire hoses.
Other black people could not turn the other cheek, they wanted black power! In
1966, the police brutality was intensifying in the heart of the Civil Rights
Movement. Police officers in major urban cities treats black differently to
whites. The officers would jump on black men and beat them severely. Some
officers would even put a gun to the black men’s head and threaten to shoot
him. Oakland was a huge urban city with massive problems, and Huey Newton recognized
those issues. Huey and Bobby Seale started the Black Panther Party. They were
both college-educated and they understood their rights. It was Huey’s idea for
the black panthers to carry guns for their protection, and because of the 2nd
amendment. Ronald Regan was the governor of California and the panthers hated
him, because he was racist. Therefore, the black panthers decided to raid the
state’s capitol. The Panthers invaded the Sacramento office with guns attached
to them. After that incident, more black people wanted to join the Black
Panthers. The Black Panther Party National Headquarters office was located in
West Oakland. The Panthers wanted to end police brutality immediately, they
wanted to have freedom endlessly, and strong education for eternity, so the
organization came up with the 10-point program. The 10-point program was like
the Organization’s bible, because it formulated the foundational work that the
panthers must represent. The program was against white supremacy and capitalism.
The organization grew, but members came from off the streets. There was no
screening and rigidness to the organization. Until Eldrige Cleaver came into
the picture, he wrote “Soul on Ice!” The book was a New York Times best seller.
Cleaver was an eloquent speaker and an impeccable writer to join the party. Huey
sponsored him to join the party, because it would Cleaver would be a positive
outlook for the organization. After Cleaver joined the group, Huey was arrested
for allegedly murdering John Cry. Huey faced execution and the panthers started
to protest, because many others were jailed at the time, so Cleaver was the
only spokesperson. White and Blacks were protesting for Huey’s freedom, Huey’s
arrest became a movement. The Black Panthers grew stronger, because they hated
oppression and blacks being murdered. The organization became like a family.
The members walked and spoke with swagger. The group created the concept that
urban blacks are beautiful which is why the members had the Afro. Teenagers
were mostly in the Black Panther party because they wanted to embody the strength
and culture that is associated with being a Black Panther. Photographers were
drawn to the Black Panthers and broadcasters exploited the Black Panthers. The
group were a positive organization and they started the “Free Breakfast”
children program gave children free breakfast before they went to school. They
served over 20,000 meals to over 19 different communities. The organization
also opened up free health clinics. The group was shown in a positive light
until J Edgar Hoover attacked the party. Hoover stated “The Black Panther Party
is a threat to American Society”, so Hoover created COINTELPRO which stood for
Counter Intelligence Program. The program was to expose, misdirect and neutralize
the activities of Black Nationalists. The FBI sent out informants from the
party to arrest their members and Hoover sent out letters to every Black
Panther office in America. Hoover’s main goal was to dismantle the party and to
prevent the rise of the “Black Messiah”, to prevent black youth growing, and
gaining respect in the black community. The FBI harassed, and taunted the black
panthers by tapping their phones, and following them also the FBI would taunt
the panthers’ family members. The ultimate goal was to turn the black panther
party members against each other, so the members were equipped to what the FBI was
doing. The panthers bounded with each other and formed “Panther Pads.” These
pads consisted of 10 people living in 3 bedroom apartments. People were so
dedicated to the party. They would leave their family members to stay in the
pads. The party depended on each other for support, because they knew the FBI
was targeting them. Women would creak breakfast for their “Free Breakfast
Program” and they were secretaries for the chapters in their cities. Women
wanted to become more involved in the party, so they switched gender roles. The
women started to have guns and the men started cooking. The Black Panther
newspaper was 25 cents back then and the paper was vital tool for the party,
because it was their way of spreading their message. In the paper, the artist
Emory Douglas drew caricatures of black people and police officers as pigs. The
Black Panthers called the police pigs. Their motto was the pigs needed to be
taken out by any means necessary following Malcolm X approach. On April 4th,
1968 Martin Luther King was assassinated and riot broke out. People were
devastated, because King was a peaceful man that did not condone violence. After
the riot, Little Bobby Hutton gets a shotgun from Edward “Big Man” Howard.
Bobby get gunned down by the police he was 17-years-old. Then the FBI is
looking for Eldrige Cleaver he was considered a fugitive, but he was in
Algeria, so Dave Hilliard became the new spokesperson, because the others
members were either away or locked up in jail. The FBI manipulated the police
to target the Black Panthers. The party was now viewed as a terrorist
organization, so the police shot at the black panthers. The shootout lasted for
30 minutes and on April 2nd, 1969 21 black panthers were charged
with terrorist activities, so the “Panther 21” was created. The “Panther 21”
was created because 21 people were in court with $100,000 bails and facing 800
plus years in prison. The FBI tried to frame the Black Panthers by not allowing
them a fair trial, but Jane Fonda and other celebrities supported the Black
Panthers. She opened up her home for black panthers to stay and do their
fundraising. After a 13-month trial, the jury deliberated for 3 hours and have
found the 21 people not guilty, but after that tumultuous incident more smaller
trials started to pop up all over the country. Other blacks were afraid to join
the party because they did not want to be subjected to court. At the Democratic
Convention in Chicago Bobby Seale speaks and a riot breaks out. September 1969,
Seale was arrested and he was bought to trial. Seale lost his cool in the
courtroom, because the judge did not allow him to defend himself, so the judge
tied him to a chair with duct tape across his mouth. People from different
cultures and backgrounds protested for him, but it did not work, so Fred
Hampton took over. Fred Hampton was a 17-year-old black teenager who gained
fame after protesting for Bobby, because he was a passionate orator. Hampton
was the head of the NAACP youth branch and the chairman of the Illinois Chapter
of Black Panther party. He wanted to unite the poor whites with the blacks.
Many of the hillbillies supported the party. Hoover did not want the blacks and
whites to come together, so he set Hampton up. On December 4th, 1969
Hampton was murdered by the police in his apartment, while his wife was pregnant
with their son. The police laughed about the incident and the FBI never acknowledged
that they set Hampton up to be killed. In Los Angeles, four days later the
Black Panther Party retaliated at the police force after the riot was over more
panthers got locked up, but Huey was released from jail. Huey became very
erratic after he was incarcerated, because he started to abuse drugs. Huey did
not trust Eldridge, because the FBI was sending out informants to break up
their close friendship. Eldridge and Huey were no longer friends, and Huey was
abusive to his friends and women. After Seale lost the election for mayor
against Reading he got into a physical altercation with Huey. The Party blew to
shambles, in the early 80’s.
Malcolm X
Citation: https://www.biography.com/people/malcolm-x-9396195
Malcolm X, biography.com
Malcolm X born on May 19th
125 and was assassinated on February 21st, 1965. He was a minister,
human rights activist and a black nationalist leader during 1950’s and 60’s.
Malcom was assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan, he was a powerful
orator. His speeches influenced many blacks, because he told black people in
order to break the shackles of racism by using “any means necessary.” He
encouraged his followers that sometimes you cannot turn the other cheek and you
have to defend yourself against racist people. Malcom X was subjected to racism
before he was born and during his childhood. His family home was burned down
from the KKK and his father was murdered by them as well. Sadly, his mother grew
mentally ill from the traumatic experiences and she was placed in a mental institution.
Malcolm was forced to go inside foster homes.
Citation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbySV-t9N5E
Malcolm X “The Greatest Truth
Teller” (2015) Documentary Featuring Dr. Cornel West, Published on Oct 4th,
2017
Malcolm X was an amazing
historical figure for the black community, but the media made him look angry,
because he was brilliant. Malcolm knew that he was going to get killed, because
he had issues within the Muslim community and he had issues with Elijah Muhammad.
His life was under great danger after his house was bombed on February 13th.
Malcom, his wife and four children were living in Queens, NY and someone threw
a fire bomb into his house. Then Malcolm was assassinated on February 21st,
1965 at the Audubon ballroom. Malcom X was an eloquent speaker and he read a
lot. Malcom Little was born into a family of activists his parents Earl and
Louise were active followers of Marcus Garvey’s movement. Garvey’s movement the
Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) exemplified Pan-Africanism,
black nationalism, and black pride.
Citation: http://www.dictionary.com
These definitions came from
dictionary.com
Pan-Africanism: the idea or
advocacy of a political alliance or union of all the African nations.
Black Nationalism: a social and
political movement advocating the separation of blacks and whites and
self-government for black people.
Marcus Garvey said that black
people were taught to not feel good about themselves and that black freedom is
not achievable. Garvey repelled against that way of thinking and instilled
pride and confidence into the black communities. Earl Little was a follower of Garvey;
he was a minister during the Jim Crow era, and he was encouraging
African-American communities to be self-reliant and independent. Little wanted
the blacks to stand up against the injustices and lynching that were prevalent
in the major cities. Ilyasah Shabazz is one of the daughters of Malcolm X and
she stated that her grandfather was assassinated. After her grandfather was assassinated
Malcolm’s mother Louise was unable to keep the family together and she had a
mental breakdown. Therefore, social services came and split the family up, and
they sent Malcolm and his siblings to various foster homes. Malcolm went to an
all-white foster home and he attended an all-white primary and secondary
school. Ilyasah Shabazz stated that Malcolm told his favorite teacher Mr.
Ostrowsky at 12-years-old that he wanted to be a lawyer. Mr. Ostrowsky said “Negroes
can’t aspire to be no lawyers that he should be a carpenter and use his hands.”
Therefore, Malcolm lost interest in school, his half-sister Ella tried to get
him back on track, but she failed. Malcolm got himself involved in petty crime.
He was a gangster, hustler and eventually he got arrested. While, Malcolm was in
prison his brother sent him the Quran and Malcolm learned about the teachings
of Islam. He also learned that black people need to be self-determined and that
they must support their own institutions. Elijah Muhammad was Malcolm’s second
father he converted Malcolm from a gangster to one of the greatest
African-American men in history. When Malcolm came out of prison in 1952 he met
Elijah Muhammad. Him and Malcolm developed a close relationship, while America was
in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement. White terrorists were murdering and
lynching blacks. Malcolm had separate views as opposed to Martin Luther King.
He believed in separation rather than integration, and he stated that white men
place insecurities on black men to make themselves feel superior. Malcolm truly
believed that blacks could not get along with whites, however, the Muslims
disagreed with Malcolm. The Muslims stated that Islam is a religion that
preaches about brotherhood. After Malcom was condemned by other Muslims he went
into an emotional shock when he found out that Elijah had children out of
wedlock. On November 22nd,
1963 John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Elijah cancelled all of the meetings and
he asked the ministers to not comment on the tragedy, but Malcolm did
otherwise. Malcolm still gave his speech and was asked about Kennedy’s assassination.
He stated “When you have a climate of hate you’re going to get back hate. The
chickens coming home to roost.” Malcolm simply meant that white people have a violent
history and one of their own got killed, because they have a violent past.
People resented him after that statement and he was banned to speak after that
notorious statement he made. However, people still believed in him like Cassius
Clay also known as Muhammad Ali who converted to Islam. Malcolm was Muhammad
Ali’s mentor, but Malcom was not invited to Saviors day so he decided to leave
the Nation of Islam. Until he embarked on a journey to Mecca and he found out
that he was misled about the Islam religion, because Elijah Muhammed was
teaching him the wrong stuff. Elijah been teaching him that the white race is
devilish and that is not true. Sadly, Malcom X was shot but his legacy lives
on.
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/selma-montgomery-march
Selma to Montgomery March,
History.com
The Selma to Montgomery March
was a huge event because it was a civil rights protests that brought awareness about
the unfair voting rights for African-Americans. Martin Luther King and others
walked for 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery to confront the issue of
discriminatory voting laws for Blacks.
Selma Directed By: Ava DuVernay
The movie “Selma” is very
powerful and emotional movie to watch. Martin Luther King is getting his Nobel
Peace Prize in 1964. He walks down to the podium and gives his speech. King
states that white supremacy would be destroyed and equality would be nourished.
King learns of the 16th street Baptist Church bombing on September
15th, 1963. Four girls die from the bomb. Annie Lee Cooper is an
African-American woman who is trying to register to vote in Alabama. The white
man calls her to the front desk and he is very intimidating. He asks her discriminatory
questions such as to name the 67 county judges in Alabama, and he wants her to
recite the constitution preamble. Ms. Cooper is denied once again and she
becomes discouraged. Then Dr. King meets with President Lyndon B. Johnson and
Mr. Lee C. White. President Johnson just signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964
and now Dr. King wants him to pass the voting rights act. Dr. King explains to
President Johnson how the KKK intimidates black people by stuffing the voting
boxes. President Johnson brushes it off and he starts talking about the “War on
Poverty.” King furiously fires back and states that it is important for
African-Americans to vote, so that they can be part of a jury. He explains the
reason why white criminals get acquitted, because the jury is all-white. Dr.
King is tired of the unequitable treatment, so he leaves Washington D.C. and
travels to Selma, Alabama with Reverend Abernathy. King and Abernathy chooses
Selma, because it is a large city and many blacks reside there. J. Edgar Hoover
is now talking to Johnson and he disses Dr. King, but Johnson likes the fact
that King is a nonviolent nigger. After King spends some time in Selma he goes
back to his home in Atlanta and he contacts Mahalia Jackson for support. Dr.
King is the leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. (SCLC) King
has numerous followers, but his most prominent followers are Hosea Williams,
Jimmie Lee Jackson, Abernathy and James Bevel. They are at Sister Jackson’s
house and they are eating dinner. King and his followers start talking about
the younger generational group the Student Nonviolent Committee (SNC), because
they realize that it would be good to have young people joining them. Dr. King gives
a speech about the issues in Selma he states “More than 50% of the population
are negro and less than 2% of them are registered to vote.” King explains the
whites want to keep the blacks voiceless, and away from the voting booths. He
believes that blacks must protest and march for their rights to vote, but
sheriff Jim Clark who lives in Selma is a bigot and racist. In the next scene, King
and the members of the SCLC walk to the Selma courthouse. Sherriff Clark
screams to them “Get Out!” Clark warns the protestors that he is going to arrest
them if they do not leave. The protestors are resistant and Clark gets furious,
so he starts beating the protestors with nightsticks. Clark goes irate and he
kicks an elderly man like he is a stray dog. Jimmie Lee Jackson gets vex and
starts fighting with Clark. A riot breaks out and Annie Lee Cooper hits Clark
in the back of his head. Clark flips out and screams at her. He says “Get that
nigger woman, get that nigger bitch!” The officers beat Cooper down like she is
a man. After the riot King was arrested along with the other members of the
SCLC. They all get released from jail until another deadly incident happened
soon after. Jimmie Lee Jackson was shot and he died. Jackson was subjected to
police brutality in the diner after he was protesting outside his church. He
was shot by Alabama state trooper James Bonard Fowler. Fowler was not convicted
of any charges until 45 years later. Martin Luther King is alarmed and he goes
to Washington D.C. to discuss the political and civil issues with President
Johnson. King explains to Johnson why Blacks are scared to vote. Blacks do not
want to deal with the KKK, the KKK can find out their address, poll taxes are ridiculously
high and people are illiterate. Dr. King brings up the march from Selma to
Montgomery, because he wants Johnson to support it. Johnson is opposed to it. King
travels back to his home in Atlanta, he is not in Alabama with his other SCLC
members. The SCLC members are preparing to walk from Selma to Montgomery even
though they were not granted permission. The members are walking towards the
Edmund Pettus Bridge. The members are nonviolent and they are not armed, but
the troopers are waiting on the other side of the bridge. There are signed that
read “Niggers go home!” and some of the troopers are on horses. The news
reporters tell people to turn on CBS. The march is being broadcasted on TV.
Hosea Williams is leading the march because King is not there. The troopers are
putting on gas masks and they start their police brutality. Everyone sees the
police brutality because it is broadcasted on the news. The troopers are
beating the peaceful black protestors with nightsticks and President Johnson
sees this on TV. John Lewis skull is fractured and Amelia Boynton Robinson is
severely hurt. Liberal whites are so disgusted they decide to join the march
from Selma to Montgomery. The march was a huge failure because nothing was
accomplished. James Reeb is a preacher and liberal who supports the civil
rights movement. He decided to join the SCLC, therefore, King leads the march
again. In this moment, more people joined including whites, but King decides to
not carry on with the march. Reeb is walking out a diner until he is approached
by the KKK. The KKK calls him a white nigger and beats him up so badly that he
dies. King learns that Reeb had died and he is saddened from the incident. Elmer
Cook, William Stanley Hoggle and R.B. Kelley were accused and then acquitted by
an all-white jury. Attorney Fred Gray is representing the SCLC members that
were brutally attacked in the march from Selma. All of the victims come to the
stand and explain what happened to them. Judge Frank Minis Johnson approves the
march from Selma to Montgomery. The march happens again. Whites and Blacks are
march with each other for equality. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is passed on
August 6th, 1965.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-act
Civil Rights Act of 1964,
History.com
The Civil Rights Act of 1964,
banned segregation in public areas and that blacks and minorities could not be
denied service based on their skin color. Lyndon B. Johnson signed The Civil
Rights Act of 1964.
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/freedom-summer
Freedom Summer, History.com
Freedom Summer, also known as
the Mississippi Summer Project was a 1964 voter rights registration drive sponsored
by Civil Rights organizations. The Mississippi Summer Project was run by the
Council of Federated Organizations (COFO). On June 15th 1964, three
civil rights activists were missing their names are Michael Schwerner, Andrew
Goodman, and James Chaney. Mississippi was a very poor state and many blacks
were not registered to vote.
Citation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k5YTDlh7Wo
Murder in Mississippi (1990)
Published on Feb 20, 2017
Murder in Mississippi Directed
by: Roger Young
The films start off in Neshoba
County, Mississippi it is 1964 and black prisoners are at the Mt. Zion Church. James
Chaney comes to the church with a flyer that reads “Be a first-class citizen,
register to vote!” The reverend tells him to leave because he does not want to
get into any trouble. He gets in his car and starts driving, a car is following
him, therefore, he speeds up. The police are following him, but Chaney is able
to get away. Now, Chaney is at the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO)
headquarters in Lauderdale County, Meridian Mississippi. Mickey Schwerner comes
with his wife Rita. They are from New York City and they are Jewish. James and
Mickey have a rough relationship in the beginning as Mickey is talking to the
council members, the KKK slashes his tires. Chaney could not find a hotel for
Mickey and his wife to stay in, so they sleep at Chaney’s house. As Mickey and
James are walking down the street the racist white men call Mickey “Mr. Jew
Boy!” Mickey did not respond to them saying “Sir!” Chaney pulls him to the side
and warns him they almost got them killed. The boys start to do their community
organizing. They go to different houses to register to vote most blacks are
reluctant to vote except Mr. Watkins. Mr. Watkins agreed to come to the
courthouse at 9AM to cote. He arrives at the courthouse and he tries to
register to vote, but he fails due to discriminatory tests. Most of the blacks
living in Mississippi are illiterate. Ms. Flowers who is the instructor for the
test asks Mr. Watkins several difficult questions such as “How long is the
Mississippi River and she gives him five minutes to interpret the Mississippi constitution.”
Mickey realizes the COFO has to proposition the court to get rid of the crooked
tests. As Chaney and Mickey are arguing a white racist man almost runs Mickey over.
Mickey and Chaney are at the COFO headquarters and they are speaking to several
black men. All of the black men want to vote, but they cannot read or write, so
Mickey decides to open up Freedom Schools. Mickey explains that college
students are going to teach the blacks how to read and write. After the meeting
Mickey and James get in the car, Mickey is driving and Chaney is in the back
seat hidden. The suspicious cop is following them but Mickey is not flooring the
gas pedal. The police officer stopped following them and James stopped hiding
in the back. Now people are boycotting and protesting for equality. The white
people are angry and they call Mickey a “Nigger loving faggot!” Mickey does not
care he is wearing a shirt that reads “Freedom now, Core!” The white men are
still chanting “Niggers, apes, alligators, have them all killed!” Suddenly, a pick-up
truck comes and on the side of the truck reads “Segregation forever!” A riot
breaks out and people are getting hurt from the broken glass and punches being
thrown. After Mickey cleans up Rita is in the laundry room and she is sexually
harassed by white racist southern boys. The rape stops when the white woman
scurries the boys away. Rita is hysterical and she wants to leave Mississippi.
As Rita and Mickey are arguing the Klansmen destroy Mickey’s car with an ax.
His windows and doors are smashed so Rita decides to leave, but after their
first freedom schools opens up. She decides to stay. The Freedom Summer’s also
known as the Mississippi Project gets Mr. Watkins to vote again. The
organization, judge and Mr. Watkins are in the courthouse. Ms. Flowers informs
the judge that Mr. Watkins failed the test three times, but the organization
enforces that he is not asked discriminatory questions. Mr. Watkins passes the
test and he is able to vote. Mickey and James are now at the Freedom Summer
Volunteers Training Center in Oxford, Ohio. Another riot breaks out; the white
mob is screaming “Get out Negroes!” Mickey meets with Andrew/Andy Goodman and
Goodman wants to join Mickey’s fight for civil rights. Mickey warns him that it
is not safe, but Goodman is persistent to join. After the Mickey and James
comes back from Ohio the Mount Zion church was burned down from the Klansmen.
The Klansmen were looking for Mickey and James. The sheriff looks in awe as the
church was being burnt down. President Johnson passes the Civil Rights act of
1964 but there is still work that needs to be done. Mickey and James learn that
the church was burnt down, so they decided to leave for five days. They meet up
with Andy Goodman and decide to bring him along on the trip. Chaney and his
friends are driving down the road and a deputy is following them. They are
pulled over and Deputy Price walks over to the car. He asks James, Mickey and
Andy to get out of the car. Then two officers join Deputy Price Mickey asks him
“What are we being detained for sir?” Price says “I’m gonna take the nigger for
speeding, the other two are going to be detained because they are suspects for
the church burning.” All three of them are in jail. Mickey tells Price that he
has a right to a phone call and Price warns him to shut up. Mickey, Andy and
James have been in jail for four hours until they were released by Price. Price
warns the men to leave Mississippi and that he would give James a $20 speeding
ticket. The men taught that they were save until several cars followed them.
The men try to get off the main road but the chase is still going on. Andy is
freaking out. Now the men and the cars are on dirt road. The men come to a
sudden stop. They are cornered while they are lights flashing in their face. Price
gets out of the car and he drags Chaney out of the vehicle. The other white men
drag Mickey and Andy out of the car. All three of them are surrounded by the
Klansmen and Price. The Klansmen murdered Mickey, Andy and James. The Klansmen
dump their bodies in a ditch. An FBI manhunt was broadcasted on the news until
44 days later their bodies were found twenty miles outside of Philadelphia,
Mississippi. A funeral was held for all three of them.
Martin Luther King
Citation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUNzUHlPqSY
Martin Luther King Story,
Published on August 13th, 2016
The principles that America has
founded and printed did not apply to African-Americans. Africans were brought,
sold and worked like cattle. After the Civil War, Blacks were freed from
slavery but well into the 20th century most black people were still
not free. They were not free, because they could not choose where to live, work
decent jobs, to get a quality education, not free to vote, and they could not
eat, shop or play wherever they wished. America was a racially and economically
segregated society. In 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta his
father and grandfather were preachers. King became an accomplished speaker like
his father by the age of 14 he had moved quickly through school. He skipped
both the ninth and twelfth grades and entered Morehouse College at the age of
15. He was going to become a minister; he began his theological studies at
Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. Then at Boston University he met his wife
Coretta Scott and they married in 1953. They had four children and at the age
of 26 King received his PhD from Boston University. While in school Martin
Luther King studied the work of Mahatma Gandhi who was leading India’s fight
for freedom from Great Britain. Gandhi knew that violent protests would justify
the British attack. His solution was nonviolent passive resistance in which
vast numbers of Indians boycotted British goods and disobeyed the unjust laws
in India. Nonviolent confrontation eventually forced the British to forfeit
India. King saw that Gandhi’s nonviolent approach to the struggle for freedom
in India could work in America. The year
of 1955 was King’s first job as a minister and he was preaching at the Dexter
avenue Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama. Black bus riders who paid the
same fare as whites were required to give up their seats to white riders and
move to the back of the bus as the whites boarded. When all the seats were
taken away by whites the black riders had to stand until Rosa Parks launched
the Montgomery Bus Boycott. King started the nonviolent protest called the
Montgomery Bus Boycott. On Monday December 5th 1955 there were no
black people on the buses of Montgomery, because King wanted to change the
injustices that happened on public transportation. Dr. King used nonviolent
tactics but the whites had a different agenda. Many whites resorted to violence
and King received many death threats. Dr. King said “Jesus said loves your
enemies!” He knew that not all white people were racist and violent tactics was
not the way to go. In early 1956, Dr. King was arrested for the first time and
a few months later his home was bombed. Blacks retaliated against the white
community but King stated “We must use nonviolence, spread love not hate.” The
Montgomery Bus Boycott received national attention finally on November 13th
1956, the Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation is illegal. In 1957, King
and others formed the Southern Christian Leadership Committee (SCLC) they
trained people to be nonviolent. However, King was arrested like many black
leaders, and in 1958 he was stabbed in the chest as he was singing his first
book “Stand Toward Freedom!” In early 1959, King and wife left form India. In
1960, was a critical year for the civil rights movement earlier that year a
group of black college students in Greensboro, North Carolina would lash out at
the unjust treatment that they have faced from the university. King acknowledged
that he had a younger generation who was also fighting for equality and,
therefore, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). John F Kennedy
was elected in 1960 and many African-Americans saw a chance for change in their
community, because JFK was a promising leader to them. John and Robert Kennedy
did not think that civil rights legislation was possible, but the next three
events changed his mind. In 1961, as the Civil Rights movement spread more whites
joined in the fight against segregation, black and whites’ freedom riders began
traveling together by bus throughout the south challenging discriminatory laws.
The freedom riders’ actions were often met with violence. In May 1961 King and
his followers were trapped in a Montgomery church by white racists until freed
by federal Marshalls. The federal government began to get involved and in 1961
they ended segregation in interstate travel. In 1962, James Meredith was
admitted by court order as the first black student of the University of
Mississippi riots occurred. In June 1963, Medgar Evers head of the Mississippi
chapter of the NAACP was shot and killed outside his home. The alleged murder
was not brought to trial until 1993. In 1963, King focused on Birmingham
Alabama that was the most segregated city. On April 12th, 1963 Dr.
King and Reverend Ralph Abernathy marched toward downtown Birmingham and were
faced with extreme police brutality. The police were ordered from police commissioner
Bill Conner who despised the civil rights movement. Abernathy and King were
jailed, and King was held in solitary confinement for 24 hours. President
Kennedy released King from jail and two days later King’s brother was arrested.
News broadcasters started to show how peaceful black protesters fought for
their civil rights, while on the other hand whites were the violent and vicious
ones. During the 11 days King spent in prison he wrote and smuggled out his
famous letter from the Birmingham jail describing the horrors that blacks were
facing in the south. King wrote about how brothers were being lynched, buses
saying “we hate race mixing!”, and blacks in poverty in the midst of an
affluent society. Dr. King stated that blacks can no longer wait for change. On
May 2nd 1963, a large group of black children joined the Birmingham
protesters, and as they moved downtown the police began making arrests. The
same segregated buses that took them to schools are now taking the black
children to prisons almost a thousand children were jailed that day. Then the
next day a thousand more children joined the march and police used fire hoses
to knock the children down. The black children were beaten with clubs, gassed
and attacked by police dogs. On May 10th 1963, King’s motel room was
bombed that made President Kennedy push civil rights legislation. In June Dr.
King and civil rights leaders met with President Kennedy to announce plans for
the March on Washington. The historic March on Washington took place in August
1963 as King and others predicted thousands of people came to support the civil
rights movement. Martin Luther King gave his famous “I have a dream” speech he
always urged his followers to not resort to violence. Even though, the white terrorists
were violent all the time. Kennedy was going to pass the civil rights act but
he was assassinated. King stated that it not about who killed Kennedy but it
was more about what Kennedy represents. President Kennedy wanted to see change
but the white terrorists repented against him. Lyndon B. Johnson pledged to
continue Kennedy’s work as America was fighting in the Vietnam. Johnson passed
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that was the most important bill passed since the
15th amendment. In 1964, King was labeled man of the year and he
became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. However, the
struggle was not over, because they were still bombings and shooting in the
south. In 1964, King got attacked by black panthers because they did not agree
with King peaceful protests. Dr. King received many death threats and on August
6th 1965 the Voting Rights Act was signed. On April 4th,
1968, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee at 39. James Earl Ray shot him.
Martin Luther King I have a dream speech!
Citation: https://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-king-jr-9365086
Martin Luther King Jr.
Biography.com
Martin Luther King Jr. was born
on January 15th, 1929 and he was the middle child of Michael King
Sr. and Alberta Williams King. King attended Booker T. Washington High School,
where he was outstanding student. He skipped both the ninth and eleventh
grades, and entered Morehouse College in Atlanta at age 15, in 1944. Martin
Luther King Jr. met Coretta Scott and they married in June 1953. They had four
children, Yolanda, Martin Luther King Jr. 3rd, Dexter Scott and
Bernice. Sadly, he was assassinated in 1963, but his legacy lives on.
Citation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I47Y6VHc3Ms
Martin Luther King “I have a
Dream” speech Published on August 28, 2013
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gives
his famous “I have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington August 28th,
1963. Martin Luther King Jr. is not only the most important African-American
man but also he is the most important man to walk on American soil. His
ingenious and imperative charisma is astonishing to me, because he is a truly a
gift from God. He fought for black people when black people did not have a
voice. I can only imagine what it was like for black Americans to live and grow
in the South. He gave us hope and told black people to walk with pride and to always
fight for our freedom. Everyone deserves freedom and respect not just blacks.
Black people were kicked down and tortured by the beastly forms of racism. I
would like to say that not every white person is racist but those that commit racist
acts truly disgust me. No one deserves to die for how they look, think, act or
feel. Humans act worse than animals because we act before we think. Martin
Luther King starts talking about the Emancipation Proclamation because that
document freed all “Negro” slaves from bondage. Black people worked hard and
long hours to support the white man and his family. I would not be here today
in the comfort of my workplace if it was not for Dr. King and many others. Dr.
King made a grave point when he said that the negro is not free if we are
subdued to racism. 50 –something years ago the civil rights act was passed and
blacks are still fighting for their freedom. Blacks are subjected to racism,
discrimination every day because we are black. Black people faced a lot of struggle
back then and we are still fighting for our rights today. The “negro” had no
place in American society when we were brought onto the slave ships to come to
America, but black people had made a prominent name for themselves. Dr. King
also mentions that Black men are equal to White men. The Black man is a robust
human figure and he works hard for his family. Black men like Michael Jordan,
Michael Jackson, and Denzel Washington are prime examples of what a black man
is supposed to exemplify. America is truly the land of the phony if they do not
grant freedom to people from different backgrounds. As King quoted, “America
has given black people a bad check, a check marked with insufficient funds.”
Blacks were not granted justice because our skin color is black. Segregation
and racism is ugly and it spreads like a cancerous tumor to ignorant minds. Black
people deserve the right to vote, citizenship and equality as well as
immigrants. Dr. King and other blacks would not be satisfied as long as we are
subjected to the horrors of police brutality. Black parents need to teach their
children respect and dignity because American reminds us every day that we are
worthless. Dr. King says judge someone on the content of their character not on
the color of their skin. Too many people judge people based on what they see
and other superficial things such as money, class, and clothes. A good-hearted
person is someone who has a nice personality and is truly genuine. They do not
demean others or make others feel lesser than them. It is easier to follow the
crowd but it is harder to be a leader. Let’s build more leaders than followers!
16th Street Church Bombing
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/birmingham-church-bombing
16th street Church
Bombing, History.com
The 16th street
Baptist church was a place for many civil rights protest marches and meetings. The
KKK members had routinely called in bomb threats to disrupt the civil rights
meetings that took place at the church. At 10:22 AM on the morning of September
15th, 1963, some 200 church members were in the building and the
children were attending Sunday school. The bomb set off on the church’s east
side, spraying mortar and brick from the front of the church, and Most people could
escape the church as it filled with smoke but four young girls sadly died.
Their names are 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Carole Robertson
and 11-year-old Denise McNair they were found beneath dust in the basement
restroom. Ten-year-old Sarah Collins who was in the restroom lost her right eye
and more than 20 people were blasted.
CORE (Congress of Racial Equality)
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/congress-of-racial-equality
CORE (Congress of Racial
Equality), History.com
CORE was founded in 1942, it became
one of the leading activist organizations in the early years of the Civil
Rights movement. In the early 1960’s, CORE launched “Freedom Rides, the Freedom
Summer Voter Registration Project and the historic 1963 March on Washington.”
James Farmer was CORE’s first black national director.
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/ole-miss-integration
James Meredith Ole Miss,
History.com
James Meredith was an
African-American man and he was denied from University of Mississippi also
known as Ole Miss. Chaos broke out from the white mob when he tried to
integrate the all-white school. In 1961, he filed a law suit with the NAACP
against Ole Miss and won.
SNCC (Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee)
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/sncc
SNCC (Student Non-Violent
Coordinating Committee) History.com
The SNCC (Student Non-Violent
Coordinating Committee) was a civil-rights group formed to give younger blacks
a voice in the Civil Rights Movement. Ella Baker who was the director of the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), helped set the first meeting
of what became the SNCC. She was concerned that the SCLC which was led by
Martin Luther King Jr. could not reach out to the younger people, and the people
wanted to see quicker change. The organization played a large part in the “Freedom
Rides” that was aimed at desegregating buses. In 1966, Stokely Carmichael was
elected head of the SNCC and popularized the term “Black Power.” The term “Black
Power” symbolized that blacks would be resilient and that they would use
violence as a legitimate means of self-defense. The SNCC was disbanded in 1967.
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/freedom-rides
Freedom Rides, History.com
Freedom Riders were groups of
white and black civil right activists who participated in Freedom Rides, which
were bus trips through American south. The Freedom Rides started in 1961 to protest
segregated bus terminals. Civil Rights activists would drive on buses
protesting for equality and equality on public transportation. They received
threats and violent outbursts from the white mob, they Freedom Riders became
famous because their cause was broadcasted on the news.
Little Rock Nine
Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/central-high-school-integration
Little Rock Nine, History.Com
The Little Rock Nine were a
group of nine black students who enrolled at an all-white Central High School
in Little Rock, Arkansas. They enrolled in September, 1957. Their attendance at
the school was a test of Brown v. Board of Education and the people of Little
Rock failed horribly. They did not like the fact that their schools were being
integrated. September 4th 1957, was the first day of classes at
Central High School and Governor Orval Faubus called in the Arkansas National
Guard to block the black students from entering the school. Later that month,
President Eisenhower sent in federal troops to escort the “Little Rock Nine”
into the school. The “Little Rock Nine” were consisted of nine African-American
students and they were the first African-American students to attend Central
High school. Their names are listed: Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest
Green, Thelma Mothershed, Melba Patillo, Gloria Ray, Terrance Roberts, Jefferson
Thomas and Carlotta Walls. Eventually, Central High school was integrated
because President Eisenhower stepped in to stop the segregation within the
school.
Rosa Parks & Montgomery Bus Boycott
Citation: https://www.biography.com/people/rosa-parks-9433715
Rosa Parks, Biography.com
Rosa Parks is a Civil Rights
Activist she was born February 4th 1913 and died on October 24th
2005. She refused to give her seat to a white passenger on a segregated
Montgomery, Alabama. The Montgomery Bus Boycott launched after Parks refused to
give up her seat and the boycott lasted for 381days. The boycott helped end
segregation on public facilities. On December 1st 1955, after a long
day of work at a department store she took a seat designated for “colored”
people. When an African-American passenger the bus, they had to get on at the
front to pay their fair and then get off; then they had to re-board the bus
through the back door. The driver of Rosa’s bus stopped the bus and moved the
sign further separating the blacks and whites. Therefore, four black passengers
had to give up their seats, but Rosa refused. The driver screamed, “Why don’t
you stand up?” to which Rosa replied, “I don’t think I should have to stand up.”
The driver called the police and had her arrested. Rosa stated that she did not
give up her seat because she was tired, she gave up her seat because she was
tired of succumbing to racism. The police arrested Rosa at the scene and
charged her with violation of Chapter 6 Section 11, of the Montgomery city
code. She was taken to police headquarters, later that night, she was released
on bail.
Montgomery
Bus Boycott
On the evening that Rosa Parks
was arrested, E.D. Nixon who is head of the local chapter of the NAACP, began
planning to organize a boycott of Montgomery’s city buses. Ads were places in
local papers and handbills were distributed in black neighborhoods. People
living in African-American neighborhoods were asked to stay off city buses on
Monday, December 5th, 1955 until blacks were treated equally. People
were asked to stay home from work or school, take a cab or walk to work.
African-Americans believed that a longer boycott would be successful because
the Montgomery buses would lose money. The Montgomery Improvement Association elected
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as the president for the organization. When Rosa
arrived at the courthouse for trial that morning with her attorney, she was
greeted by a huge crowd who supported her. The hearing lasted for 30 minutes and
Rosa was found guilty of violating a local ordinance and fined $10, as well as
a $4 court fee. The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted for 381 days. The city’s
buses were empty and some people carpooled, and others rode in African-American
operated cabs. About 40,000 African-American commuters living in the city at the
time decided to walk to work some of them had to walk 20 miles. Public
transportation was no longer segregated on December 20th, 1956 due
to the city losing money and the government getting involved.