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.