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Study - Civil Rights Movement Peaceful Protests - Coggle Diagram
Study - Civil Rights Movement Peaceful Protests
Campaign in Birmingham, Alabama, April 1963
This was to end segregation in Birmingham - this was targeted because it was completely segregated and because black Americans had been attacked there. It was also where 'Bull' Connor was chief of police and it was believed he could be easily provoked into violence against peaceful protesters.
This campaign included sit-ins, mass meetings, peaceful protest marches and a boycott of shops.
Most of the adults that had protested were in jail so young people were trained to demonstrate. Over 900 people of all ages were arrested.
The next day, more people marched, the jails were full and so 'Bull' Connor ordered dogs and fire hoses to be used on the protesters. The news and reports spread worldwide and caused horror.
March on Washington, August 1963
This location was chosen because the White House and Congress were there.
SIZE - It showed huge support for civil rights across the USA. Neither federal nor state governments could argue that it was a minor issue.
WHO SAW IT - It was on broadcast live on television in the USA and other countries.
KING'S SPEECH - It was powerful as it: gained more support for civil rights and meant many people saw King as leader of the movement.
THE CROWD - The crowd were significant for two reasons: black and white people protested peacefully together and showed support for civil rights from all classes. Famous people such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez attended.
Freedom Summer, 1964
The right to vote only helped black Americans if they were registered to vote and not prevented from voting.
White opposition - SNCC volunteers knew they were putting themselves and black Mississippians in danger. Many white Mississippians called the project an invasion - over 10,000 KKK members were in Mississippi.
The Mississippi Murders - On 21st June, two people were arrested while driving to Schwerener's home. They were released that evening and on their way homes were murdered by the KKK. Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner were not found until August, it was found they had been shot.
Selma
Selma was in Dallas country where more black people were entitled to vote than white people yet only 1% of them were registered to vote. Fear of violence stopped many - Selma had the largest WCC in Alabama.
King Comes to Selma
Local groups invited the SCLC and King to campaign in Selma. They arrived in January 1965 at the same time as President Johnson was stressing the nee for a Voting Rights Act to make voting tests fair and help back Americans qualify to vote.
In Selma, people protested against the voter registration tests. There were confrontations with the police and violent arrests and one protester died.
On Sunday 7th March, about 600 protesters set out to march from Selma to Montgomery. State troopers stopped them at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, just outside Selma firing tear gas and attacking protesters with clubs and electric cattle prods. Again, the USA made world headlines for its abuse of black people.
Pressure on Congress
The assassination of President Kennedy and the growing protests led to a greater awareness of the issue of civil rights in the USA. The strong support for the protesters put increasing pressure on Congress to pass laws to protect the civil rights of the black Americans.