Regional and Ethnic Divisions
The West
➢ Became the hub of high-tech industries such as IBM’s research base in Silicon Valley
near San Jose and a giant Boeing company in Seattle-Tacoma.
➢ LA dominated cinema and TV production.
➢ Las Vegas turned into the home of gambling places, gangsters, golf courses, and
instant marriages and divorces.
➢ The West experienced the fastest rate of social change anywhere in America
➢ The inward migration of Hispanics, mostly from Mexico.
➢ There had been a first wave of such migration in the 1930s (alongside the migration
of 'Okies' from the Dust Bowl Midwest).
➢ From 1942 to the mid-1960s there was a second wave of migrants under the
'Bracero Program, set up by the US and Mexican governments to supply guest
workers.
➢ There was also a lot of 'illegal migration, often organised by people-smuggling
gangs.
➢ 1975 - there were 2 million Mexican Americans.
The New South
➢ The war made a difference through the experience of AA soldiers and improved
opportunities for education.
➢ The new age of TV made developments in the South visible to the whole nation,
building awareness of racial injustice and feeding demands for change and reform.
➢ A renewed surge of northward migration out of the South to the ‘Promised Land’ of
northern cities like Chicago.
➢ Migration in the 1950s and 1960s was on a larger scale than before.
Race and Immigration
African Americans
➢ Existing civil rights organisations like the NAACP grew stronger.
➢ 1957 - Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and Student Nonviolent
Coordinating Committee (SNCC) set up.
➢ New charismatic black leaders emerged.
➢ New generation of AA politicians won elections.
○ 1965 - Julian Bond election to HoR.
○ 1974 - Maynard Jackson became the first AA mayor of Atlanta.
Native Americans
➢ FDR’s 'Indian New Deal' of 1934 had only tinkered with the problems of social
integration and the protection of Indian rights.
➢ 1970s - A new generation of activists was campaigning for reforms and for the
restoration of what had been robbed from Native Americans in the past.
➢ 1969 - The American Indian Movement (AIM) was formed in Minneapolis; it was part
of the Rainbow Coalition, linking with radical African-American groups such as the
Black Panthers.
➢ 1973 - AIM activists from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota occupied
Wounded Knee (where Sioux warriors had been massacred in 1890), and there was
a violent confrontation with the FBI.
Civil Rights and American Society
➢ 1955 - Montgomery Bus Boycott.
○ Sparked by Rosa Park’s refusal to sit in the ‘coloured only’ section of the bus,
directly challenging racial segregation.
○ This led to the SC declaring segregation in buses illegal in 1956.
➢ The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a new type of activism skilfully led by MLK and the
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller surathsanwal. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $17.55. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.