Civil Rights Movement
CRM- capitals refers to Martin Luther King Junior
crm- no caps refer to all other leaders
Jim Crow laws- Segregation laws
African Americans 10% of American society
Majority live in the south as that’s where slave plantations were
Origins of CRM
African Americans were freed from slavery during the civil war. After the civil war laws were passed
that gave them political rights. Slowly these laws were taken away as white conservatives regained
political power. Extremist white groups such as the ku klux klan made sure these laws were followed,
using violence and terror.
Important case in crm was Brown vs the board of education of topek.
Case was taken to the supreme court by NAACP
Ruling was that segregation in public schooling systems and transport was unconstitutional.
Role and impact of MLK
MLK born in 1929 in Atlanta Georgia.
Became Baptist minister in 1954
Member of NAACP
Organized Montgomery bus boycott despite threats and bombings against him
1957 king + other ministers formed SCLC
The SCLS trained activists how to partake in non-violent protest deal with police law and
media
King had a non-violent philosophy/Civil disobedience
Arrested many times during campaign
An eye for an eye makes everyone blind- Describes king’s philosophy
Awarded Nobel peace prize in 1964
Criticized for his philosophy
Believed in Peaceful co-existence
Montgomery bus boycotts
Sparked by rose parks refusing to give up her seat for a white man on a bus
Bus boycott was organized by MLK in 1955
People of colour stopped using public busses and stared carpooling or walking/riding
wherever they needed to go
MIA was formed (Montgomery improvement association)
Lasted a year
White supremacists tried to crush the boycott and set black churches on fire.
Police arrested many leaders such as king
Lawyers fought the parks case and won with the ruling segregation on public transport was
unconstitutional- December 1965
CRM- capitals refers to Martin Luther King Junior
crm- no caps refer to all other leaders
Jim Crow laws- Segregation laws
African Americans 10% of American society
Majority live in the south as that’s where slave plantations were
Origins of CRM
African Americans were freed from slavery during the civil war. After the civil war laws were passed
that gave them political rights. Slowly these laws were taken away as white conservatives regained
political power. Extremist white groups such as the ku klux klan made sure these laws were followed,
using violence and terror.
Important case in crm was Brown vs the board of education of topek.
Case was taken to the supreme court by NAACP
Ruling was that segregation in public schooling systems and transport was unconstitutional.
Role and impact of MLK
MLK born in 1929 in Atlanta Georgia.
Became Baptist minister in 1954
Member of NAACP
Organized Montgomery bus boycott despite threats and bombings against him
1957 king + other ministers formed SCLC
The SCLS trained activists how to partake in non-violent protest deal with police law and
media
King had a non-violent philosophy/Civil disobedience
Arrested many times during campaign
An eye for an eye makes everyone blind- Describes king’s philosophy
Awarded Nobel peace prize in 1964
Criticized for his philosophy
Believed in Peaceful co-existence
Montgomery bus boycotts
Sparked by rose parks refusing to give up her seat for a white man on a bus
Bus boycott was organized by MLK in 1955
People of colour stopped using public busses and stared carpooling or walking/riding
wherever they needed to go
MIA was formed (Montgomery improvement association)
Lasted a year
White supremacists tried to crush the boycott and set black churches on fire.
Police arrested many leaders such as king
Lawyers fought the parks case and won with the ruling segregation on public transport was
unconstitutional- December 1965
