African American Civil Rights: Essay
Plans (exc turning points)
"** Was the most successful AA Leader": SUPPORT FROM WHITE AMERICA
MLK:
March on Washington 1963 involved at least 200,000 people including many white
Americans
Non-violent, powerful orator e.g. ‘I have a dream’ speech
Use of religion e.g. power of southern baptism behind the SCLC
Used media to gain sympathy - March on Birmingham and the 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'
Gained mass support
BTW:
Integrationist approach, idea of compromise and co-operation with white America e.g. 1895
Atlanta Compromise speech - "cast down your bucket where you are"
Invited to white house by Roosevelt 1901
Informal advisor to Taft and Roosevelt
Had support from Presidents but limited among the country as a whole - influence is tied
specifically to president who changes regularly
Randolph:
Influence over 2 presidents e.g. executive order by Roosevelt (1941) and Truman (1948)
Use of non-violent methods - organised March on Washington
"** Was the most successful AA Leader": MASS SUPPORT FROM AAS
MLK:
Mostly ignored economic inequality in favour of social + political rights - 1966 Chicago
campaign to end de facto segregation in employment failed due to less co-operation from
AAs in urban ghettos
, More popular in the South than in the North
SCLC aimed to gain liberal white support + their integrationist approach caused other AA
leaders like Malcolm X to criticise MLK
Garvey:
Amassed huge support - UNIA had 4 million members
Separatist, focused on economic advancement, celebrated black pride and cultural identity +
rejected white authority which appealed in particular to working-class AAs in northern
ghettoes
First black mass movement - high-point of organisation by and for AAs
Lost support just as quickly as he gained it - met with KKK 1922, deported 1927
Malcolm X:
Talented speaker and writer - acted as a minister and recruiter of new members
1960, launched the newspaper Muhammad Speaks, which reached a circulation of over
600,000
Responsible for a rapid growth in NOI membership from 400 in 1952 to 40,000 or more by
1960
Preached violent revolution - focused on economic and social inequality in the inner cities of
the north – lots of support from AAs there
Emphasis on black pride and culture
Broke with NOI then was assassinated 1965 - also criticised by MLK, divisive figure that also
alienated many AAs
"** Was the most successful AA Leader": ACHIEVING AIMS
MLK:
1963 March on Washington influenced 1964 Civil Rights Act - outlawed segregation
1965 MLK and the SCLC led voter-registration campaign, ended in the Selma to
Montgomery Freedom March - police responded violently, resulted in Voting Rights Act later
that year
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