U.S. History STAAR® Blitz

Civil Rights

Discrimination

• In the late 1800s, former slaves gained important rights through the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments

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• However, in the South, these rights were soon restricted by Jim Crow laws. These laws enforced segregation and, through the use of literacy test and poll taxes, made it nearly impossible for African American males to vote

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• Hoping for better opportunities and treatment, many African Americans moved north. Unfortunately, they found racial prejudice and segregation there as well

Turn and Talk

What was the purpose of Jim Crow laws?

Judicial Action

• In Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), the Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public places was constitutional as long as the facilities were “separate but equal”

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• In 1953, Thurgood Marshall of the NAACP argued that segregated schools were not equal and that, according to the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, African Americans deserved the same educational opportunities as white Americans

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• In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court agreed with Marshall and declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional

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• Many in the South resisted these changes. Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus sent the National Guard to prevent African American students from entering Central High School; in response, President Eisenhower sent federal troops to protect the Little Rock Nine and ensure desegregation was enforced

Turn and Talk

What event led to President Eisenhower sending federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas?

Civic Participation

• In an act of civil disobedience, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in the “whites-only” section of a city bus, which resulted in her arrest

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• In response, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted over a year. The protest ended when the Supreme Court declared bus segregation unconstitutional

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• This victory inspired more peaceful protests across the nation, including marches, sit-ins, and boycotts, all aimed at challenging racial inequality

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• During the Freedom Rides, civil rights activists traveled through the South on integrated buses to draw national attention to the continued illegal segregation at bus terminals, lunch counters, and restrooms

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• The Black Panthers, led by Huey P. Newton, fought against racism and police brutality in their communities. Unlike Dr. King, who advocated for nonviolent resistance, the Black Panthers were willing to use armed resistance to achieve their goals

Turn and Talk

What is one difference between the Black Panthers and Martin Luther King, Jr.?

Change is Coming

• In 1963, civil rights leaders organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom to demand racial equality, economic justice, and an end to segregation�
• During the rally, Dr. King gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech and shared his hopes of a future where people would be judged by their character, not by the color of their skin�
• Dr. King’s words inspired hope in many Americans and increased pressure on leaders to make changes

Turn and Talk

What was the purpose of the

March on Washington?

New Legislation

• In response to the March on Washington, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. This landmark legislation -
• outlawed segregation in public places
• created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to ensure fair employment practices and combat workplace discrimination

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• The Civil Rights era also led to increased political participation among minorities due to key legal changes
• The Twenty-Fourth Amendment banned the use of poll taxes that prevented people from voting
• The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed literacy tests and other discriminatory practices that prevented minorities from voting

Turn and Talk

What was the purpose of the

Civil Rights Act of 1964?