Bridge to Freedom Documentary1. Identity at least five SPECIFIC similarities with respect to ideas and strategies for confronting discrimination in both the Gandhi movie and the “Bridge to Freedom Documentary.” More drastic forms of civil disobedience to bring political attention Make people realize how nonsensical violence is Gandhi similarity: give people honorable means and context to express and eliminate grief, speak succinctly back to issue (or movement will become chaos) Nonviolence/Marches Appeal to a moral community/role of media 2. What ignited the Selma to Montgomery civil rights march? Nighttime marches of civil disobedience Jimmie Lee Jackson attempted to protect his mother from similar attack and shot by Alabama Trooper, dying 8 days later Keep the issue of disenfranchisement: 5-6 day march time to discuss in nation what the real issues were 600 people gathered even though governor Wallace threatened Tear gas, police beating people up 3. What were some of the organizations that formed the civil rights coalition? SNCC SCLC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Southerne Leadership Converence 4. Who were some of the important leaders of this movement? MLK, John Lewis, Joisah Williams, LB Johnson (Antagonist: Goveror George Wallace) Amelia Bontier (spelling?), Reverend CT Vivian, Josea Williams, John Lewis, Reverend Frederick D. Reese, Ralph Abernathy, Reverend Orloff Miller, James Forman (SNCC) 5. What were some of the points of tensions and disagreements among the organizations that were part of the civil rights coalition? The first point of tension was doing the march. SCLC wanted to do it but SNCC was against it. The second point of tension was after the first failure march (sellout). SNCC wanted to get their guns and attack back but Lewis and Williams did a good job in explaining to them why that was not a good idea. SCLC was for waiting to do another march peacefully. The second march where MLK participated and then turned the march around caused SNCC to be angry and call him a sellout while SCLC waited for his response. Death of Rev James Reev Waiting for judge decision for marching from Selma o When approved Johnson ffederalized national troops for protection or protestors (Wallace didn’t guarantee safety) African National Congress Leader—first black man to win Nobel Peace Prize in 1960). called supporters from around the country to join him in Selma. Anti-Colonial Movements. Luthuli stayed at King’s residence o Also influenced by Modecai Johnson. Protests Movements in South Africa (early 1900s) o We need to understand South Africa in order to understand the civil rights movement because many of the civil rights mov leaders were so heavily influenced by Gandhi (whose ideas nurtured by South Africa) . What was the major achievement of the Selma civil rights campaign? The alliance of LBJ (President) in coming together to overcome civil rights issues Nonviolent. a famous black scholar/education/president of Howard that talked about Ghandi and the importance of his legacy o Morehouse college Mordecai Johnson: aquinted with strategies of nonviolence o Ghandi spent 20 years of his early life (came to South Africa in 1893) in South Africa his experience in South Africa transforms him into a civil rights activist and a civil rights leader David Levering Lewis: Triad of Influence --Black struggle in US. After police assaulted civil rights workers at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. on women MLK Jr deeply influenced by work of Ghandhi o King’s father was deeply interested in South African struggle (particularly work of Albert Luthuli. peacefully Campaign was able to avoid direct violence and aggression against town of Montogomery in order to maintain their civil rights Voting Rights Act Passage (signed into law 1965).coalitions Martin Luther King & Gandhi Freedom: contested and historically evolving idea (not the same 2014 as in 1680. King turned the marchers around and did not cross the bridge. During their first attempt at this march. etc) o Early 1700: Free man if owned property and owned slaves o Our definition of freedom today is what it is because ordinary people contested the limitations of the definition (still being evolved) o Restrictions on black civic rights. popular support (people rally and mobilize behind the goal.6. Martin Luther King Jr. nonviolence manner 7. Why did he turn them around? Turned because there was not much else to do Army had blockaded the bridge and MLK knew nothing good would come of trying to force their way through Wanted peaceful. brought an end to all the means and devices that the South used to try and exclude black voting Social Movements Most successful when: clearly identifiable/attainable goals. Alabama to march across the bridge. King’s Philosophy: The Black Struggle. separated linguistically. Muslim. Irene MOrgans (and legal campaigns of NAACP). Voting Rights. Break from Republican Party (Lincoln—Democratic). Truman and tensions in Democratic Party. Christian. Transformative integration (both blacks and whites live as equals). people of Indian ancestry didn’t think of themselves as collectively Indian—harsh class divisions. Christianity and Social Justice. segregated religiously (Hindu. Gudrathi----Gandhi comes as Gudrathi lawyer and leaves an indian Civil Rights: interracial interregional coalition o King tries to demonstrate his constitutional patriotism Civil Rights Movement o Inevitable outcome for people of African ancestry for democratic rights and recognition in American society o May 1954: Brown vs Board of Ed: segregation was legal and constitution until this decision NAACP (Du Bois fundamental in formation of organization) o 1909 to May 1954. especially for Blacks in south that couldn’t exercise certain rights (like the right to vote) o Transformative Integration: o Inevitable outcome for people of African ancestry for democratic rights and recognition in American society Gandhi’s influence: o Religion as a force of positive change for social justice o Religious eccumentaism (religion and social justice): religious people need to come together for common good (MLK and Abraham Joshua Heschel) o Non violence Similarities between Civil Rights movement and Gandhi struggle: o Unification of people from different classes (coalition politics) central to success of both movements Gandhi. Emmet Till Predisposing Factors: o The Black Migration o Voting Rights o Break from Republican Party o Truman/tensions with Democratic party o 1955-1965—Arrest of Rosa Parks to the March . Economic Justice o Principles of Civil Rights Movement o Constitutional Patriortism (translating the Constitution and making it real. NAACP successfully took 39 cases before the Supreme Court to chip away at walls of segregation in American society Modern Civil Rights Movement 5 Factors why Civil rights movements occurs in 1950s/1960s (Why did Civil rights movement erupt in 1950s/1960s? Factors that caused movement to erupt in this particular moment in history) Migration. Gandhian influence (nonviolence). starts with Truman). but Maryland/Virginia. East coast industires) o After WW1. had to follow laws of South (Blacks go to the back) Legal stragey: interstate commerce. Interstate transportation/commerce was banned Rosa Parks of 1940’s Politics of colorism (much more darker than Rosa Parks) Brown vs Board of Ed o Topeka School Board and Linda Brown o Viewed the negative Consequences of Segregation o Overturns Plessy vs Ferguson decision Tragic death of Emmett Till o Grows up in Chicago. Pittsburgh. plays important role (TIME) . best paying jobs were in the North (West Coast. majority of African Americans lived in the South. Black Panther Party Voting Rights: o Politicians tried to court the black vote (wanted black votes). and disappears o Body found in Mississippi River o When body was discovered. Chicago black population votes overwhelmingly. California) o Many black political movements has to be understood and contextualized to this great migration o San Fransico State College. The Great Migration: up and until WW1. NAACP Lawyers sued successfully and won. Chicago. US Government wanted a closed casket funeral Mother insisted on an open casket funderal (hundreds of thousands go past his o America made to come to term with violence of racism o Media also covered. o Greatest internal democratic shift in American history (from South to East. Detroit. African Americans by hundreds of thousands. as a consequences. national Democratic party starts to embrace civil rights agenda Truman speaks before NAACP Covention Kennedy: actively courts black vote (Illinois. calling for Voting Rights Act vs George Wallace) George Wallace Governor of Alabama who blocked civil rights movements with state troopers (Democratic party) Lyndon B Johnson (“We shall overcome”) was Democratic o As consequene of migration (1950s/1960s. leaves south to move to Chicago o Goes to spend holiday in South o Goes into candy store run by white woman Convention of South: don’t speak to white man until spoken to first Talks “fresh” to white woman in store o Late at night. moved to the North. speculation that NAACP and legal battles o Irene Morgan: Boston could sit anywhere. woman and husband shows up takes Emmet TIllet. o Democratic party dilemma (Johnson embraces agenda of civil rights movement. but from Civil war onwards. 15 amendment Women and the Civil Rights History the Will of Great Men o Lot of concentration on national leaders of movement o Regional and local leadership in movement. Bridge to Freedom Documentary) o Major leglislative game: Voting Rights Act (Act that brought an end to all laws (poll taxes. women played great role National Leadership vs Regional and local levels o History always focuses on national leadership (reading accounts of Civil Rights movement seems to be primarily led by men…quite the contrary haha…. o Nation is made aware of violence in the South. case to use to fight the law o Women’s political organization was able to organize the boycott o MLK was a new preacher in town had no intention of being civil rights leader (his aspiration was to become president of Moorehouse college) o Elected MLK to be head of association leading boycott bc smart. . with intention of fighting segregation in motgomery Alabama 1951: English professor at Alabama State College becomes head of organization 1954 after Brown vs Board Dedicates to fighting segregation in public transportation in south o Claudette Colvin: thgouth there was a good case. MLK delivers famous I have a Dream speech Desegregation struggles Selma March (Alabama. wanted someone new w/o attachment to political party Initially didn’t do much to sustain and organize this boycott o Joann Robinson and council sustained boycott for a year Black domestic servants who rode public transportation. . . naacp told her to pay fine o Rosa Parks: active in Women’s political council Here’s a good test case to test segregation in mont Alabama. headed major church in town. Mary Burns 1946). cumulative effect Tra Von Marten (?) First Phase of Civil Rights Movement (1955-1965 (rosa parks to bridge to freedom)) Important Events Montgomery Bus Boycott Freedom Rides (Sympathetic supporters in North go to South participating in various movements) March on Washington (August 1963). many white women hired private transportation o Black women did made boycott successful . but bc pregnant and teenager.14. grandfather clauses). ) Jo Ann Robinson o There may not have been a MLK jr without her o Wrote “The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1 year) and the Women who Started it” o Women’s Political Council (Formed by Dr. to circumvent 13. why are blacks concentrated in parts of Chicago.’68) o Organize campaign across race that emphasize poverty and inequality o Calling on nation to address different issues Santitation Workers Strike o Rights of workers to unionize and earn decent living Death of MLK: April 1968. red lining. ’66. Memphis TN o Sanitation workers strike (union issues) Second phase doesn’t get off the ground. bad infracstructure Racism as a national problem o As King emphasizes racism isn’t a problem just in South. all allies that supported him are now more reluctant to support him (Lyndon Johnson) Embraces legacy of Du Bois o MLK begins to talk same language (racism also about economic inequality) Vietnam war (one of last campaigns MLK was involved in) Poor People’s Campaign (Last campaign of MLK.’67. King isn’t talking about voting rights but segregation.Second phase of Civil Rights Movement (1965-1968) Different set of issues from first phase Issues of Economic Inequality and Poverty o What is use of vote if you don’t have a job or decent income Bill of Rights foR disadvantaged 1964 o King moves movement in new direction (after success of Voting Rights Act in Selma) Chicago Freedom Movement 1966 (Mayor Richard Daley) o Brings tactics of Civil rights movement northward o Democrtically controlled city who was sympathetic to Alamba Selma March o When King starts to say racism is a problem in Chicago as well. poor. but issues that civil rights movement was fighting over are as relevant today as then Gains of Civil Rights Movement Since Gains of the Civil Right Movements since the 1950s: access to education institutions a Black middle class higher medium incomes government and private sector advances sub-urbanization of a segment of the Black population Du Bois' idea of the color line (Is it still there? Still important?) Shifting Ideological Climate: removal of formal discrimination 1968 election Southern Strategy Richard Nixon decided not to emphasize segregation in an effort to get Blacks to join the Democratic party Carter's election 92% of the Black vote went to Carter increased Black political representation . . sports (other than courts that was propelling integration forward in the 1900s) 1960s/1970s Diana Ross and the Supremes Stevie Wonder The Four tops . nevertheless an important historical moment Exposed contradictions in US Society Takes courage to change unjust laws Liberalization of American society 1954 Brown Decision 1965 Voting Rights Act Political Representation Desegregation of Public Schools Educational Desegregation Achievements of Civil Rights Movement Desegregation: Schools/Uni/Public Facilities Legilation: Brown decision. 19654 .etc Gains since the 1960s Access to Educational Institutions A Black Middle Class Higher Medium INcomces Gov and Private Sector Advances Sub urbanization of Segment of the Black Population Political Representation Random Football… College football drives desegregation Forces for social change: music. entertainment. The Age of Reagan: brings an end to the Cold War establishes MLK holiday era of conservatism pro corporate strategies: emphasize strategies that benefit the upper class not good for strategies emphasizing racial equality Livingston gym Barack Obama’s election Merely symbolic or is there any tangible consequences. former slaveholding states. where civil rights struggles takes place (espectially in football—vowing publicly that would never recruit black athletes) USC and Alabama Time line (A Version) 1947 Jackie Robinson plays in major leagues 1954 brown vs board of education 1956 louisiana bans interracial spots competition 1964 civil rights act 1964 1970 USC beats Alabama (Bear Bryant vows not to integrate) 1972: SEC has at least one black on every football team Rutgers University/Livingston college in the 1970s Rutgers starts all black team 1974 Kentucky . former jim crow states (former confederacy where so much of civil rights struggle) o Large states university of former confederacy.Schools of the southeast conference Former confederate states.