African American Civil Rights Essay Plans

Assess the view that the Supreme Court was the most important branch of the federal government in assisting African Americans achieve their civil rights in the period 1865-1992Intro: Supreme Court at times both hindered and helped Civil rights. The best assistance came when all three branches of the federal government worked together for the achievement of civil rights.P1: Supreme Court helped1954 Brown v. Board of Education - Ruled that an AA girl could attend her nearest school (White segregated)Change in attitude towards segregation - 1896 Plessy v. Fergunson & 1938 Gaines v. Canada1970s Bussing - 1917 Buchanan v. Warley - residential segregation unconstitutional1970 Green v. Connally - fed funds withheld to HE that continued segregation1960 Boynton v. Virginia - outlawed segregation on all interstate travel.SC was an important branch in the FG in the removal of segregation which would aid the change in attitudes towards AA.P2: Supreme Court HinderedFor the majority of the period up to the 1950s (1954 Borwn v. Board) the SC had done little to help and in some cases had hindered the progress of the CR movement.1938 Gaines v. Canada - re-enforced 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson 'separate but equal' - continuation of segregation1873 Slaughterhouse case - Rights of citizens under the state - could ignore Jim Crow Laws & Black Codes 1865/6 created by states.P3. Presidents1963-68 Johnson - Gave general support to the CR movement - continued Kennedy's work on Civil Rights Act 1964/Voting Rights Act 1965Kennedy - 1961-63 Change in attitude and become more involved/concerned with the issue of CR movement. Realized FG action was needed after the Birmingham Protest Mar 1963 - Limited by death- but began work on the Civil Rights Act 19641948 Truman executive order to desegregate army1912-16 Woodrow Wilson - Dismissed African American FG workers, appointed segregationists. Racist Southern Politician.1933-45 FDR Busy with war but used executive order to desegregate F employment1968-1974 Nixon Pause on CRPresidents support varied - some were active both positive/negatieve e.g. Johnson/Wilson, whilst others took a passive approach e.g. NixonP4. CongressCongress was fairly absent for the majority of the period showing a sense of continuity 1865 - 13 th Amendment, 1968 14th Amendment, 1970 15th Amendment - But then ignored/overlooked (1917 Buchanan v. Warley - indicated Amendments not followed)1964 Civil Rights Act + 1965 Voting Rights Act1968 Fair Housing Act1983 Martin Luther King Day1991 Civil Rights ActConc. - Supreme Court was important to the achievement of AA CR, but it is not the only factor. The most progress was made regarding AA CR when all three departments of the FG were working together for change.

To what extent were the activities of white racist groups the most important reason for the continued discrimination against African Americans from 1865-1992?Intro:White racist groups did have an impact on the continued discrimination against African Americans but it was not the most important factor. Political & public attitudes continued the discrimination of African Americans from the start of the period until the end in 1992.P1 - White Racist Groups 1865 - KKK first formed - reformed 19151925 over 5 million members - 1930 barely 30,00Height of lynching 1880-1910Climate of fear created for African AmericansWhite Citizenship Council (middle class) - formed as a reaction to 1954 Brown v. BoardRedshirts (militants) - Southern racist group formed 1875May have delayed CR but were not a major hold back. Highlight some public opinion towards AA and segregation but were not the main factor.P2. State GovernmentJim Crow Laws1865/6 Black Codes created by States - Made it difficult for AA to join the poll register - 1890 - 65% of AA school aged children in south unable to write / 15% of white children -lack of state intervention of education laws to encourage educational advances.1880-1910 Height if lynching but state governments did little to stop this1957 Little Rock - States - especially in the south- trying to maintain segregation.1980s Cut welfare provision - held back any progress that could be made by AAP3. Federal Government1865/6 President Andrew Johnson ignored Black Codes.Closed Freedman's Bureau 1872 (opened 1865)1915 No AA in in congress or state legislative 1992 - Levels of unemployments was double the nation average for AAP4. Public Opinion1919 - Boy stoned to death as he had drifted onto the white's only part of the beach1880-1919 Height of Lynching1957 Little Rock Nine - Angry mob of 1,000 w.Americans protesting their attendance. _ white resistance to 1954 Brown v. BoardConc. This shows that political and social attitudes were the most important factor in determine the extent of discrimination throughout the period. A change in public attitudes gradually undermined the impact of white racist groups and to an extent the US become, by and large, a more tolerant society. Whilst white racist groups highlight the climate of fear that AA faced this was not what have the main influence in the discrimination of AA. Federal Government failed to uphold legislation and ignored state governments that purposely discriminated against AA. This political attitude alongside public attitude were the man factors for continued discrimination for AA.