Transcript Barrington 220

Kennedy, Johnson, and Civil Rights
At this time, John F. Kennedy was
elected president
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(There’s an extra page (4) in your packets on J.F.K.)
Civil rights was not a
main issue in his
campaign, but it was an
important one.
One of the times MLK
was arrested, JFK and his
brother Robert arranged
for King’s release.
Kennedy also had a hard
time dealing with
Southern Democrats in
Congress who supported
segregation.
Another form of protests were:
“Freedom Rides (3)”
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In the south, African
Americans would get
on busses, sit in the
front, and refuse to
move.
At bus terminals
they’d try to use
“white only” facilities.
They were often
beaten and attacked
In the early 60’s, the civil rights movement
gained strength in the South
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In protests in Birmingham,
Alabama, African Americans
wanted to push for
integration.
They city’s Public Safety
Commissioner (“Bull” Connor)
decided to use violence to
stop the protestors.
King was there and was
arrested
Police used fire hoses and
dogs on the protestors.
People across the nation
watched much of this on TV
and were horrified.
Many more Americans began to support the passage
of new laws to protect all people’s civil rights
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On August 28th, 1963 about
250,000 people took place in
the “March on Washington (14)”
The highlight of the March was
MLK’s “I have a Dream” (15)
speech
JFK did not live long enough to fulfill his
promise to protect people’s civil rights
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He was assassinated
on November 22nd,
1963 in Dallas, Texas
His death was a
central event in many
Americans lives, for a
long time.
He was succeeded by
Lyndon Johnson.
Johnson (19) promised to continue
Kennedy’s policies
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The Civil Rights Act of
1964 (21) was signed
into law.
This banned segregation
in public places (hotels,
restaurants, theaters,
etc…)
Also created the Equal
Employment Opportunity
Commission to prevent
job discrimination.
President Johnson had a reform plan
he called “the Great Society (28)”
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He wanted to help the
disenfranchised, the poor,
the elderly, and women.
Its goal was to promote
education, end
discrimination, and
protect the environment.
Some of these programs
are still around today
(Medicare/Medicaid (37),
The Clean Air Act, The
Clean Water Act)
By the late 60’s, there had started to be different
ideas about how to go about getting civil rights
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Some wanted this
movement to be more
aggressive than the
passive resistance and
non-violence MLK pushed
for. – they wanted “black
power”
There were starting to be
some race riots – even in
the North.
There were a lot of riots
after April 4th, 1968 when
King was assassinated.
The Nation of Islam wanted blacks
to separate themselves from whites
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In the 60’s they were led by
Elijah Mohammed
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Elijah Muhammad died on February 25,
1975. After his death the leadership of his
movement passed to his son, Wallace
Muhammad, who renamed the movement
the World Community of Al-Islam in the
West, and then the American Muslim
Mission
Wallace Muhammad relaxed the strict
dress code, abandoned resistance to
military service, encouraged members to
vote and to salute the flag, and even
opened the movement to white people. In
general, he made the movement much
more conventionally Islamic.
Many members were disturbed at the
movement's new, moderate direction. The
most important of them formed a new
group called the Nation of Islam, led by
Louis Farrakhan (1933–). Farrakhan
generally retained Elijah Muhammad's
ideas and practices.
But the Nation of Islam’s most popular
personality was Malcolm X (39).
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In the mid 60’s he went
to Mecca and changed his
mind on some things.
He thought there could
be a world where all
nations could live
together in peace.
But, he was also
assassinated – by some
members of the Nation of
Islam.
Page 8 in your packets
has more on Malcolm X