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Jackie Robinson
Brooklyn, New York - Jackie Robinson made history by taking the field as a player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). This marked the end of racial segregation in professional baseball, a significant barrier in American sports. Robinson showcased his exceptional talent and resilience in the face of intense racism and adversity. -
Executive Order 9981
President Truman issued Executive Order 9981 to end discrimination in the Armed Services. This executive order declared that there would be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the military, regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin. The decision came after mounting pressure from civil rights organizations and African American veterans who highlighted the contradictions of fighting for freedom abroad while facing segregation at home. -
Sweatt v. Painter
Heman Marion Sweatt, was an African American man who was denied admission to the University of Texas School of Law solely because of his race. The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sweatt v. Painter found that a separate law school for blacks was inherently unequal in terms of resources, faculty, and opportunities, weakening the "separate but equal" doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education consolidated five different cases challenging racial segregation in public schools. The Court unanimously ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, stating that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal", overturning the Plessy v. Ferguson doctrine of "separate but equal". -
Murder of Emmett Till
14-year-old Emmett Till was visiting family in Mississippi, but a group of white men kidnapped, beat, shot, and dumped him in the Tallahatchie River for whistling at a white woman. His body was discovered three days later, and his mother insisted on an open-casket funeral to show the world the horrific violence inflicted on her son. Photographs of Till's disfigured body public outrage. Despite overwhelming evidence, an all-white jury acquitted his killers, who later confessed to the murder. -
Rosa Parks is Arrested
In Montgomery, Alabama, NAACP member Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat at the front of the colored section of a bus to a white passenger, which was required by local segregation laws. Her act of defiance led to her arrest, sparking outrage within the African American community. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
In response to Rosa Parks’ arrest, Newly elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. leads an organized boycott of the Montgomery buses lasting 381 days, during which African Americans refused to use the city's buses, demanding an end to segregation. The boycott resulted in a Supreme Court ruling that declared segregation on public buses unconstitutional. -
EQ Answer
How have economic, political and cultural decisions promoted or prevented the growth of personal freedom, individual’s responsibility, equality and respect for human dignity? -
Why did the civil rights movement change over time, and how did competing ideas and strategies evolve within the movement itself?
The civil rights movement was given new life as African Americans became important public figures that improved the respect for them among the general public and the government showed more sympathy for African Americans after the war. After Brown v. Board, the long-standing rule of Plessy v. Ferguson was broken, and it justified movements towards desegregation. The Montgomery Bus Boycott signaled the start of organized nonviolent protests led by MLK Jr. that proved effective in demanding change. -
Why did World War II play such a critical role in the civil rights movement?
The war exposed the contradictions between America's fight for freedom abroad and the persistent racial discrimination at home. Truman issued Executive Order 9981, desegregating the armed forces as a direct response to the contributions and sacrifices of black soldiers. Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat in 1955, leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, was inspired by the wartime push for civil rights. The war's impact on the national consciousness thus provided a crucial impetus. -
"Beyond" Storyline
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Ann Atwater Story
In the 1970s, Durham NC was segregated despite the Brown v. Board decision because many residents continued to oppose desegregation. The board of education attempted to solve this situation with a council to hear perspectives from both races. Ann Atwater was appointed co-leader with C.P. Ellis, an Exalted Grand Cyclops of the KKK. Atwater found common ground with her co-leader and became close friends, eventually desegregating the Durham schools, convincing Ellis to give up KKK membership. -
Sources
GALE
AP 26
Savvas Topics 16.1/16.2/16.3
U.S. History.Org - Chapter 54
https://www.nps.gov/brvb/learn/historyculture/socarolina.htm
https://www.schoolforconversion.org/extended-interview-with-ann-atwater
https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/breaking-isolation
https://www.ncpedia.org/atwater-ann-george