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President Truman's Committee on Civil Rights
A committee created to investigate how the civil rights were going and to strengthen and protect the civil rights picture-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_Committee -
Truman becomes First President to talk to the NAACP
President Truman becomes the President to address the NAACP which is a huge step into creating more Civil Rights for African Americans Picture- http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/kensmind/1278588/868074/868074_600.jpg -
Truman Desegregates the Armed Forces
President Truman Desegregates the Armed Forces with Executive Order 9981 Picture- https://thegrio.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120528-003600.jpg -
Brown v. BOE (Board of Education)
The U.S. Supreme Court found the separation of blacks and whites at schools was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court ordered all schools to integrate picture-https://www.thoughtco.com/brown-v-board-of-education-timeline-45459 -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks, African American, refused to give up her bus seat to whites in Montgomery, AL. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the NAACP organized civic leaders and boycotted the buses in Montgomery. Supreme court ruled segregation on public transportation unconstitutional https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_bus_boycott -
The 1956 state flag
In 1955, GA General Assembly voted to change the state flag.
The GA state constitution allowed the legislature to change the flag without a statewide vote. Debate continues today about the reason the flag was changed. Supporters claimed it was to mark the upcoming centennial of the civil war, others felt it was to show opposition to Brown v. BOE and federal desegregation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Georgia_(U.S._state) -
Southern Christian leadership Conference (SCLC)
Founded in 1957 in response to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Led by Dr. King. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Their purpose was To work for civil rights for African Americans through nonviolent means, also file lawsuits to change segregation and voting laws and organize boycotts, rallies, and marches during the Civil Rights Movement http://www.blackpast.org/aah/southern-christian-leadership-conference-1957 -
Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
SNCC was a student-led civil rights organization made up of high school and college students. They used non-violent methods of protest (sit-ins, marches). Protesters would occupy buses, restaurants, etc. and refuse to leave https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_Nonviolent_Coordinating_Committee -
Sibley Commission
By 1960, GA’s schools have not integrated, GA's governor, Ernest Vandiver formed a committee to investigate public opinion on integration. Would they rather have schools follow federal law and integrate or follow GA law and shut down public schools. 60% of Georgians said they would rather close the schools than integrate. The commission recommended letting local school boards decide for themselves weather to integrate. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/education/sibley-commission -
Atlanta School System Integrates
Atlanta School System is officially desegregated. -
UGA Integrates
Hamilton Holmes- Became a well know orthopedic surgeon
Charlayne Hunter- successful career as a journalist
These are the first African Americans to get admitted into UGA https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/charlayne-hunter-and-hamilton-holmes-walk-down-athens-news-photo/515549730 -
Schools Integration in Georgia
Georgia assembly repealed laws that cut off funds for universitys and public schools that integrated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_integration_in_the_United_States -
Albany Movement
Freedom march organized by SNCC and the NAACP. MLK led hundreds of protesters in Albany, GA to resist segregation. Nearly 500 people were arrested, including King. The Albany movement did not result in immediate change. It was considered a failure, but organizers learned lessons they applied in future protests. https://sites.google.com/site/mlknonviolenceprotest/the-albany-movement -
Protests Move to Alabama
MLK begins work to integrate all aspects of public life in Birmingham, Alabama. He called Birmingham the most segregated city in America. Over 3,000 people were arrested including children.
Business community pressures politicians to end segregation in Birmingham. KKK bomb killed 4 black children at the 16th street Baptist church in birmingham. African Americans and whites from the north and south began to join together to stop the violence.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/photography -
March on Washington
200,000 people of all races marched from Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial. Martin Luther King give his famous speech “I have a dream”. The March successfully encourages the passage of the civil rights act.
\http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/march-on-washington -
Civil Right Act
President Kennedy sponsored now civil rights laws but was assassinated before they could come to a law passage of the civil rights act caused a split in the Democratic Party. Southern Democrats, Led by Richard B Russell, didn't like the passage of the bill. Signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson
Prohibited segregation in all public places and discrimination from hiring, firing, and promotion also gave the federal government to withhold funds from states that resist the law -
Selma
After the CRA passed, Focus of movement went to voting laws. Selma to Montgomery marches were a series of 3 marches to the demand voting rights in Alabama. Violence at the second March Led to the National Guard protection for marchers. Public outcry sped up the passage of voting right laws. https://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/exhibits/selma-to-montgomery -
Selma to Montgomery March
It was a series of protest marches along the 54 mile stretch of highway from Selma, Alabama and the State Capital of Montgomery. All 3,200 people were walking the highway for the samething. Voting Rights. http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/selma-montgomery-march -
Voting Rights Act
Congress passed the voting rights act of 1965, 1 million African-Americans were registered to vote
Prohibited states from imposing any voting qualifications
prohibited states from denying citizens the right to vote because of their race https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act_of_1965 -
Lester Maddox
Georgia’s Governor 1966-1970
Last overtly segregationist governor in Georgia. As governor, refused to allow a state funeral for Dr. King, refused to lower the flags to half-staff for the funeral, and surrounded the state capital with armed guards during the funeral procession. Ironically, Maddox appointed more African Americans to state office than all other governors combined. Integrated the State Patrol. Held “People’s Days” when any Georgian could visit and talk with the governor -
Dr. King Assassinated
Dr. King traveled to Memphis, Tennessee support striking African-American sanitation workers. He was assassinated on the balcony of his hotel on April 4, 1968. Riots broke out in over 100 cities, but Atlanta remained peaceful before and after Martin Luther King‘s funeral, largely due to the efforts of Ivan Allen jr. and the police force. 200,000 mourners were present for King’s funeral procession. His funeral was attended by politicians, celebrities, and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. -
State Flag Controversy
The 1956 State Flag became an issue during the civil right movement. Some Georgians thought the Confederate battle flag was not a proper symbol for a state flag. By the early 1980s every session of the legislature saw attempts to change the flag. This became a dividing issue in the state http://deepsouthvoice.com/2017/12/28/mississippis-state-flag-could-be-on-the-ballot-in-2018/ -
Rep. John Lewis
In 1981, Lewis was elected to Atlanta City Council.Later in 1986, he was elected by Georgia’s 5th district to the US House of Representatives.Continues to serve in this position today. He is the senior member of GA’s congressional delegation http://www.refinery29.com/2016/01/100502/john-lewis-cats-tweet -
The Barnes Flag
In the 1990’s Georgia lost business and tourism opportunities over the flag. Arguments threatened to overshadow the 1996 Olympic Games. In 2001, a new flag was proposed and passed by the general assembly. It was approved by Governor Roy Barnes and became known as the Barnes Flag https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_State_of_Georgia_(2001-2003).svg -
"Flaggers" Protest
People who liked the 1956 flag held protest held protests over the charge. The “flaggers” staged protests at almost every public event that the governor attended. “Boot Barnes” bumper stickers and yard signs popped up around the state. Some Georgians refused to fly the Barnes flag and continued to fly the 1956 flag. http://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/atlanta-rewind-the-georgia-state-flag-flap/213FOlfrFmLSU43ue6tYnN/ -
Georgia's Current Flag
Sonny Perdue became governor in 2003. Promised to let Georgians vote on the flag, so “flaggers’” voted for him. Instead, the legislature chose the new design. When Georgians voted, it was between the Barnes flag and the new design. The new design won and became GA’s new flag. The current flag features the state coat of arms in gold, surrounded by 13 stars that represent the 13 colonies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Georgia_(U.S._state)#/media/File:Flag_of_Georgia_(U.S._state).svg
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