Unit 3 Guide: Dismantling Jim Crow and the Rise of Black Power

Long Civil Rights Movement

The view that the struggle for civil rights dates back beyond 1954 and encompasses a more extensive period of resistance.

De Jure Segregation

Segregation enforced by law, such as Jim Crow laws in the South.

De Facto Segregation

Segregation that occurs in practice rather than by legal requirement, often seen in the North.

Double V Campaign

A WWII-era campaign demanding victory over fascism and racism, highlighting the struggle for civil rights.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Supreme Court case that overturned 'separate but equal' doctrine, declaring segregation in schools unconstitutional.

Thurgood Marshall

NAACP lawyer who argued Brown v. Board and highlighted the psychological harm of segregation.

NAACP

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; focused on legal challenges and civil rights legislation.

SCLC

Southern Christian Leadership Conference; a group of ministers focusing on nonviolent direct action.

SNCC

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; a youth-led organization emphasizing grassroots activism.

CORE

Congress of Racial Equality; an interracial group known for nonviolent actions like the Freedom Rides.

Ella Baker

Civil rights activist who advocated for group-centered leadership and founded SNCC.

Fannie Lou Hamer

Activist who challenged racial discrimination in politics; known for her testimony at the 1964 Democratic National Convention.

Jo Ann Robinson

President of the Women's Political Council; helped initiate the Montgomery bus boycott.

Sit-ins

A form of protest where activists occupy a space and refuse to leave until demands are met or they are arrested.

Freedom Rides

Interstate bus rides into the segregated South to challenge noncompliance with Supreme Court rulings.

Project C (Birmingham, 1963)

A campaign that used children's marches to confront segregation, leading to widespread media attention.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that prohibited racial discrimination in voting and outlawed literacy tests.

Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act)

Legislation prohibiting housing discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, and sex.

Black Power

A movement emphasizing racial pride, economic self-sufficiency, and the rejection of white validation.

Stokely Carmichael

Activist who popularized the term 'Black Power' and promoted black self-determination.

Malcolm X

Civil rights leader who advocated for Black Nationalism and criticized the mainstream movement's nonviolence.

Black Panther Party for Self-Defense

A group founded to monitor police behavior and provide community services, embracing armed self-defense.

Robert F. Williams

NAACP leader advocating for armed self-defense for Black individuals in the South.

Ten-Point Program

The Black Panther Party's manifesto outlining demands for equality and justice.

Common Mistakes in Civil Rights History

Misunderstanding the differences between organizations, the concept of Black Power, and individual contributions.

Rosa Parks Myth

The misconception that Parks acted spontaneously; she was a trained activist who planned her protest.