Chapter 28: The Civil Rights Era (1954-1975) KEY
Learning Goal: Describe the impact that the Civil Rights Acts, events and people had on increasing rights for
individuals and groups.
Section 1: Reconstruction and Jim Crow - pages 872-875 *Between the 1870’s and the 1950’s, African
Americans lost many of the civil rights they had gained after the Civil War (1861-1865 and during the
Reconstruction era of 1865-1877) Terms and Names: (15 points)
Segregation-separation, especially of races
Civil Rights- rights granted to all citizens (i.e., freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion; due process, equal
and fair treatment by law enforcement and the courts; the right to vote; equal access to public schools,
recreation, transportation, public facilities and housing; access to any and all of opportunities and benefits of a
democratic society.)
Black Codes-laws passed by southern states that limited the freedom of former slaves
Plessy v. Ferguson-1896 case in which the Supreme Court ruled that separation of the races in public
accommodations was legal
Jim Crow Laws- laws meant to enforce separation of white and black people in public places in the South
NAACP- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; a civil rights organization
Infringe – to violate
Answer the following questions:
1. How were African-Americans’ civil rights violated in the decades following Reconstruction? (1 point)
In the decades after Reconstruction, the Supreme Court reversed civil rights that had been gained by AfricanAmericans.
2. List ways that African-Americans reacted to discrimination. (2 points)
African Americans called for justice and equality through organizations such as the NAACP. They also moved
north seeking better lives.
3. What did the Fourteenth Amendment declare? (1 point)
The 14th Amendment declared that states were prohibited from infringing on the rights of citizens, including
the right to vote.
4. What did the Supreme Court rule in Plessy v. Ferguson? ( 1 point)
In 1896, in the case of the Plessy vs. Ferguson, Supreme Court ruled that: No civil rights were violated in
segregating African-Americans in railroad cars because the accommodations were separate but equal.
5. What was the effect of the Supreme Court rulings during and immediately after Reconstruction? ( 2 points)
These Supreme Court Rulings (i.e. 1873 Slaughterhouse cases, U.S. vs. Cruikshank, Plessy vs. Fergusson, etc.)
essentially allowed states to avoid the federal laws which prohibited discriminatory practices.
Section 2: The Modern Civil Rights Movement – pages 876 – 883 (16 points) * Changes after WWII helped
African-Americans make progress in their struggle for equality.
Terms and Names:
Integrate- to open to all people of all races or ethnic groups
Thurgood Marshall-NAACP legal counsel and the first African-American Supreme Court Justice
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka-1954 case in which the Supreme Court ruled that “separate but
equal” education for black and white students was unconstitutional
Montgomery Bus Boycott- 1955 protest action to end segregation on buses in Montgomery, Alabama
Martin Luther King Jr. - an influential leader of the civil rights era, assassinated in 1968
SCLC-Southern Christian Leadership Conference- organization that coordinated nonviolent civil rights protests
across the South
Sit-in- protest in which people sit in a place and refuse to move until their demands are met
SNCC- Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee - organization created to give young people a greater role
in the civil rights movement
Grassroots- group of ordinary people who come together at a local level for a cause
Activism- direct action taken to support or oppose a social or political goal
Answer the following questions:
1. Describe how civil rights workers challenged segregation. (2 points)
Civil rights supporters brought suits to the courts, boycotted segregated buses, and spoke out to end
discrimination and segregation.
2. How did segregationists try to stop integration? ( 1 point)
Segregationists created organizations to prevent desegregation and they practiced massive resistance. They
also employed violence and intimidation against people trying to end segregation.
3. How did the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision affect education? (1 point)
It allowed schools to be integrated.
4. What did Chief Justice Warren say about the doctrine of “separate but equal”? (1 point)
He said that separate but equal had no place in education.
5. Explain how the Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown strengthened the civil rights of all Americans. (1 point)
The Brown decision helped to change Americans views on equality and education. This further inspired other
changes in favor of equality.
Section 3: Kennedy, Johnson, and Civil Rights – pages 884-891 * The civil rights movement led to the end of
legal segregation. (16 points)
Terms and Names:
Freedom Rides- protests against segregation on interstate busing in the South.
Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)- Organization that planned Freedom Rides.
March on Washington-huge civil rights demonstration in Washington D.C. in 1963.
Civil Rights Act of 1964- law banning segregation in public places and creating the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission.
Freedom Summer- 1964 voter-registration drive for Southern blacks.
Voting Rights Act- 1965 law banning literacy tests and other laws that kept blacks from registering to vote.
Great Society- President Johnson’s programs to help the poor, elderly, and women.
Malcolm X- African American activist killed in 1965.
Answer the following questions:
1. How did ordinary people help bring about change? ( 1 point)
They continued organizing and protesting to increase the pressure for change. They were persistent.
2. What did the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act achieve? ( 2 points)
The Civil Rights Act banned segregation in public places and helped prevent job discrimination. The Voting
Rights Act helped ensure that all African Americans could register to vote.
3. What happened to the civil rights movement in the late 1960s? ( 1 points)
The focus of the civil rights movement shifted to economic issues, however, civil rights leaders disagreed about
whether to struggle nonviolently or to become more aggressive.
4. Why did civil rights workers believe that Birmingham, Alabama was a good place to protest?
They predicted violent opposition to their non-violent tactics and believed media coverage of it would
increase pressure for change.
5. How did civil rights workers fight to improve African-American voting rights? ( 1 point)
They formed grassroots organizations like SNCC and SCLC conducted voter registration drives during Freedom
Summer 1964.
6. What was the cause of disagreement among civil rights leaders in the late 1960’s? ( 1 point)
Some groups wanted to reject white support and nonviolent methods of protests.
7. Why do you think the March on Washington became such an important event in the civil rights movement?
( 1point)
The high visibility of the event, mammoth turnout, MLK’s inspiring speech… all contributed to bring about
awareness of the issues, unity, and further support.
Section 4: The Equal Rights Struggle Expands – pages 894 – 902 (16 points)
The African-American struggle for equality inspired other groups in their fight for civil rights.
Terms and Names:
Dolores Huerta- Mexican-American union organizer and negotiator.
Cesar Chavez- Mexican -American union organizer and leader.
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) - organization founded in 1944 to promote rights of Native
Americans.
Betty Friedan- women’s rights leader and author of The Feminine Mystique, one of the most important books
in the feminine movement.
National Organization for Women (NOW) - Organization founded in 1966 to get women good jobs and equal
pay.
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)-amendment proposed that would give equality of rights regardless of sex.
Latinos – People in the United States who trace their origins to Latin American countries and cultures.
Abridged – shortened
Assimilate – to blend into society
Answer the following questions:
1. Summarize how other minorities fought for civil rights. ( 1 point)
Other minorities organized and protested to gain equal and fair treatment in jobs, pay, housing and education
for their members.
2. What did the Women’s Movement achieve?
The women’s movement helped bring about an awareness of women’s lack of equal rights. Some legislation
was passed to create more equality for women in the workplace and in the area of legal rights.
3. How did Mexican Americans organize to promote reforms? ( 1 point)
They formed the UFWOC, which carried out the successful grape boycott for better working conditions. Later
they formed La Raza Unida, which advocated better jobs, pay, housing, and education.
4. What was the declaration of Indian Purpose?
Native American representatives demanded the right to choose their own way of life and the responsibility of
preserving their precious heritage.
5. How did Betty Friedan help to launch the women’s liberation movement?
By publishing The Feminine Mystique and helping to found NOW.
6. What issues cause people to engage in protests today?
War, human rights, the environment, food, government corruption, controversial Bills and Laws, rights to free
speech and MANY more.