Lecture Notes on Rights and Protests: US Civil Rights Movement (1954 – 1965) and Apartheid in South Africa (1948 – 1964)

US Civil Rights Movement (1954 – 1965)

Background

• American Civil War (1861 – 1865)
  • Conflict between Northerners (antislavery) and Southerners (pro-slavery)
  • Resulted in Northern victory and Reconstruction
• Constitutional Amendments
  • 13th: Abolished slavery
  • 14th: Citizenship and equal protection
  • 15th: Voting rights
• Post-Civil War Legislation
  • Civil Rights Act of 1866: Equal rights in contracts and employment

Nature of Discrimination

• Jim Crow Laws (1877)
  • Enforced segregation and disenfranchised African Americans
• Racism and Violence
  • Ku Klux Klan: Founded in 1865, active through various phases
    • Employed violence against African Americans and supporters
  • Disenfranchisement: Legal and violent methods to suppress African American votes
• Segregation and Education
  • Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Declared school segregation unconstitutional
  • Little Rock Nine (1957): Federal intervention to enforce school desegregation

Protests and Actions

• Non-Violent Protests
  • Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955 – 1956): Led by Martin Luther King Jr., significant economic impact
  • Freedom Rides (1961): Integrated bus rides to challenge segregation
  • Freedom Summer (1964): Voter registration drive in Mississippi
• Legislative Changes
  • Civil Rights Act (1964): Prohibited discrimination in various sectors
  • Voting Rights Act (1965): Addressed voting discrimination

Key Figures and Groups

• Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Led various campaigns, known for "I Have a Dream" speech
• Malcolm X
  • Advocated for self-defense and black empowerment
• Lyndon B. Johnson
  • Supported major civil rights legislation
• Organizations
  • NAACP, SCLC, SNCC, CORE, and Nation of Islam: Varied roles in advancing civil rights

Apartheid in South Africa (1948 – 1964)

Background

• Formation of the Union of South Africa (1910)
• National Party and Apartheid (1948)
  • Systematic racial segregation and discrimination

Nature of Discrimination

• Legislation
  • Petty Apartheid: Segregated everyday life
  • Grand Apartheid: Complete territorial segregation
  • Population Registration Act (1950): Racial classification
  • Pass Laws Act (1952): Controlled movement of Africans
• Forced Removals and Education Segregation
  • Group Areas Act (1950): Residential segregation
  • Bantu Education Act (1953): Inferior education for Africans

Protests and Actions

• Non-Violent Protests
  • Defiance Campaign (1952): Mass arrests to overwhelm jails
  • Bus Boycotts: Economic impact through organized protests
  • Freedom Charter (1955): Vision for democratic South Africa
• Increasing Violence
  • Sharpeville Massacre (1960): Turning point for armed struggle
  • Rivonia Trial (1963 – 1964): Imprisonment of ANC leaders

Key Figures and Groups

• Nelson Mandela
  • Key figure in ANC and armed struggle, iconic leader
• Albert Luthuli
  • Nobel Peace Prize laureate, early leader of ANC
• Organizations
  • ANC and SACP: Central to resistance efforts
  • MK (Umkhonto we Sizwe): Armed wing of the ANC

This summary captures key elements of the US Civil Rights Movement and Apartheid in South Africa, detailing the legislative background, nature of discrimination, significant protests, and the roles of key figures and organizations.