Clever Grades

🎧 Read Aloud

THE ONSET OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT (1939-1959)

Historical Context (1939-1959)

Movement Foundation

From the onset of World War II through the 1950s, the civil rights movement grew in organization and influence, seeking to dismantle racial segregation and discrimination in the United States. This era highlighted contradictions in American democracy, setting the stage for massive change.

Race Relations During WWII

The Second World War brought high tension and exposed deep inequalities that fueled early organizational efforts.

1

Race Riots

Wartime tensions and migration to cities triggered violent race riots in places like Detroit (1943), reflecting deep racial inequalities and frustrations.
2

Double-V Campaign

African Americans pushed for victory against fascism abroad and racism at home, highlighting contradictions in American democracy.
3

Japanese Internment

In 1942, the US government forcibly relocated around 120,000 Japanese Americans to internment camps, a severe violation of civil rights justified by wartime hysteria and racial prejudice.

Impact of Civil Rights Groups

Various organizations played pivotal roles in advancing civil rights through legal means, direct action, and grassroots organizing.

✓

NAACP

Focused on legal challenges to segregation, most notably the Brown v. Board case.
✓

CORE

Used non-violent direct action and sit-ins to protest segregation.
✓

SCLC

Founded in 1957 and led by Martin Luther King Jr, it emphasized peaceful protest and grassroots organizing.

Key African American Leaders

These key figures provided crucial leadership, shaped strategies, and inspired mass mobilization in the movement's nascent stages.

🗣️

M. L. King Jr.

Became the moral leader of the movement, espousing non-violence and inspiring mass mobilizations.
⚖️

Thurgood Marshall

NAACP lawyer who won key Supreme Court cases, later became the first African American Supreme Court Justice.
🤝

James Farmer

Co-founder of CORE, advocated for direct action and interracial cooperation.
🚂

A. Philip Randolph

Organized labor campaigns and pressured Roosevelt and Truman to desegregate the military and defense industries.

The 1954 Overturn

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) → Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
The Brown ruling declared school segregation unconstitutional, fundamentally overturning the doctrine of "separate but equal."

Southern Resistance and Movement Victories

✅
Key SuccessesMontgomery Bus Boycott (1955-56) successfully challenged bus segregation, elevating King's leadership. Little Rock Nine integration required federal troops, showcasing commitment to enforcement.
❌
Resistance & SetbacksSouthern Manifesto: Signed by many white Southern politicians, this document explicitly opposed desegregation and sought to uphold Jim Crow laws.

Landmark Federal Actions and Cases

Year Decision Significance
1944 Korematsu v. US Upheld Japanese Internment
1948 Executive Order 9981 Desegregated Armed Forces
1948 Shelley v. Kraemer Ruled against racial housing covenants
1954 Brown v. Board Ended School Segregation
1957 Civil Rights Act First CR law since Reconstruction (voting rights)

Key Strategy

💡

Legal Precedent Rule: The efforts from 1939-1959 focused heavily on using the federal courts to establish legal groundwork. These rulings were crucial for the mass action phase of the 1960s.

The Onset of the Civil Rights Movement (1939-1959)
Q
Race Riots during WWII

What event triggered violent race riots during WWII?

A
Answer

Wartime tensions and migration to cities, such as the Detroit riot in 1943.

Q
Double-V Campaign

What was the Double-V Campaign?

A
Answer

Campaign by African Americans aiming for victory against fascism abroad and racism at home.

Q
Internment of Japanese Americans

What was the significance of the internment of Japanese Americans in 1942?

A
Answer

Forced relocation of 120,000 Japanese Americans, a major civil rights violation based on racial prejudice.

Q
Role of the NAACP

What role did the NAACP play in the civil rights movement?

A
Answer

Focused on legal challenges against segregation, notably Brown v. Board of Education.

Q
CORE's Methods

What methods did CORE use to protest segregation?

A
Answer

Non-violent direct action and sit-ins.

Q
SCLC Founding Year

When was the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) founded?

A
Answer

In 1957, led by Martin Luther King Jr.

Q
James Farmer

Who was James Farmer?

A
Answer

Co-founder of CORE who advocated direct action and interracial cooperation.

Q
A. Philip Randolph

What was A. Philip Randolph known for?

A
Answer

Organizing labor campaigns and pressuring for military desegregation.

Q
Thurgood Marshall's Legal Victory

What key legal victory did Thurgood Marshall achieve?

A
Answer

Winning Brown v. Board of Education; later became first African American Supreme Court Justice.

Q
Montgomery Bus Boycott Spark

What sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

A
Answer

Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat.

Q
Southern Manifesto

What was the Southern Manifesto?

A
Answer

A document by Southern politicians opposing desegregation and supporting Jim Crow laws.

Q
Brown v. Board of Education

What was the outcome of Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?

A
Answer

Declared school segregation unconstitutional, overturning "separate but equal."

Q
Executive Order 9981

What was Executive Order 9981?

A
Answer

Truman's 1948 order to desegregate the armed forces.

Q
Civil Rights Act of 1957

What did the Civil Rights Act of 1957 aim to do?

A
Answer

Protect voting rights, first civil rights law since Reconstruction.

Q
Federal Response to Little Rock Nine

How did the federal government respond to the Little Rock Nine?

A
Answer

Sent federal troops to enforce school integration.

Q
Shelley v. Kraemer Precedent

What precedent did Shelley v. Kraemer set (1948)?

A
Answer

Courts could not enforce racially restrictive housing covenants.

Tip: Tap a card to flip. Shuffle or Reset anytime.

🌸 The Onset of the Civil Rights Movement (1939-1959)

1. What was the main goal of the Double-V Campaign during WWII?

The Double-V Campaign pushed for African Americans to achieve victory against external enemies and internal racial discrimination.

2. Which Supreme Court case declared school segregation unconstitutional?

Brown v. Board of Education (1954) overturned the “separate but equal” doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson.

3. Who led the Southern Christian Leadership Conference?

MLK Jr. founded and led the SCLC, emphasizing non-violent protest.

4. The Montgomery Bus Boycott was sparked by which event?

Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to give up her seat led to the successful boycott.

5. What did Executive Order 9981 achieve?

Executive Order 9981 ordered the desegregation of the US armed forces in 1948.

6. What was the significance of the Southern Manifesto?

Signed by many Southern politicians, it opposed desegregation following Brown v. Board.

📊 Results

  • Notes and Quiz
  • US History since 1877
  • AS Level
  • Civil Rights Movement
  • CAIE