Jim Crow Laws
• Jim Crow Laws- laws passed by states that
established “separate but equal” facilities for
whites and blacks. Lasted from 1876-1965.
• In 1889, the Ga. General Assembly segregated
public facilities.
• Even though these places were separate, the
places for African Americans were rarely equal
in quality.
Plessy v. Ferguson
• This court case opened the door for more Jim Crow
laws to be passed.
• It made segregation a law until 1954.
• Plessy v Ferguson gave states the right to control
social discrimination & to promote segregation of
the races.
Disenfranchisement
• Disenfranchisement- is the refusing the allowance
of the right to vote to a person or group of people,
or rendering a person's vote less effective, or
ineffective.
• Disfranchisement can occur through law,
intimidation, when certain groups are not properly
registered to vote, either on purpose or not.
• These people are willing to vote, but can not
exercise their right, due to registration issues.
Booker T. Washington
• Great civil rights leader.
• Born to slavery and freed by
the war in 1865.
• President & helped to
establish the Tuskegee
Institute.
• Believed that for African
Americans, economic
independence was the only
road to socially & politically=.
• Gave the Atlanta Compromise
Speech that proposed that
blacks & whites should/could
benefit from each other.
W.E.B. Du Bois
• Didn’t agree w/ Booker T. on
some issues.
• Professor @ Atlanta University
thought @ 1st truth &
knowledge would help
different races to understand
each other.
• Wanted social & political
integration & higher education
for 10% of the African
American population.
John & Lugenia Burns Hope
• Worked for social equality all his life
& became close friends w/ Du Bois.
• Supported many civil rights groups
like the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored
People(NAACP)- an organization
formed in 1909 by white liberals &
members of the Niagara Movement
to work for the rights of African
Americans.
• Was a very important educator of
African Americans becoming the 1st
African American President of
Morehouse College & Atlanta
University.
John & Lugenia Burns Hope
• His wife Lugenia Burns Hope
was also a big figure in civil
rights.
• She created the 1st woman-run
social welfare agency for
African Americans in Ga.
• Also was a member of the
National Association of Colored
Women.
• She was believed that all
people should have the right to
vote.
Alonzo Herndon
• When he died in 1927 he was
the richest African American in
ATL & was devoted in improving
life for African Americans in ATL.
• Herndon established the Atlanta
Mutual Insurance Association.
• He was one of the founding
members of the National Negro
Business League which was
started by Booker T.
Washington.
WWI
• Started in August of 1914 in Europe
when Archduke Franz Ferdinand,
heir to the Austria-Hungary throne,
was assassinated by Serbian
Nationalists.
• Soon Austria-Hungary declared war
on Serbia.
• 4 reasons for WWI
• 1. Ethnic Conflicts- major conflict
existed was called the AustroHungarian Empire that consisted of
many ethnic groups, but only the
Austrians & the Hungarians had the
right to vote.
• Other ethnic groups in the empire
had their own form of nationalism &
hated their loss of political freedom.
WWI
• 2. Ideological Conflicts- ideology- is a system of
ideas that guides individuals, social movements, or
groups of people.
• The Germans believed that they deserved to be =
partners w/ other leading world powers like GB.
• 3. Nationalism- devotion & loyalty to one’s own
ethnic background or country.
• Austria-Hungary was an enemy of Serbia because of
the desire of the Serbs in A-H to unite w/ Serbia &
create a larger state.
WWI
• 4. Political & Economic Rivalries:
• Russia was the largest country & wanted to expand into
the Balkan Peninsula, GB considered this a threat.
• The Balkans bordered the Mediterranean Sea & GB
wanted to stay the leading naval power in that area.
• If Russia controlled the Balkans, then GB’s trade &
economic interests would be threatened.
• France & Germany were not friends because Germany
had claimed some land that the French wanted to get
back.
• France made important alliances w/ GB & other
countries to beat Germany and its alliances w/ AustriaHungary, & Russia.
Ga.’s Contributions to WWI
• Georgian’s didn’t like the idea of going to war.
• Ga.’s economy was suffering cause cotton, timber, &
tobacco was unable to reach European markets.
• Attitude changed when the U.S. declared war on
April 6, 1917.
• Ga. played a big role in WWI, by having 5 military
bases which became vital to the U.S. war effort.
• By the end of the war, Ga. had more military
training camps than any other state in the U.S.
• Largest camp was camp Gordon and became known
for training the famous 82nd All-American division.
Boll Weevil
• The end of WWI brought a steep fall in cotton
prices.
• In 1921 the Boll Weevil destroyed nearly ½ of Ga.’s
cotton crop.
• The Boll Weevil is a small beetle that came from
Mexico. It spread to the South & really hurt the
south’s cotton crop.
• Adult Weevils puncture cotton buds & lay eggs
inside, those eggs hatch inside the bud & feed on
the cotton bolls.
• Because the eggs stay inside the bolls, insecticides
can’t kill boll weevils.
Drought Great Depression
• During WWI, farmers were encouraged to produce
as many/much crops as possible.
• Drought wasn’t a problem in Ga., but the increase
in cotton production meant an overuse of the land.
• Eventually, the soil was over worked & wouldn’t
produce crops.
• This combined w/ the destruction of the boll weevil
forced many farmers to leave their farms.
Great Depression
• Depression- a sharp economic
downturn. Started in October 19291933
• Causes:
• 1. People of the U.S. had borrowed
more $$$ than they could payback. This
hurt the banks that had loaned the $$$
& the businesses waiting on their
repayment.
• 2. Factories had produced more goods
than they could sell. Demand for goods
fell and people stopped buying things.
• 3. Stock Market Crash- During the
1920’s, most folks bought stock & paid
only a little of it. Even thought the stock
wasn’t paid in full, the investor had the
right to sell it. This drove the price of
stocks way high.
Great Depression
• Many banks had bought large
amounts of stock. When the
market crashed, banks lost a lot of
$$$.
• When too many folks w/draw $$$
from a bank the bank crashes.
• 4. Laissez-Faire- belief that the
government shouldn’t control the
economy.
• So the government sat there &
watched as the economy/stock
market crashed.
The New Deal
• Program that was started by Franklin Delano
Roosevelt in 1933 as an attempt at fixing the
economy.
• FDR hoped by creating jobs & national relief
programs, the economy would grow.
• 1. Agricultural Adjustment Act(AAA)- purpose was
to raise the price of staple crops by limiting supply.
In Ga. farmers were paid to plant less cotton in
order to drive the price up.
• 2. Rural Electrification Administration(REA)- Few
rural areas in Ga. had electricity. Created in 1935,
loaned states $$ for improving electric service to
rural areas.
The New Deal
• 3. Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC)created for the war veterans. In
exchange for work they got food,
housing, & $$. Soil conservation,
reforestation, fire prevention, & park
building.
• 4. Social Security Act- People wanted
a permanent plan to protect them
from losing their $$$. This act
provided 2 social insurance
programs.
• 1. A system of old-age benefits for
retiring workers, which would
support them w/ $$$ when they
couldn’t work.
• 2. State ran the insurance for the
unemployed & disabled.
WWII
• During the 1930’s Germany & Japan wanted to expand
their empires & in order to do that they had to conquer
other countries.
• The other countries didn’t want to be apart of those
empires & war started.
• WWII lasted from 1939-1945.
• Allied Powers- GB, France, & later the Soviet Union, &
the U.S.
• Axis Powers-Germany, Italy, & Japan.
• Adolf Hitler realized that it took France & GB a long
time to get their troops to the fight so he took over 3
countries before GB & France officially declared war on
Germany.
The Holocaust
• The Holocaust- Germany’s systematic killing of the
Jews, Gypsies, communists, intellectuals, & anyone
that disagreed w/ Hitler’s government.
• These people were rounded up & taken to
concentration & death camps where they worked or
were executed.
• Hitler’s ultimate goal, The Final Solution, was to
eliminate all Jewish & minority groups in Germany.
• Jewish communities faced discrimination in the U.S.
however they organized support for other Jews in
Europe.
• Atlanta’s Jewish social service agencies raised funds
to combat discrimination.
The Holocaust
• The Holocaust ended in 1945.
U.S. Involvement in WWII
• FDR was worried about how the fighting in Europe
& Asia could have on the U.S. if it kept on growing.
• U.S. started giving weapons to GB & France. In 1941
Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act- gave FDR the
right to send weapons to allies who were fighting a
common enemy but couldn’t pay for the weapon
right then.
• Japan ended up bringing the U.S. into WWII w/ the
bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
• Japan’s purpose was to knock the U.S.’s naval fleet
out of the Pacific Ocean they also were not
expecting the U.S. to come after them with most of
their military resources.
Ga. During WWII
• Important for 3 guys.
• 1. Carl Vinson- helped
build/expand the navy in
the yrs before WWII.
• 2. Richard B. Russel Jr.helped to bring military
bases to Ga.
• 3. FDR- Close relationship
to the state since he had
been visiting Warm Springs
a lot in hopes of curing his
Polio he also died there in
1945 while still in office.
Eugene Talmadge
• One of Ga.’s most controversial
politicians.
• He won the 1st of 4 terms as Ga.’s
governor in 1932.
• Since the state wouldn’t let him to serve
more than 2 consecutive terms his time
in office was split.
• He targeted rural farmers & took
advantage of the county-unit system.
• However, he often went against
programs to help the farmers. He as
against FDR’s New Deal.
• He thought the Federal government
should not get involved in state matters.
• As a result, much of the New Deal
Policies didn’t affect Ga. till he was out
of office.
Eugene Talmadge
• Talmadge ran for his 4th term in
1942 but lost.
• In 1946 he came back this time
promoting white supremacy, but
he died before he could take office.
• Before his death he helped
strengthen racism in Ga. &
reinforced the idea that the federal
gov was something for white
southerners to fear.
Civil Rights Movement
• Civil Rights Movement- political & social movement
that began after WWII.
• Many black soldiers came back to the U.S. & were not
going to tolerate being treated as 2nd class citizens.
• A large # of African Americans began demanding better
treatment& more respect for their civil rights.
• National attention came to the CRM in 1955 after Rosa
Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery
Alabama bus to a white passenger.
• Black people boycotted riding the city busses costing
the city lots of $$$$.
• This boycott made a certain man a well known figure
because he led the boycott.
Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
• Organized the CRM & the
Montgomery bus boycott.
• Born in ATL & made it the center
of the CRM.
• Believed that the best way for
Blacks to win their Civil Rights was
non-violent protest (even if they
were beaten, arrested, or killed).
• It worked! People all across the
country saw white policemen
beating peaceful black protesters.
Martin Luther King Jr.
• Delivered his “I have a dream speech” at the Lincoln
Memorial during the 1963 March on Washingtonconsisted of 200,000 civil rights activists demanding
equality for all citizens.
• He won the Nobel Peace Prize & saw Congress pass the
Civil Rights Act of 1964- made it illegal for public
accommodations to be segregated.
• Also in 1964, the states ratified the 24th Amendmentended the poll tax & made it easier for African
Americans to participate in elections.
• 1965, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act- law that
authorized the president to end literacy tests & to use
federal officials to make sure that all citizens had an =
opportunity to register to vote.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• Dr. King did have enemies that
didn’t share his belief in nonviolence.
• In April of 1968 he was shot &
killed as he stood on the balcony
of a Memphis motel.
• He made a long lasting impression
on this country.
The Albany Movement
• In February 1960 4 black college students held their 1st
sit-in @ an all white lunch counter.
• Sit-ins were protests in which African-Americans would
sit in segregated places & peacefully refuse to leave
until they were either served or arrested.
• One of the 1st major movements in the CRM was the
Albany Movement- Students came to Albany Ga. to
help black voters become registered to vote.
• Although many were frustrated that the movement
didn’t achieve more of its goals regarding
desegregation, the Albany Movement played an
important role in paving the way for future protests &
showed leaders like MLK the potential of mass
demonstration as an effective means of resistance.
Brown vs. BOE 1954
• In 1954 the U. S. Supreme Court handed down a
unanimous decision in the court case Brown v. Board
of Education that segregation in public schools is
unconstitutional.
• The case involved a young African American girl who
wasn’t allowed to attend an all white school in Kansas.
• In response, the NAACP sued for her right to attend the
school & won.
• The Court said that school segregation was wrong
because white & black facilities didn’t offer the same
opportunities.
• It reversed the decision of the 1896 decision in Plessy v.
Ferguson.
The Axe Handle Governor
• Lester Maddox was the governor
of Ga. & believed strongly in
segregation.
• Owner of an ATL restaurant
named Pickrick, he refused to
serve African Americans.
• When Congress passed the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 requiring
businesses to integrate, Maddox
stood his ground. He threatened
to shoot any African American
that tried to come into his
restaurant
Lester Maddox
• After that, Axe handles became the weapon of choice.
• The government filed a lawsuit on his restaurant &
rather than serve African Americans, he closed it.
• Maddox also took his fight to politics & was voted
Governor by the people as well as the Ga. General
Assembly in 1966.
• Despite his segregationist views, he actually appointed
more African Americans to state offices than any gov.
before him.
• Since the constitution didn’t allow a gov to serve backto-back terms at that time, Maddox ran for lieutenant
gov & won in 1970.
• This would be the last time he was in office.
Jimmy Carter
• 1976 became the 1st & only
Georgian to win the Presidency.
• Got his political start by serving 2
terms in the state legislature,
then won the 1970 governor's
race.
• He favored integration & often
feuded w/ his Lieutenant gov,
Lester Maddox.
• He also favored the continued
growth of business & industrial
development.
Jimmy Carter
• Unfortunately during his 4 yrs as
President, many blamed him for the
nation’s double digit inflation &
hurting economy.
• Even worse, many perceived him as
weak.
• Signed an arms treaty w/ the Soviet
Union & not long after that they
invaded another country.
• Even more damaging for Carter was
the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis.
Iran Hostage Crisis
• Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Iran’s
capital of Tehran & took those inside hostage.
• They were part of a group that overthrew the former
ruler, the Shah of Iran, & replaced him w/ a Muslim gov.
• They were ticked @ Carter for letting the Shah enter
the U.S. for medical treatment & demanded the
president return the Shah to Iran to stand trial in
exchange for the hostages.
• Carter refused & there were 5 months of standoff until
he ordered a rescue attempt that failed when a military
helicopter collided w/ a plane.
• The hostages were let go when Carter lost the election
in 1980.
Camp David Accords
• Camp David is the President’s personal retreat.
• For centuries the Arabs from Egypt & Jews from
Israel have fought bitterly in the region of Palestine
in the Middle East.
• But in 1978, Carter was able to get the leaders to
sign a peace agreement called the Camp David
Accords.
• Many saw this as a miracle & credited Carter for his
ability to help negotiate a treaty btw 2 nations that
had fought for so long.
Jimmy Carter
• After leaving office, he has
become one of the most
admired US Presidents.
• He is big into charity work w/
Habitat for Humanity & has
been called upon to help w/
diplomatic efforts by other
Presidents.
• Won the Nobel Peace Prize in
2002.