What do each of these events have in common?
Influential Events of the
Civil Rights Movement
Essential Question:
How did national and political events
influence the Civil Rights Movement,
its outcome, and Georgia?
SS8H11a. Describe major developments in civil rights and Georgia’s
role during the 1940s and 1950s; include the roles of Herman
Talmadge, Benjamin Mays, the 1946 governor’s race and then end of
the white primary, Brown v. Board of Education, Martin Luther King,
Jr., and the 1956 state flag.
SS8H11b. Analyze the role Georgia and prominent Georgians played
in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and 1970s; include such
events as the founding of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating
Committee (SNCC), Sibley Commission, admission of Hamilton
Holmes and Charlayne Hunter to the University of Georgia, Albany
Movement, March on Washington Civil Rights Act, the election of
Maynard Jackson as mayor of Atlanta, and the role of Lester Maddox.
SS8H11c. Discuss the impact of Andrew Young on Georgia.
There are many important events
and people of the Civil Rights
Movement. We will focus on the most
significant events and those which
involved Georgia.
Use your
Chart to Take
Notes
Segregated Schools in
the 1950s
Brown v. Board of Education
In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court declared
segregated schools to be unconstitutional.
The Georgia General Assembly was
opposed to this ruling and declared the
decision null (useless) and void (reject).
Brown v. Board of Education
The Georgia General Assembly threatened to
stop funding, and in some cases, allow the
Governor to close any school that desegregated.
A year after the Brown verdict, another court
case ruled that schools must be desegregated
with “all deliberate speed” which allowed
southern states to take their time desegregating
schools.
Educational Segregation in
the U.S. prior to Brown
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Select one of the following:
Brown: A Landmark Case [6:56]
Brown v. Board of Education in
PBS’ The Supreme Court [4:53]
Brown v. Board of Education
Turn to an elbow partner and discuss
the following:
What were the advantages and
disadvantages of the Brown v.
Board of Education ruling?
Sibley Commission
After the Brown v. Board of Education supreme
court decision, the Georgia General Assembly
supported “massive resistance” to the
desegregation of Georgia’s public schools.
The Governor at the time was faced with the choice
of following federal mandates (orders) or closing
Georgia’s public schools. He wanted the input of
voters to help make a decision.
Sibley Commission
A committee was created to investigate
Georgian’s opinions on the matter.
John Sibley, a segregationist lawyer, led 10
hearings across the state to determine if
Georgians felt that they should continue to
resist the federal government or change laws
to integrate schools.
Sibley Commission
After the sessions, 60% of Georgians
claimed that they would rather close the public
schools than to integrate.
Despite the findings, Sibley pushed for schools in
Georgia to desegregate on a limited basis. The
governor asked the General Assembly to accept
Sibley’s recommendations after his failed
attempts to close the University of Georgia.
Sibley Commission
How did the findings from the Sibley
Commission explain the public’s
reaction to the Brown v. Board of
Education ruling?
The Brown v. Board of Education
verdict was in 1954, but it was not
until 1961 that Atlanta became the
first system to integrate. Ten years
later, all school systems in the state
were desegregated.
Desegregation of the
University of Georgia
In 1959, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter
applied for college to the University of Georgia.
Desegregation of the
University of Georgia
They were not accepted by the university based
on their race, but the university claimed it was
due to lack of housing along with Holmes
“evasiveness” during a campus interview.
http://dp.la/exhibitions/exhibits/show/activism/education-activism/university-desegregation
The two students brought their case to federal
court and after three weeks, the court ruled in
their favor. They began classes in January 1961.
Desegregation of the
University of Georgia
Soon after arriving on campus, a mob of
students, locals, and members of the KKK
started a riot on campus and threw bricks and
rocks through Hunter’s dorm window.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBo9Jrm2Y9g
The Georgia state patrol escorted them back to
Atlanta, but a few days later the court ruled that
they be allowed to return. Both graduated from
the University.
Throughout the 1960s, civil rights groups
worked to bring equality to Georgia. The
Southern Christian Leadership
Conference (SCLC) created by Martin
Luther King, Jr. was one group. Another
was the Student Non-Violent
Coordinating Committee (SNCC).
Student Non-Violent
Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
A national organization formed in North
Carolina, it worked with the SCLC and focused
on organizing peaceful non-violent protest.
The group, made up of high school and
college-aged students, became known for
sit-ins, freedom rides, and the “freedom
summer” in Mississippi.
Student Non-Violent Coordinating
Committee (SNCC)
CNN: SNCC’s
legacy: A civil
rights history
[5:56]
Albany Movement
The Albany Movement involved several civil
rights organizations like the NAACP and SNCC.
Their goal was to end all types of segregation
in the city of Albany, Ga. from buses and
trains to libraries, hospitals, and juries.
The groups used methods such as mass
demonstrations, sit-ins, and boycotts.
Albany Movement
By late 1961, more than 500 protestors had been
arrested. Albany’s police chief was careful to
keep the peace and avoid negative publicity.
Martin Luther King, Jr. came to Albany to
lend his support and bring national attention
to the cause. He was jailed along with the
protestors. Even with his influence,
desegregation efforts failed in Albany.
Albany Movement
http://www.myfoxal.com/story/16047367/recallingthe-hisotry-of-the-albany-movement [8:17]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7dGWAY2AcM
[3:44]
Desegregation of the
http://dp.la/exhibitions/exhibits/show/activism/movements/
University
of Georgia
albany-movement
[Various clips about the Albany Movement]
The March on Washington
In 1963, over 250,000 civil rights activists
gathered in Washington, D.C. to promote their
cause and push for civil rights legislation.
During the march, Martin Luther King, Jr.
gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech.
The March on Washington led to the passage
of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and the Voting
Rights Act of 1965.
The March on Washington
 History Specials: King Leads the March
on Washington [3:21 linked in ppt]
 “I Have a Dream” Speech shortened with
words and music [3:41 linked in ppt]
Desegregation of the
 MartinUniversity
Luther King of
“I Have
a Dream” Full
Georgia
Speech [17:28]
Due in part to the March
on Washington, the United
States Congress passed
Civil Rights Legislation.
Examining Civil Rights
Legislation
Desegregation of the
University of Georgia
The Civil Rights Acts
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended
unequal voter registration, racial
segregation in schools, workplace, and
facilities. It also forbade discrimination
on the basis of sex and race in hiring,
promoting, and firing.
The Civil Rights Acts
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
prohibited states from imposing
voting qualifications or deny the
right of any citizen of the U.S. to
vote on account of race or color.
Civil Rights Acts
Turn to an elbow partner and discuss
the following:
How did the daily life of African
Americans change because of
the Civil Rights Acts?
The struggle for civil rights in
Georgia continued throughout the
1960s. During the next two decades,
several influential figures rose to
power and made additional
contributions to Civil Rights.
Lester Maddox
Lester Maddox
 He believed in states’ rights and
segregation
 He became a public figure when he
refused to serve African Americans
in his Atlanta restaurant in defiance
of the Civil Rights Act.
 He closed his restaurant rather than
obey the law. Georgia Capitol Tour Lester Maddox [2:10]
Lester Maddox
 In 1966, he ran for Governor, but
neither candidate won a
majority. So, the General
Assembly elected Maddox.
 He was Governor of Georgia
from 1967 to 1971.
Lester Maddox
 Surprisingly, he put more African
Americans into government jobs than
ever before
 He supported prison reform and
increased spending for Georgia’s
universities
 He had a monthly event where citizens
were allowed to speak with the governor
(“Little People’s Days”)
Think, Pair, Share
Was Lester Maddox good for
Georgia? Why or why not?
Did Lester Maddox help or hinder
the Civil Rights Movement?
Maynard Jackson
Maynard Jackson
 At the age of 35, Maynard
Jackson became the first
African-American mayor of a
major southern city
 He served as mayor of Atlanta
from 1973-1981 and again from
1990-1994
Maynard Jackson
 He was helpful in providing more
contract work to black-owned
businesses
 He expanded Hartsfield Atlanta
International Airport
 He sought to add more African
American police officers and
promotions for African American
officers
Maynard Jackson
 During the 1990s, he worked with other
important figures to bring the Olympics
to Atlanta
 He retired in 1994 due to health
problems
 He died in 2003 and in his honor, the city
of Atlanta renamed the airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Maynard Jackson
Select one of the following if
desired:
 Maynard Jackson [7:03]
 A Tribute to Maynard Jackson
[9:26]
Andrew Young
Andrew Young
 He was active in the Civil Rights
Movement
 He started working for the SCLC where
he successfully organized
demonstrations and voter registration
campaigns throughout the South
 He became a close associate with Martin
Luther King, Jr. and was with him when
he was assassinated
Andrew Young
 He was elected as Georgia’s first
African-American Congressman in
1972
 He was later appointed ambassador to
the United Nations
 In 1981, he was elected mayor of
Atlanta
 As mayor, he helped Atlanta continue
to grow and gain national standing
Andrew Young
 He left office in 1989, but continued to
work for Georgia’s economic
development
 He served on the Olympic committee
and has worked as a consultant for
many international organizations
Compare and Contrast the
contributions of Maynard
Jackson and Andrew Young
to Georgia.