2. Protest and reaction, 1963-72
❖ Civil rights
❖Protest and personal freedom
❖ Johnson’s Great Society 1964-68
❖ Reactions to the counter-culture 1968-72
Civil Rights
The Significance of Malcolm X
He drew national attention to terrible problems of the ghettos etc.
Malcolm X background→ His father was murdered by a white supremacist group and he had
an ambition to be a lawyer but his teacher said it was unrealistic. He left school and became a
petty criminal.
● When he was in prison, he joined the Nation of Islam (NOI) and learnt about it’s leader,
Elijah Muhammad, when he got out of prison he changed his name to Malcolm X
I
Nation of Islam I
Led by Elijah Muhammad, self-made prophet. They believed that:
● Allah originally created people black
● Evil scientist created other races
Malcolm was impressed by the teaching, it taught him that the white man was a devil.
→ Malcolm X was a great speaker and gained national attention.
Impact of the NOI
● Contributed to the rise of Black Power movement
● Often had a transformational impact (they were praised for turning black criminals to
useful men)
→ Malcolm X left because Muhammad didn’t let him join the Birmingham march. NOI gunmen
assassinated Malcolm X in 1965
Malcolm X aims, methods and achievements
He aimed to improve black lives by speeches etc to advertise the problems and encourage
change. His methods were different:
● He believed black people could regain self-esteem by control of their social, political
and economic lives
● He rejected King’s advocacy of non-violence
His greatest significance:
● Contributed to a growing pride in being black
● Created a new, assertive generation of black Americans
, ● Influenced the development of the black power movement
(Therefore, he is less important than what he achieved compared to other black
Americans)
Black Power
Black Power meant different things to different people. White people→ black power with
violence Black people→ political and social independence
Black Power advocates believe in:
● Violence
● Armed violence
● Black capitalism
Why did Black Power develop?
● Owed much influence to Malcolm X
● Due to ghetto problems like poverty, poor housing etc
The Meredith March
Meredith was the first black American student to enter the University of Mississippi. He
planned to march through Mississippi to encourage black voter registration.
→ Meredith was shot by a white man.
→ After he got shot, Carmichael took over and was arrested for sleeping in a tent in a field, he
cried ‘Black Power’
Significance:
● Drew national attention to the civil rights movement
● March got the phrase ‘Black Power’ national prominence
The Black Panthers
Black organisation, wore a black uniform with Afro-style hairstyles and carried rifles.
→ Demanded reparations for centuries of persecution by whites.
→ their ten-point platform included full employment, housing, education that teaches black
history etc
Ghetto programmes
Black Panthers had many clinics advising on health, legal rights etc. Ran breakfast
programmes for many poor black Americans.
Decline of Black Power
Black Power came to international attention at the Olympics as 2 black Americans
participated.
Early 1970s, Black Power Movement were in decline because:
● Poorly organised
● Unrealistic
● Failed to solve ghetto problems
However, the movement had a lasting impact. Contributed to black pride.
❖ Civil rights
❖Protest and personal freedom
❖ Johnson’s Great Society 1964-68
❖ Reactions to the counter-culture 1968-72
Civil Rights
The Significance of Malcolm X
He drew national attention to terrible problems of the ghettos etc.
Malcolm X background→ His father was murdered by a white supremacist group and he had
an ambition to be a lawyer but his teacher said it was unrealistic. He left school and became a
petty criminal.
● When he was in prison, he joined the Nation of Islam (NOI) and learnt about it’s leader,
Elijah Muhammad, when he got out of prison he changed his name to Malcolm X
I
Nation of Islam I
Led by Elijah Muhammad, self-made prophet. They believed that:
● Allah originally created people black
● Evil scientist created other races
Malcolm was impressed by the teaching, it taught him that the white man was a devil.
→ Malcolm X was a great speaker and gained national attention.
Impact of the NOI
● Contributed to the rise of Black Power movement
● Often had a transformational impact (they were praised for turning black criminals to
useful men)
→ Malcolm X left because Muhammad didn’t let him join the Birmingham march. NOI gunmen
assassinated Malcolm X in 1965
Malcolm X aims, methods and achievements
He aimed to improve black lives by speeches etc to advertise the problems and encourage
change. His methods were different:
● He believed black people could regain self-esteem by control of their social, political
and economic lives
● He rejected King’s advocacy of non-violence
His greatest significance:
● Contributed to a growing pride in being black
● Created a new, assertive generation of black Americans
, ● Influenced the development of the black power movement
(Therefore, he is less important than what he achieved compared to other black
Americans)
Black Power
Black Power meant different things to different people. White people→ black power with
violence Black people→ political and social independence
Black Power advocates believe in:
● Violence
● Armed violence
● Black capitalism
Why did Black Power develop?
● Owed much influence to Malcolm X
● Due to ghetto problems like poverty, poor housing etc
The Meredith March
Meredith was the first black American student to enter the University of Mississippi. He
planned to march through Mississippi to encourage black voter registration.
→ Meredith was shot by a white man.
→ After he got shot, Carmichael took over and was arrested for sleeping in a tent in a field, he
cried ‘Black Power’
Significance:
● Drew national attention to the civil rights movement
● March got the phrase ‘Black Power’ national prominence
The Black Panthers
Black organisation, wore a black uniform with Afro-style hairstyles and carried rifles.
→ Demanded reparations for centuries of persecution by whites.
→ their ten-point platform included full employment, housing, education that teaches black
history etc
Ghetto programmes
Black Panthers had many clinics advising on health, legal rights etc. Ran breakfast
programmes for many poor black Americans.
Decline of Black Power
Black Power came to international attention at the Olympics as 2 black Americans
participated.
Early 1970s, Black Power Movement were in decline because:
● Poorly organised
● Unrealistic
● Failed to solve ghetto problems
However, the movement had a lasting impact. Contributed to black pride.
