Possible Essays and plans

1. ‘The decisions of the Supreme Court were the most important influence on the development of civil rights for African Americans in the period 1890-1960’. Discuss.

2. To what extent was the Second World War/ New Deal a turning point for black Americans?

3. How far do you agree that the New Deal was the most significant strategy towards the Civil Right Movement in the period 1890-1945?

4. ‘The Jim Crow laws were the main reason for the migration north’. Discuss

1) YES [Important because they influenced the development negatively]

Enforced Jim Crow: Plessey vs Ferg: 1896

No vote (Not a citizen) : WIlliams vs Missipi

YES [Positive reason]

1950s saw the overturning of the precedent that supported Jim Crow: Brown vs Topeka. Segregation illegl in schools-Illegal full stop

The actions of Presidents

Truman desgeregating the Army in 1948.

NAACP Legal help?

Bus Boycott

Brown vs Topeka- However it was not fully implemented as people ignored it.

Only picked cases they could win

However, for this reason, they were often slow in getting change.

Other organisations: UNIA, SCLC. Slow progress due to rivalries and disagreements.

De facto vs De Jure. Even if they could get rid of the legal side of segregation, there was still racial attitudes.

Could not pass the anti-lynching bill.

2) Was the Second World War a turning point?

Before:

Jim Crow, Lynching

Still a North South divide.

However were still economic advancements brought by the migration north.

Emergence of organisations.

During:

Double V campaign. March of 50,000 proposed.

Signing of the Executive Order 8802. Fair pay

2 million blacks employed in industry.

Membership to the NAACP peaked at 450,000.

Increased affluence

However, racial tension due to the migration north.

Even though the Navy no longer restricted blacks to stewards, the army as a whole was still segregated.

After:

47 cities experienced riots. The worst being in Detroit. $9 damaged to property.

Riots in army training camps.

Could not live in Levittowns.

Still segregated. Could not pass the anti-lynching bill.

CORE founded in 1942. Pioneered freedom rides and sit-ins.

Led to the end of segregation in some Northern cities.

Fair deal saw the desegregation of the army in 1948.

3) New Deal: most significant strategy?

Yes:

Fair pay for once was offered i.e NYA and PWA

Helped young people and women (NYA) How would this have been significant?

Without Roosevelt's aid, then maybe Truman would not have also been so supportive

Even though some did discriminate locally, this was reported to the NAACP who were able to stop that, such as the TVA.

No:

Only really provided financial aid. They were only helped because they were poor, not because of civil rights.

Even if the organisations themselves were not meant to be discriminatory, it was at a local level. It was only the TVA that were stopped.

Anti lynching bill was not passed.

Only the arrival of the war triggered the Civil rights movements. (talk about the War here, refer back to previous plan)

4) Jim Crow was the only reason for the migration north?

SOCIAL:

Violence, Lynching

Established communities up North such as Harlem

Social acceptance up North

People wrote home to friends and family telling them of life up in the North

ECONOMIC:

Economic opportunities, such as jobs better pay.

Bad harvest in the South

POLITICAL:

Some could vote

Moving away from strict Jim Crow and segregation

Harlem was home to the NAACP

No because if Jim Crow was the only reason then there would not have been people like Booker T Washington who took the accommodationist approach. If it was such a severe problem, Booker T Washington would have said 'We have to go' rather than lets just stay and make the best of our situation.