USA: Civil rights law, 1964-65 0.0 / 5 ? HistoryThe USA - twentieth century changeGCSEEdexcel Created by: oliviajade26Created on: 30-03-18 08:51 President Lyndon B Johnson 1963-69 continued to appoint black people to high level jobs, including naming Patricia Harris as US Ambassador to Luxembourg in 1965 urged Southern politicians to support 1964 Civil Rights Bill supporter the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act intervened to escort protesters marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 1 of 5 President John F Kennedy, 1961-63 selected black people for high level jobs (including Thurgood Marshall from Brown v Topeka) backed introduction of new civil rights laws after initially being reluctant to support he became committed to the cause because of the impact of civil rights protests in particular the outrageous treatment of protesters at Birmingham sent federal troops to the University of Mississipp to protect James Meredith sent US Marshals to escort Freedom Riders and prevent attacks 2 of 5 The 1964 Civil Rights Act new powers forced school desegregation government could stop federal funding of state projects that promoted inequality no discrimination in voter registration tests banned discrimination in public spaces and interstate businesses banned employment discrimination in larger businesses set up Equal Employment Opportunities Commission to combat work discrimination 3 of 5 The 1965 Voting Rights Act Johnson was heavily influenced by the Selma campaign he praised the courage of the activists and saw the march as a turning point in the fight against racial prejudice and injustice he introduced a standard voting registration process across the USA, controlled by federal government states could introduce new voting rules only if the federal government agreed federal officials would take over voter registration in states where less than 50% of those qualified to vote failed to register 4 of 5 The Selma to Montgomery Marches 1965 early in 1965, the SCLC and MLK decided to campaign for voting rights in Selma Alabama some held protests against voter registration tests while others tried to register to vote violence broke out with the police and a protester was killed on 7th March, 600 people set out to march 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama to publicise the right of black Americans to vote state troops stopped the protesters outisde Selma, using tear gas, clubs and cattle prods the media reported the violence worldwide a second attempt on 9th March was unsuccessful following the march a local white group murdered a white civil rights activist causing public outrage President Johnson intervened, placting the Alabama state national guard under federal control and ordering it to give safe passage to the marchers the final march took place on 21-24 March, with 25,000 protesters concluding the march on the 25th March 5 of 5
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