Civil Rights Web Quest
PART 1 – PEOPLE
Martin Luther King Jr.
1. What prestigious positions did MLK Jr. hold throughout his career?
2. Before being assassinated, he achieved a great honor - Explain this honor.
Malcolm X
3. Explain Malcolm's struggles as a young child. What obstacles did he have to face?
4. What was the turning point in Malcolm X's life?
5. What caused Malcolm X to split from the Nation of Islam and Elijah Muhammad?
6. What happened to Malcolm X?
Stokely Carmichael Jr.
7. How many times was Stokely Carmichael arrested? Explain a few reasons why he was arrested.
8. What was the purpose of the Black Power Speech? Why was he criticized for these ideals?
9. Why did Carmichael move back to Africa?
James Meredith
10. What was the controversy surrounding James Meredith?
11. Who single-handedly tried to stop James Meredith from attending the University of Mississippi?
12. In the end, what was the result of this historical conflict?
PART 2 – EVENTS
Freedom Rides
1. What was the goal of the Freedom Rides? Where were they heading? What happened along the way?
2. When and where did the riders first run into problems?
3. Who continued the ride when the original people quit? In Mississippi, what was their punishment for doing so?
4. What was the final outcome of the freedom rides?
March on Washington
5. How many people attended the March on Washington?
6. "Pass the Bill" was a popular sign slogan during the march. What did this refer to?
7. List three demands that were the objectives of the March on Washington.
8. What was the most famous speech of the day? Who gave it?
Los Angeles (Watts) Riots of 1965
9. What had passed prior to the Riots? What had California passed as a response?
10. What sparked the actual riots?
11. What were the results of the riots?
12. According to the McCone Commission, appointed to study the riots, what were the underlying causes of the riots?
Birmingham, Alabama
13. What movement had failed prior to the protests in Birmingham, Alabama?
14. What was Birmingham's nickname? Why?
15. What were the details of the Project C plan? What was written as a result?
16. What happened, in detail, when the children tried to protest?
PART 3 – CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
1. What was the main goal of the NAACP during the 1950's?
2. What figures did the NAACP use to argue against "separate but equal" in American schools? Was the case, which went to the Supreme Court, successful?
3. Besides equality in schools, where else did the NAACP fight segregation? What event helped this specific cause?
Congress of Racial Equality
4. Who founded CORE? Who were their influences?
5. What was the "Journey of Reconciliation? What was its purpose?
6. How were the jail sentences different for the white versus the black men on the "Journey"? Why were they different?
7. What other three activities did CORE help to organize?
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
8. Who formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference?
9. What was their goal?
10. Who was the President?
11. Who did they merge with?
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Scroll down to “Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee”
12. Who created the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee? What was their purpose?
13. Why didn't the SNCC join forces with King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference? Who did they eventually join forces with?
14. SNCC helped to create "Freedom Summer". What was the goal of this?
15. What caused the SNCC to have negative feelings toward Martin Luther King, Jr.? Give two reasons.
PART 4 – GOVERNMENT ACTION
Brown v. the Board of Education
1.Why was this case filed against Topeka's Board of Education? Who filed it?
2. What was the Board of Education's defense in this case?
3. Where did this case end up? How long did it take to make a decision?
4. What case was overturned by Brown v. the Board of Education?
5. How many states did this case effect?
Civil Rights Act of 1964
6. What President originally worked for the passage of the Civil Rights Act? What President was in office when it actually passed? Why?
7. How (what tactics) did Johnson use to ensure that the Civil Rights Act would be passed by the Senate?
8. What is the main part of the Act?
Voting Rights Act of 1965
9. When was the 15th Amendment actually ratified by Congress (what year)? When was it signed into law?
10. Why were most African Americans not registered to vote and, in turn, had very little political power?
11. Who was the President when the Act was signed into law?
12. Explain the provisions of the bill (What did it forbid?).
13. What was the direct impact of the bill?