1) Kennedy –“with a stroke of a pen”
Kennedy pledged to eliminate racial discrimination quickly, but he went two years without making any apparent progress because of his lack of control over Congress. Civil rights groups sent thousands of pens to the White House to protest against Kennedy's slowness.
2) Freedom riders
Civil rights activists who sat in the "whites only" section of buses all day. Violence usually broke out, and Kennedy sent federal marshalls to protect the Freedom Riders.
3) Kennedy & MLK
Kennedy advocated the cause of MLK, but was unable to help much. Robert Kennedy actually assisted MLK more by supporting the Voter Education Project to register the South's disfranchised blacks.
4) Voter Education project
A civil rights program encouraged by Robert Kennedy that worked to register the South's disfranchised blacks.
5) James Meredith
The University of Mississippi refused to admit air force veteran James Meredith, and responded with violent opposition. President Kennedy sent federal troops to ascertain Meredith's attending the school.
6) MLK in Birmingham
MLK led a campaign against discrimination in Birmingham and was faced with violent opposition. This incident inspired President Kennedy to recognize racial discrimination as a moral issue that must be resolved.
7) MLK march to Washington
King led thousands of black and white demonstrators on a peaceful march in support of Kennedy's proposed civil rights legislation. MLK also delivered a speech from the Lincoln Memorial.
Kennedy pledged to eliminate racial discrimination quickly, but he went two years without making any apparent progress because of his lack of control over Congress. Civil rights groups sent thousands of pens to the White House to protest against Kennedy's slowness.
2) Freedom riders
Civil rights activists who sat in the "whites only" section of buses all day. Violence usually broke out, and Kennedy sent federal marshalls to protect the Freedom Riders.
3) Kennedy & MLK
Kennedy advocated the cause of MLK, but was unable to help much. Robert Kennedy actually assisted MLK more by supporting the Voter Education Project to register the South's disfranchised blacks.
4) Voter Education project
A civil rights program encouraged by Robert Kennedy that worked to register the South's disfranchised blacks.
5) James Meredith
The University of Mississippi refused to admit air force veteran James Meredith, and responded with violent opposition. President Kennedy sent federal troops to ascertain Meredith's attending the school.
6) MLK in Birmingham
MLK led a campaign against discrimination in Birmingham and was faced with violent opposition. This incident inspired President Kennedy to recognize racial discrimination as a moral issue that must be resolved.
7) MLK march to Washington
King led thousands of black and white demonstrators on a peaceful march in support of Kennedy's proposed civil rights legislation. MLK also delivered a speech from the Lincoln Memorial.