GCSE History: Civil Rights in the USA Guide

Segregation and "Jim Crow" laws

In the southern USA, "Jim Crow" laws enforced racial segregation in schools, transport and public spaces, despite the promise of equality after the abolition of slavery decades earlier.

Key protests and events

The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-56), sparked by Rosa Parks' arrest, and the Little Rock Nine (1957) challenging school segregation, were early landmark protests against segregation.

Martin Luther King and nonviolent protest

Martin Luther King Jr promoted nonviolent civil disobedience, including marches and sit-ins, culminating in the 1963 March on Washington and his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Legal change

The Civil Rights Act (1964) outlawed discrimination based on race, and the Voting Rights Act (1965) removed barriers preventing African Americans from voting, marking major legal victories for the movement.

Common mistakes

• Assuming legal change in 1964-65 immediately ended discrimination in practice.
• Treating the movement as led by one person alone, rather than many organisations and individuals.
• Mixing up the dates and outcomes of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act.