8.3 Political and social resistance to civil rights

The Civil Rights Movement faced fierce opposition in Alabama. White supremacists used laws, violence, and economic pressure to maintain segregation. Politicians like George Wallace and Bull Connor became symbols of resistance, blocking integration and brutally suppressing protests.

The struggle for equality exposed deep-rooted racism in Alabama society. Segregationists formed organizations like White Citizens' Councils and the Ku Klux Klan to intimidate activists. Their tactics ranged from economic boycotts to violent attacks, revealing the challenges faced by civil rights advocates.

Discriminatory Laws and Policies

Legalized Segregation and Discrimination

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• Jim Crow laws enacted in Southern states after Reconstruction
  • Mandated racial segregation in public facilities (schools, transportation, restrooms, restaurants)
  • Restricted voting rights through literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses
  • Upheld by Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) "separate but equal" doctrine
• Massive Resistance strategy employed by Southern states to oppose desegregation
  • Closure of public schools to avoid integration (Prince Edward County, Virginia)
  • Interposition and nullification to challenge federal authority
  • Passage of laws to obstruct civil rights legislation and court orders

Political Opposition to Civil Rights

• Dixiecrats, a political party formed by Southern Democrats in 1948
  • Opposed civil rights legislation and desegregation efforts
  • Nominated Strom Thurmond for president on a segregationist platform
  • Demonstrated the willingness of Southern politicians to prioritize white supremacy over party loyalty
• White Citizens' Councils organized to resist desegregation
  • Consisted of influential white community leaders (politicians, business owners, professionals)
  • Promoted segregation through economic pressure, propaganda, and political influence
  • Portrayed themselves as respectable alternatives to the Ku Klux Klan

White Supremacist Organizations

Ku Klux Klan

• White supremacist hate group that used violence and intimidation to maintain racial hierarchy
  • Lynchings, beatings, and bombings targeting African Americans and civil rights activists
  • Burned crosses and wore white hoods to conceal identity and instill fear
  • Experienced resurgence in membership during the Civil Rights Movement
• Ku Klux Klan operated with impunity due to complicity of local law enforcement and officials
  • Infiltration of police departments and political offices
  • Lack of prosecution for crimes committed by Klan members
  • Collusion between Klan and authorities to suppress civil rights activism

Economic and Social Pressure

• White Citizens' Councils exerted economic pressure to enforce segregation and punish activists
  • Boycotts of businesses that served African American customers or supported desegregation
  • Firing of employees who participated in civil rights activities or registered to vote
  • Eviction of tenants and denial of credit to those who challenged the racial status quo
• Social ostracism and public humiliation used to deter civil rights activism
  • Publication of names of NAACP members and supporters in newspapers
  • Shunning and exclusion from white social circles and community events
  • Spreading rumors and false accusations to discredit civil rights leaders

Prominent Segregationist Figures

George Wallace

• Governor of Alabama and staunch segregationist
  • Delivered inaugural address "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever"
  • Blocked doorway of University of Alabama to prevent enrollment of African American students
  • Ran for president on a segregationist platform in 1968 and 1972
• Wallace's defiance of federal authority and promotion of states' rights
  • Capitalized on white resentment and resistance to civil rights progress
  • Portrayed himself as a defender of Southern way of life and white supremacy
  • Encouraged and validated anti-civil rights sentiment among white Alabamians

Bull Connor

• Commissioner of Public Safety in Birmingham, Alabama
  • Enforced segregation and suppressed civil rights demonstrations with violence
  • Unleashed police dogs and fire hoses on peaceful protesters, including children
  • Arrested and jailed activists engaging in sit-ins, freedom rides, and marches
• Connor's brutality and racism exposed the depths of white supremacy
  • Images of his tactics shocked the nation and galvanized support for civil rights
  • Revealed the willingness of segregationists to use state power to maintain racial hierarchy
  • Demonstrated the necessity of federal intervention to protect the rights of African Americans