Assess the reasons for the opposition to the Civil Rights movement in the Southern states of the US in the 1950s.
Level
A Level
Year Examined
2021
Topic
The USA, 1944–92
👑Complete Model Essay
Assess the reasons for the opposition to the Civil Rights movement in the Southern states of the US in the 1950s.
Opposition to the Civil Rights Movement in the Southern States (1950s)
The Civil Rights movement in the Southern states of the US during the 1950s faced fierce opposition, deeply rooted in a history of white supremacy and racial segregation. This essay will assess the key reasons behind this resistance, exploring factors such as resentment towards external pressures, anxieties over social and economic hierarchies, and the enduring legacy of historical traditions.
Historical Context: The Legacy of White Supremacy
To understand the opposition, one must first acknowledge the historical context. The failure of Reconstruction in the 1870s allowed the South to establish Jim Crow laws, enforcing segregation and disenfranchising African Americans. This system, backed by the Supreme Court, permeated every aspect of Southern life for decades. White juries routinely failed to convict perpetrators of violence against African Americans, while organizations, both secretive and overt, actively fought against any change to the established racial order. This deep-seated prejudice, fueled by decades of discriminatory legislation and social conditioning, created fertile ground for opposition to the Civil Rights movement.
Resentment and Fear: Reactions to Change
The 1950s witnessed a surge in Civil Rights activism, fueled by legal victories of the NAACP and growing international pressure on the US government to address its hypocrisy during the Cold War. This wave of change sparked resentment and fear amongst many white Southerners. They saw the movement as an attack on their way of life, fueled by external forces – primarily the North – that did not understand or appreciate the Southern social fabric. This resentment was further exacerbated by concerns about economic competition and the perceived threat that integration posed to white social status.
Social and Economic Anxieties
The opposition wasn't solely driven by racial hatred; it was intertwined with economic and social anxieties. Many white Southerners, particularly in rural areas, felt left behind by the post-war economic boom. They saw African Americans, who were demanding better jobs and wages, as a direct threat to their already precarious livelihoods. This fear was exploited by segregationist leaders, who used inflammatory rhetoric to stir up racial tensions and solidify their power base.
The Power of Tradition and Social Conservatism
Beyond overt racism, opposition also stemmed from a deep-seated social conservatism. For generations, white supremacy and segregation had been presented as the natural order. Many white Southerners, even if not actively advocating for violence, were uncomfortable with challenging these long-held beliefs. They clung to the familiarity of the old ways, viewing any deviation from the established social hierarchy as disruptive and undesirable. This inherent resistance to change gave tacit approval to the more extreme elements fighting to maintain the status quo.
Conclusion: A Complex Tapestry of Resistance
Opposition to the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s South was a complex phenomenon. While rooted in the ugly history of white supremacy, it was further fueled by a combination of resentment towards perceived external influence, anxieties over social and economic change, and a deeply ingrained social conservatism. Understanding these interconnected factors is crucial to comprehending the challenges faced by the Civil Rights movement and the long struggle for racial equality in the United States.
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Assess the reasons for the opposition to the Civil Rights movement in the Southern states of the US in the 1950s.
I. Introduction:
Briefly introduce the context of the Civil Rights movement and the deep-seated opposition it faced in the Southern states. State the essay's aim to analyze the key reasons behind this opposition.
II. Historical Context and Entrenched Racism:
A. Legacy of Slavery and Reconstruction: Discuss the historical roots of white supremacy in the South, stemming from slavery and the failure of Reconstruction. Explain how Jim Crow laws, voter suppression, and social segregation created a system designed to maintain white dominance.
B. Institutionalized Discrimination: Analyze how the Supreme Court, through rulings like Plessy v. Ferguson, legitimized segregation. Highlight the lack of federal action to protect Black civil rights and the role of white juries in perpetuating racial violence with impunity.
III. Perceived Threats and Backlash:
A. Resistance to Change: Explain how the increasing momentum of the Civil Rights movement, including legal challenges by the NAACP and growing protests, was perceived as a direct threat to the established racial order. Discuss the role of figures like Governors Wallace and Faubus in mobilizing white resistance.
B. Economic and Social Anxieties: Analyze the economic and social anxieties of white Southerners, particularly in the face of modernization and changing social norms. Discuss how fears of Black economic competition and the perceived threat to white social status fueled opposition.
C. Cold War Politics: Examine the impact of the Cold War on the Civil Rights movement. Explain how international criticism of US racial inequality put pressure on the government to address the issue, while simultaneously fostering a backlash from those who saw it as interference.
IV. Forms of Opposition:
A. Violent Resistance: Discuss the role of violence and intimidation in suppressing the Civil Rights movement. Analyze the activities of groups like the Ku Klux Klan and the complicity of local law enforcement in perpetuating racial terror.
B. Political Obstruction: Examine the political strategies used to oppose civil rights, including filibusters, voter suppression efforts, and the formation of segregationist organizations like the White Citizens' Councils. Highlight the influence of Southern senators and congressmen in obstructing federal legislation.
C. Social Conservatism: Analyze the broader social and cultural resistance to change, beyond overt racism. Discuss how traditional values, fear of social upheaval, and a sense of Southern identity contributed to opposition.
V. Conclusion:
Summarize the multifaceted nature of opposition to the Civil Rights movement in the South. Emphasize how this opposition was rooted in a complex interplay of historical legacies, racial prejudice, economic anxieties, political maneuvering, and social conservatism. Briefly comment on the long-term impact of this opposition on the fight for racial equality in the US.
Extracts from Mark Schemes
Assess the reasons for the opposition to the Civil Rights movement in the Southern states of the US in the 1950s.
Factors might include resentment at changes emanating from North and from protests in the South; concerns about social and economic status. Historic traditions should be considered.
White supremacy had a long history since the failure of Reconstruction in the 1870s and the gradual establishment of Jim Crow laws and restrictions on voting and political activity. The discrimination and racial control had the backing of the Supreme Court and there had been little support for comprehensive civil rights legislation from either Congress or the Executive. White juries in the South were unwilling to convict for acts of violence against African Americans and while organisations ranging from the clandestine to the more overt acted against change in the years after the Second World War. Governors like Wallace and Faubus won popularity by opposing desegregation. Civil Rights activists found the South a dangerous place and Southern Senators and Congressmen were a powerful lobby against change.
Reasons for this sustained opposition might be seen in terms of a reaction against developments which threatened change – the more active Civil Rights in the 1950s and the successes of the NAACP in mounting legal challenges against segregation; the pressure on governments to demonstrate during the Cold War that international criticisms of its own policy towards civil rights was flawed and the support of white liberals for moderate change. At root a minority of Southerners adopted a militant resistance to any change on the grounds that it threatened racial control. The deep-rooted view that without this control African Americans would be an economic, social and sexual threat went back to the 1860s or beyond. Years of unpunished violence, lynching and political discrimination in the form of ‘grandfather clauses’ which prevented black voting and the cooperation of courts, police and local government in abuse meant that there were high expectations that all change could be resisted successfully.
The pace of change in post-war America left many feeling insecure about traditional ways of life especially in rural areas and small towns in the South so that opposition to civil rights was a form of opposition to modernisation. The feeling that Northern influence was impinging on the South was an important motive for opposition. Fears that without social control African Americans might be competitors remained strong and were exploited by racist leaders. However, opposition could take other forms than militant action, violence and political opposition to change. A generalised concern that social norms were being eroded and a lack of willingness to oppose white opposition in the form of Citizens organisations or the Klan activities might be explained by social conservatism – dislike of old certainties such as segregation, the subservience of African Americans and the patronising use of first names or nicknames for local blacks. There was a distinction too between those who were opposed to all change and those who opposed civil rights movements being imported from the North and trying to drive the pace of reform too quickly.