Introduction
Southern USA history has a lot to offer to the overall history of the United States. Written, oral, and other historical sources passed across generations reveal a region that spans an extensive range of cultural and civilization forms. Many social, economic, and political issues have been raised about this area. Race and politics form a pillar of southern USA history. Nonetheless, this piece does not deeply delve into racial issues but rather focuses on the 20th-century political issues surrounding the history of the southern United States. In looking at the 20th-century politics of Southern United States, the paper delves into major issues which shape the politics of the region including race, segregation, the great migration, civil rights movements, and the political class. These issues are addressed piecewise paying attention to the events surrounding each.
Background of 20th-century politics in the southern United States
The politics surrounding the 20th-century civil rights movements in the United elicits both interest and painful memories of the days when not all humans were considered equal. In one documented piece, the council leadership is reported as saying, “in the past two months, our two sister states in the deep south have been invaded by the so-called ‘freedom fighters. This cannot be allowed to continue, the so-called fight for equality must be brought to an end.” The movements sought also sought to give voting rights to black Americans.
Political elements
It is important to note that the 20th century was characterized by both violent and non-violent protests. It is unsurprising that after more than 100 years following the proclamation of emancipation, Southern state black Americans still lived in stark, unequal disenfranchisement, were segregated upon, and faced multiple forms of oppression. These, amongst others, laid the foundation for civil rights movements of the 20th century, which eventually yielded tangible fruits. Characteristic violence of the civil rights movement was more racial-related than political. Nonetheless, the two are intertwined. Additionally, the movements were fuelled by the fact that big segments of the population, more especially, black Americans were not just denied property ownership rights but were also not accorded many other full citizenship rights.
The civil rights movements assisted in securing black citizenship rights and also in the redefinition of civil rights nature of conception. After the civil war amendments to the constitution are amongst the outstanding achievements of the civil rights movements. The amendments saw the black gaining citizenship and voting rights. Additionally, significant judicial verdicts were made during the 20th century and so were important legislations passed on basis of the constitutional amendments. A notable achievement of the movements includes the Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and the most outstanding political achievement being the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
This is an important question in helping understand the role and importance of Southern US. It should be mentioned that this question cannot be answered without mentioning the Jim Crow laws which largely contributed to Southern U.S.A history. These laws were the main forces behind segregation in this region and the larger United States. The laws offered a basis for segregation in classrooms, theaters, and even trains. Segregation was legalized in all areas of life. The laws introduced the concept of separate but equal where it was presumed that there was no problem with issuing the same kind of services different on basis of race for as long the level of service offered was equal. This was however struck down by the Supreme Court ruling in 1954. Despite the grave problems revealed in the process leading to the Supreme Court ruling, most civil rights movements were non-violent although they were accompanied by civil disobedience which created friction between the groups and the government. These were however the driving forces for change. It is during these periods that great black American leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Andrew Goodman among others rose to prominence. These leaders risked their lives a lot in fighting for the equality and freedom of the blacks.
Many forms of protest and kinds of civil disobedience include boycotts including the highly successful, Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–56) which happened in Alabama, the famous sit-ins such as the Greensboro sit-ins (1960) held in Northern Carolina, prominent matches such as the Selma to Montgomery marches held in Alabama in 1965; as well as a range of other non-violent activities.
The late 20th-century politics was characterized by repression from the government and most gravely, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King’s assassination. Additionally, there was intense infighting amongst the black militant society resulting in reduced protest activities. Open racial discrimination kinds, as well as multiple cases of government-facilitated public facilities segregation, came to an end during this period. This was however de facto rather than de jure. Despite this, there are recorded cases where the mother’s league out-rightly denounces any moves to have their children in school mix with black kids. Black candidates got elected into office and so, were the blacks able to participate in the voting process. Most of the 1950s and the 1960s retained active participation in the politics of the south. However, various colleges and universities remained a reserve for the whites.
It is however important to point out that irrespective of gains being made in the 1960s, discrimination, and repression remained a part of southern US politics. This was so even after President Johnson’s declaration seeking to eradicate poverty and initiation of the 1968 poor people’s campaign. Nonetheless, the 1970s and 1980s saw a steep rise in inequality.
In general, the decades preceding the civil rights movements in the south saw the blacks playing the main role in rebuilding the region’s economic infrastructure but prevented from enjoying equal access to the social structures. Despite having roots well-entrenched, working-class struggles in the 1930s and 1940s yielded immense success. Several people played an important role in facilitating the successes of these movements including the black church ministers, black teachers, and student unions.
It is important to note that just like the traditional civil rights movements, 20th-century politics played a plausible role in shaping American democracy. This served as a model for the advancement of group efforts to get recognition in American society. Despite no evidence of organized labor in the movements, they played a strong role in shaping the early politics and even the modern politics of the Southern United States. Significantly, the civil rights movements were able to overturn white supremacist ideologies and laws planted by Jim Crow Laws. It surpassed the existing aristocracy also went through the robust, class-centered forces coalitions which included the Southern and Middle-class business classes.
The White’s Citizen Council
However, the politics of the southern US will be incomplete without mentioning the role of the supremacist whites who resisted the efforts of the civil rights movements. A White Citizen’s Council was established in 1954, mainly constituted, along with the Ku Klux Klan, a major Southern resistance organization keen on opposing the things being advocated for by the civil rights movements. This was an organization bringing together the political class, the juries, physicians, legal experts as well as industrialists and bankers.it employed lots of tactics in combating the civil rights movements including intimidating its members, vandalizing their assets, and numerous forms of economic sabotage. Additionally, advertisements and other revenue forms from organizations that threatened southern whites’ supremacy were withheld. They also organized boycotts against organizations that failed to share it’s the Council’s ideologies. Other harsher tactics included credit denial, insurance policy, and mortgage cancellations, loss of jobs as well as the eviction of the blacks who involved themselves with the struggle.
Conclusion
In general, the 20th-century politics of the southern US is one full of change struggle and fight to retain the status quo. Therefore it should be noted that this century’s politics has largely shaped the current US where social boundaries do not define access to social services and other areas of the economy. Today, America is a free country, thanks to the politics of this period.
Works Cited
Citizens Council. What have I personally done to maintain segregation? Selma Times Journal, 1963. Print.
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Honey, Michael. Southern Labor and Black Civil Rights. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.1993. Print.
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The Mothers League. Do you want Negroes in our school? Citizens Council. 1956. Print.