· Despite the new civil rights laws, discrimination remained a problem throughout the nation.
· The Black Muslims, led by Malcolm X, believed that African Americans could only succeed if they separated from white society.
· However, before he was assassinated in 1965, Malcolm X changed his views and sought to create better relationships between blacks and whites.
· The Black Panthers urged African Americans to arm themselves and to fight for their rights when necessary.
Urban riots:
· Angry about poverty, unemployment and discrimination, riots broke out in black communities in many American cities in the mid 1960’s
· One of the worst examples was in the Watts section of Los Angeles, in which fires were set, stores were looted, 4,000 people were arrested, 34 were killed and 1,000 were injured.
Death of Dr. King:
· Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, in April of 1968 by a white gunman.
· In 1986, his birthday was made into a national holiday in order to celebrate his legacy.
· During the 1970’s, many American cities elected black mayors for the first time, such as Atlanta, Newark, Cleveland, Detroit, New Orleans and Los Angeles.
· Thurgood Marshall became the first African American on the Supreme Court in 1967.
· Affirmative action programs were set up across the country in order to hire and promote minorities, women, and others that had been victims of discrimination.
· Women were oftentimes paid less than men for the same job and were seldom promoted as fast as men.
· Many law schools and medical schools gave preference to male applicants.
Struggle for equality:
· In 1966, Betty Friedan helped to organize the National Organization for Women (NOW).
· NOW fought for equal rights for women in jobs, pay, and education.
· This struggle became known as the women’s rights movement.
Progress:
· The Equal Pay Act of 1963 required equal pay for equal work.
· The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in hiring by gender as well as by race.
