Sophia P, The Civil Rights Adventure

Selma March

MLK Assasination

Little Rock 9

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Sophia Papson

the civil rights adventure

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Overveiw

In Selma, Alabama, on March 7th, 1965, MLK started a march to raise awareness of voting rights. While marching, they were met with violence from heavily armed state troopers. Because of this, chaos spread and they had to end the march, however, it wouldn't be long before another march began in the same month. On March 9th, 1965, MLK reattempted the march. It was all going good until it abruptly ended because of state troopers barricading the bridge forcing MLK and the marchers to go the other way. Finally, on March 25th, 1965, they were able to complete the march because of the National Guard protecting them.

Selma March

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MLK Assasination

April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennesse was what everyone thought to be just another normal day, however, they would soon be mistaken. MLK was staying at a motel getting ready for another protest/march when suddenly a gunshot noise went off. He was standing on the balcony looking out when the gunshot came. MLK had just been assassinated. This caused the civil rights movement to take a hit since their leader had just been killed. After MLK was assassinated, no one really took his spot. Groups of people all shared the face of the civil rights movement but none had as much control as MLK. This caused for the civil rights movement to slowly unravel itself.

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Little Rock 9

The Little Rock 9 was an experiment to see if and how integrated schools would end up. The 9 students selected were chosen based on how well they thought they could handle judgment and even verbal or physical violence. On September 3, 1957, the nine students chosen arrived at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, an all-white high school. They were met with an angry mob that supported Gov. Faubus who disagreed with the integration of Dunbar (the high school where the Little Rock 9 were from) and Central High School. For the rest of the month, the governor used the Arkansas National Guard to keep Little Rock 9 out of Central High. This continued until the President (Eisenhower) sent 1,000 troops to make sure the LIttle Rock 9 went to school. The military troops remain at Central High for the rest of the year. However, the following year, Gov. Fabus closed all schools in the area for a year. Finally, in August 1959, the school reopened to everyone. The school was not fully integrated until 1971.

Dunbar High School

Little Rock, Arkansas

Dunbar High School was a High school that coexisted with Central High. They were both high schools except there was one difference. While Central High was for Whites, Dunbar was for blacks. Unlike most schools, Dunbar was not way worse than Central High. Sure, you probably didn't get as many opportunities but it was still considered a good high school which the town liked. This is where the little rock 9 were from

• This is what Dunbar High School in Little Rock, Arkansas looks like now.

Selma March 2

March 9, 1965

The second march was an attempt to do what the 1st march was supposed to do, highlight voting rights issues, however AGAIN they ran into problems. Can you guess who it was? Ah yes, the state troopers AGAIN. At the bridge was a barricade of federal troopers. MLK knew that there were two options: A, stand up to the state troopers to show their ideas and opinions or, B, go the other way to keep things nonviolent. MLK made his choice, he chose to walk away and make the others go home. He didn't want violent a protest and would rather walk away from one that was going to be violent than participate in it. So, again, the march was a fail. This march was important because it brought even more attention towards voting rights

• This is a photo taken on that day showing the state troopers barricading the bridge.

The marches in total helped raise awareness to the unfair voting rights in the south of the U.S.A. After the 3rd march, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 became a law and by August 6, 1965, African Americans had equal voting rights. African Americans didn't have the right to vote for over 60 years! And now, finally, they did. At the end of 1965, around 250,000 new African Americans had been registered for the ability which had been taken away from them, to vote.

Selma March 3

March 21-25, 1965

After 12 days, the 3rd and Final Selma march began. By this point, they had already had 2 unsuccessful attempts. Two! It all came down to this one to see if they could finally get a law in action. It was just like the other marches except there was someone involved that made them able to finish this journey. Someone who runs the country. The president! Well, at least the National Guard did. Because of this, they were able to finish their 5-day long journey from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery Alabama.

• You can see the joy in these peoples eyes of finally being able to march freely.

The Little Rock 9 were able to go to school because of troops. For the rest of the school year, the troops stayed at Central High to make sure they could go to school.

1,000 Troops

Sept. 23, 1957

Central High School had ATTEMPTED ( notice how I said attempted) to become the first integrated school in the South. Things did not go like that though. Let's just say a lot of people weren't happy, a lot. It had gotten to the point where President Eisenhower had to order 1,000 troops to make sure that the Little Rock 9 (African American students) could go to school. 1,000 troops! 1,000 just to make sure these kids could go to school.

• The soldars were around the LIttle Rock 9 making sure no one would try to stop them from going to school.

• This is the photo of what it looks like replicated when MLK got assasinated.

Now-After April 4, 1968

After the MLK assasination, the Lorraine Motel shut down and became a museum. The museum showed what it looked liked when MLK got assassinated. While every object might not be the original from the 1960s, it looks exactly like that fateful day. Today people go there to honor the memory of Martin Luther King Jr.

Lorraine Motel

Memphis, Tennesse

After the awful news, many people tried to step forward to do what MLK did, be the face of the civil rights movement and be the hope of these people. A couple people took over but no one ever became the new face of the civil rights movement. After he died,the civil rights movement slowly started to shrivel away.

After math of MLK assasination

After April 4, 1968

The MLK assasintaion was DEVASTATING for everyone. It was devastating for civil rights protesters, for African Americans, and even for the whole country. This man was the face of the civil rights movement. With him dead, who would lead it noow? Well the answer to that is many different people.

• You can see the amount of people that cared about MLK.

Selma March 1

March 7, 1965

The 1st Selma March was SUPPOSED to be a peaceful way of bringing attention to voting rights, at least that's how it was supposed to go. Can you guess what happened next? Well, it was definitely not what Martin Luther King (the leader of the march and Civil Rights movement) had wanted. That day, the peaceful protesters were attacked by heavily armed state troopers. Can you believe it?! They were just minding their business when they were met with violence! Sadly this day would go down in history, not for bringing attention to voting rights, but for so many African Americans being killed. Because of this awful event, they called it "Bloody Sunday" This day would be important since it would show how strong peoples opinions about voting rights were.

• This photo shows the state troopers being violent toward the peaceful protesters.

Central High School

Little Rock, Arkansas

Central High school is a school in Little Rock, Arkansas. This high school was the biggest one in Little Rock. However, this school was only for whites. Around half the population were African Americans, which means HALF of the town couldn't go to this school. Half the town liked it because it was only for white students. The school had a good education, good facilities, good opportunities, and it had a good community. This is were the Little Rock 9 would soon go.

• This is what the school looks like currently.

Then-Before April 4, 1968

Lorraine Motel

Memphis, Tennesse

The Lorraine Motel was a motel in Memphis, Tennessee. This motel was just like any other motel around. There was nothing really special about it until a HUGE event would happen. This major event was the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

• This photo is what the Lorraine Motel looked like before the MLK assassination