Social Studies Mueseum

Civil rights Museum for the whole family

Greensboro

By: Josh Morrison and Austin Shoop

Selma

Rosa Parks

Peacful Protesters brutally attacked

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The Selma Marches

Artifacts

The three Marches at Selma took place in March of 1965. One on March 1st, one on March 9th, and one from the 21st to the 25th. The three marches brought attention to the heavy resistance black people faced regarding voting. The marchers intended to march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama. The first one, also known as Bloody Sunday, ended when they were attacked by troops armed with clubs and tear-gas. The second march faced a baracade of troops at the sight of the violence during the first march. Because of this, the marchers were forced to turn back. For the third march, the leaders sought federal protection. This time when they marched, they were backed by two thousand army soldiers, 1,900 members of the Alabama National Guard, and were closely watched by many FBI agents. They made it peacefully to Montgomery in four days, growing to over 250 thousand marchers. The Voting Rights Act was passed as a result of the marches, allowing 250,000 black voters to register.

The Selma Marches

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Billy Clubs

The Billy Clubs were mostly only used on Bloody Sunday, or the first march. They were used to break up the protesters when the troops attaked.

Tear Gas

Bullwhips

Tear gas was also used to break up the first march. They were thrown into the crowds of protesters to split them up and end the march.

Bullwhips were used during the first march on Bloody Sunday. They were used to scare away people due to the loud noise the bullwhip makes.

Greensboro Sit-ins

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Artifacts

Protesters demand service.

The Greensboro Sit-Ins were a series of protests in Feburary, 1960, in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Black students of Greensboro went to different "white-only" bars and sat there. What started as only a handful of people quickly swelled to almost 100. They were refused service, had condiments and drinks poured on them, were spat at, and were called numerous racist things. The people endured this, refusing to strike back. They didn't talk, they were always friendly, they never turned their back from the counter, they didn't block anyone else from getting in. Most importantly, they never left until the bar closed or they were dragged out. Buisnesses were rapidly losing money because of the sit-ins. The bars were forced to integrate to avoid going out of business with no other choice. Segregated people across the country were inspired by the Greensboro Sit-ins and began their own sit-ins around the South.

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Greensboro sit-ins artifacts

Chairs from the restaurants

Coffee mug

Ketchup and mustard

Coffee mugs were used to attack the protesters violently. They were hit in the heads with coffee mugs and also had hot coffee spilled on them.

These chairs were the ones that the protesters sat in during their protest. There are still stains from the various thing poured on the protesters.

Ketchup and mustard were poured on the protesters during the sit-ins to convince them to leave the restaurants. These are a few empty bottles that were found on the floor of the bar.

Rosa Parks & The Montgomery Bus Boycott

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Artifacts

The three Marches at Selma took place in March of 1965. One on March 1st, one on March 9th, and one from the 21st to the 25th. The three marches brought attention to the heavy resistance black people faced regarding voting. The marchers intended to march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama. The first one, also known as Bloody Sunday, ended when they were attacked by troops armed with clubs and tear-gas. The second march faced a barricade of troops at the sight of the violence during the first march. Because of this, the marchers were forced to turn back. For the third march, the leaders sought federal protection. This time when they marched, they were backed by two thousand army soldiers, and 1,900 members of the Alabama National Guard, and were closely watched by many FBI agents. They made it peacefully to Montgomery in four days, growing to over 250 thousand marchers. The Voting Rights Act was passed as a result of the marches, allowing 250,000 black voters to register. In addition, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, or SCLC, was formed to help aid in future protests.

Segregated People Refuse To Ride On The Bus, Choosing To Bike Instead

Rosa Parks and The Montgomnery Bus Boycott artifacts

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Handcuffs

Chairs from the bus rosa park sat in

Bikes used to protest the buses

These handcuffs were used to arrest Rosa Parks. After she refused to give up her seat, the cops were called and hauled her off with her hands in cuffs.

This is the inside of the bus Rosa parks sat in when she refused to give up her seat. She was sitting in the back, of the "black-section," when she was arrested.

These bikes were used by people of color to protest the bus company. The use of the bikes lost the bus company lots of money.