Freedom Summer and other collaborative methods
Freedom Summer was a nonviolent effort by civil rights activists to integrate Mississippi's segregated political system during 1964. In At the time, only 2/5ths of the South’s eligible black population was registered to vote. Southern states required poll taxes or literacy tests that prevented blacks from voting, despite the 15th Amendment.
During the summer of 1964, thousands of civil rights volunteers spread throughout the south to help blacks register to vote. Many were white college students from the north. By getting well-connected northerners involved, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee thought that it would help spread the cause more quickly.
Residents and volunteers were met by extraordinary violence, including murders, bombings, kidnappings, and torture. Much of this was covered on national television and focused the country's attention on civil rights issues for the first time.
During the summer of 1964, thousands of civil rights volunteers spread throughout the south to help blacks register to vote. Many were white college students from the north. By getting well-connected northerners involved, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee thought that it would help spread the cause more quickly.
Residents and volunteers were met by extraordinary violence, including murders, bombings, kidnappings, and torture. Much of this was covered on national television and focused the country's attention on civil rights issues for the first time.
For more information, click the images above.
Freedom Riders
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Freedom Summer was the not first attempt to combine the forces of white and black Americans to achieve a cause. In 1961, a group of young people attempted to integrate the southern transportation system. Click here to watch a video on the Freedom Riders
List of Protest Locations
This website shows the many protest locations of the Civil Rights Movement. Notice how widespread the actions were.
https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/civilrights/sitelist.htm
https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/civilrights/sitelist.htm