EOTO Reaction: Civil Rights Era - Positives and Negatives

    The Civil Rights Movement has become a defining era in U.S history. During this time, there was both incredible progress made, but a sea of struggle as well. Today, I'd like to tell you about some of the progress and challenges that was taught by students.

    I'd first like to talk about the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 - 1956 , which was sparked by Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat. The boycott mobilized African Americans on an unparalleled scale. Buses were replaced with over 200 person carpool networks, and as a result, the city of Montgomery eventually lost about 70% of its transportation revenue. Ultimately, the Supreme Court validated the ruling that segregated buses were unconstitutional, which also reinforce the precedent set by Brown v. Board of Education. 

    The Freedom Rides of 1961 challenged Jim Crow laws by testing Boynton v. Virginia. During this period, multiracial riders would deliberately violate Jim crows laws while enduring violence from white communities. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) played a major part in this by providing rides that ended with mandated desegregation.

    Despite this progress and success, there was also a fair amount of challenge during the movement. ON September 15th, 1963, the 16th Street Baptist church bombing occurred. This event was a horrific reminder of the violence activists faced. The attack by the Ku Klux Klan unfortunately killed four young girls and injured 23 others. This church was a hub for civil rights leaders, and became a symbol for the ongoing struggle against racial hatred.

    Furthermore, the murders of three civil rights workers - James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman - in 1964 further illustrated the risks and struggles of activism. These three men were active in organizing boycotts and increasing black voter registration. Unfortunately, it seems this made them a target for the KKK. They were first pronounced missing on June 21, 1964 near Philadelphia. Sadly, their bodies were found on August 4th after months of FBI investigation and searches.

    The discovery of their bodies drew significant media attention to the civil rights movement, and further highlighted the violence that activist in the South faced. As a result of this attention, President Lyndon B. Johnson was pushed for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

 

Mock Trial: Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

    The Supreme Court case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke marked a significant turning point in the debate over affirmative action policies in higher education. This case was centered around issues that dealt with racial equality and access to adequate education for everyone.

    This case began with Allan Bakke, a 35-year-old white male student, who'd applied twice for admission into the University of California Medical School at Davis.  As part of its Affirmative Action Program, the University reserved 16 spots in each entering class of 100 for qualified minority applicants. This program was aimed at addressing historical underrepresentation of racial minorities in the medical field. 

    Bakke argued that both his test scores and College GPA exceeded the qualification of any of the minority students that had been admitted during the two years Bakke was rejected. Bakke conceded that not only was he excluded from admissions solely based on race, but continued to argue that his rights under the Equal Protection Clause had been violated by the University of California Medical School. 

    The central issue in this case was whether UC Davis' affirmative action policy violated the Equal Protection clause and the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As we know, "The 14th Amendment states, 'No state shall... deny to any person with its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.'" Bakke's legal team argued that the affirmative action program was unconstitutional, claiming reverse discrimination - violation of the idea that an individual's race should not be considered under any circumstance. 

    The University of California defended its affirmative action program by emphasizing the need to counteract the system racism that had continued to disadvantage minorities for over a century. UC Davis' claimed, "The Fourteenth Amendment states that people should be treated equally, not the same," This allows room for policies that can provide opportunities to minority applicants. Furthermore, the program was not exclusive to racial minorities; White applicants who faced educational or economic disadvantages were considered as well.

    In the end, no side specifically won the case. The Supreme Court struck down the University's use of racial quotas, deeming them unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Justice Lewis Powell reasoned that a quota system in which excluded individuals solely based on race constituted racial discrimination, which the 14th Amendment prohibits.

    Nevertheless, the Court also recognized the legitimacy of the affirmative action program, which was meant to foster a diverse community, and address past discrimination.