How Important Was Black Activism From 1860 To 1965

Within the context of the years 1860 to 1965, how important was black activism to the advancement of black civil rights in the USA?

Black Activism is unparalleled in its ability to bring about both de jure and de facto change - affecting change in the Supreme Court and forcing the hands of presidents to enact legal change; while also changing the perception of Black Americans and the issues impacting them in the eyes of Middle America. Black Activism grew more impactful as the period progressed; however, it was the work done by activists in the 1860s-1900s that laid the groundwork for the greater victories of later civil rights campaigners from 1945-1965.

From 1860 to 1910, much of the work of Black Civil Rights campaigners was instrumental

The Civil War changed the Northern view of Black Americans due to the significant role they played in the unionist forces – making up almost 10% of the Army by the end of the War. Moreover, the Civil War catalysed the Emancipation Proclamation as Lincoln understood that, by committing to abolition, he could better incentivise Black soldiers to fight in the Civil War and exploit them as a resource. Additionally, the Civil War affirmed the need for emancipation and abolition as, without it, the North-South divide would have continued, and war would have been in vain. The President – particularly Lincoln - also played a significant role in enacting legal changes during this period. It was Lincoln that issued the Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862 and pushed through the Thirteenth Amendment in 1864 – both fundamental in the abolition of slavery and thus the progress of Civil Rights for Black Americans. Later, Ulysses S. Grant furthered progress towards Civil Rights by supporting 1869’s Fifteenth Amendment and by enacting the Ku Klux Klan Act in 1871, not only targeting legal rights, but also access to them by attempting to minimise the threat of White terror and violence – thus making it realistically possible for Black Americans to vote. Furthermore, Congress, particularly during the presidency of

For example, during the Cold War, there was a sense that America could not fight for freedom abroad without better conditions for its own citizens. Additionally, Soviet propaganda around American civil rights catalysed JFK to act to de-weaponise this strand of attack. Moreover, White support for change reiterated the need for federal action - suddenly, civil rights was an issue that stretched across voter demographics. Presidents also aided change during this period. In 1946 Truman established a Civil Rights committee to investigate increasing violence against Black Americans. Truman was the first president since Lincoln to publicly commit to civil rights. Truman also banned discrimination and segregation in the Armed Forces with Executive Order 9981 and established the CGCC with Executive Order 10308. Moreover, Truman prevented the Federal Housing Administration from lending money to segregated housing projects – incentivising integration and desegregating the Washington Airport restaurant. Crucially, Truman was unapologetic in his support for Civil Rights, appointing Ralph Bunche American Ambassador to the UN; making William Hastie the first Black federal judge; delivering the first presidential speech to the NAACP in 1947, addressing Civil Rights in his 1948 State of the Union address, and integrating his 1949 inauguration celebrations. Kennedy appointed five Black judges to federal courts, including the NAACP’s