White citizens' councils

Definition

White citizens' councils were organizations formed in the southern United States during the 1950s, primarily in response to the desegregation of schools and public facilities. These councils aimed to maintain white supremacy and resist the civil rights movement through social pressure, intimidation, and economic retaliation against those who supported integration efforts. The councils represented a broader pushback against the changes brought about by landmark decisions like Brown v. Board of Education.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. White citizens' councils were established after the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which mandated desegregation in public schools.
2. These councils primarily consisted of white middle-class individuals who sought to resist integration through non-violent means, but often resorted to intimidation tactics.
3. Councils often targeted black individuals who tried to integrate schools or public places, leading to economic boycotts and social ostracism.
4. The influence of these councils waned after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which enforced desegregation and provided federal protection for civil rights.
5. The councils operated throughout the South, promoting ideas of racial purity and maintaining a social hierarchy that favored white citizens over African Americans.

Review Questions

• How did white citizens' councils form in response to the events surrounding desegregation efforts?
  • White citizens' councils emerged in direct reaction to the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, which mandated desegregation. In an effort to maintain segregation, these councils organized to pressure local governments and communities to resist integration. They utilized social pressure and intimidation tactics to discourage African Americans from exercising their rights, reflecting a deep-seated commitment to preserving white supremacy.
• Analyze the strategies employed by white citizens' councils to counteract the Civil Rights Movement and desegregation efforts.
  • White citizens' councils employed a variety of strategies to undermine the Civil Rights Movement, including economic boycotts against businesses that supported integration. They also fostered a culture of fear through intimidation tactics, targeting those who advocated for civil rights or attempted to integrate public facilities. By creating a network of social and economic repercussions, these councils aimed to maintain the status quo of segregation and discourage any challenges to white dominance.
• Evaluate the long-term impact of white citizens' councils on racial relations and civil rights in the United States following their decline.
  • The decline of white citizens' councils post-Civil Rights Act of 1964 marked a significant shift in racial relations in the United States. Although their influence lessened, the ideologies they promoted continued to impact societal attitudes towards race. The councils contributed to a legacy of resistance against civil rights that shaped subsequent discussions about race relations, segregation, and equality. Their existence highlighted the deeply entrenched racism that would require ongoing efforts to address even after their decline.

Related terms

Brown v. Board of Education:

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1954 that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional.

Civil Rights Movement: A social movement in the 1950s and 1960s aimed at ending racial discrimination and securing equal rights for African Americans.

Ku Klux Klan:

A white supremacist hate group that has historically used intimidation, violence, and terror to uphold racial segregation and white dominance.