Chapter 15, Section 3 The Equal Rights Struggle Expands

1
Chapter 15, Section 3The Equal Rights Struggle
Expands

• Other groups borrowed heavily from the Civil
  Rights struggles of African Americans
• They created organizations similar to the
• SCLC and SNCC to fight for their cause
• Many used non-violent protests to bring
• attention to their causes
• Laws passed due to the African American
• civil rights movement protected the rights
• of members of these other groups as well

2
Mexican Americans Organize

• By 1960s most Mexican Americans lived in the
  cities of the southwest
• La Raza Unida (United People) organization
  formed in 1970 that fought for better jobs, pay,
  education, housing, and to elect Mexican American
  candidates

3
Mexican Americans (continued)

• Cesar Chavez started a union for migrant
  farmers in California
• Used non-violent protests, strikes, and boycotts
• won a contract with higher pay and better benefits

4
Mexican Americans (continued)

• Cinco de Mayo May 5th holiday which celebrates
  the 1862 victory of Mexico over France (holiday
  for Mexican national and cultural pride)

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• Mexican American students in the Southwest fought
  for better schools, more courses on
  Mexican-American culture and history, and more
  Mexican-American teachers
• By mid 1970s many of the school reforms that the
  students called for had been made

6
Hispanic Diversity

• Hispanics trace their roots to Spanish-speaking
  countries and cultures
• Hispanic Americans come from different countries,
  so they often have differences
• Mexicans concerned about immigration to the U.S.
  and citizenship
• Cubans worried about the freedom of their home
  country from communism
• Puerto Ricans (P.R. a territory of the U.S.) are
  not worried about either issue

7
Native Americans Unite

• Termination Policy U.S. govt. policy in 1953
  that ended federal protection of the reservation
  land held by tribes
• National Congress of American Indians founded
  in 1944
• promoted pride in traditional Native American
  cultures
• led protests against the termination policy

National Congress of American Indians logo
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Native Americans Unite (continued)

• American Indian Movement fought a more
  aggressive campaign for rights and recognition of
  tribal laws
• Occupied the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs in
  1972 for 7 days in protest

AIM leader Russell Means
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• Indian Self-Determination Act of 1975 gave
  tribal governments more control over social
  programs, law enforcement, and education on
  reservations
• Issues today for Native Americans relate to
  hunting and fishing rights, access to water, and
  casino gambling

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The Womens Movement

• In the 1960s women also demanded equal rights in
  job opportunities, pay, legal rights, and to keep
  jobs if pregnant
• Betty Friedan wrote The Feminine Mystique, a
  book that described the problems women faced in
  the 1950s and 1960s and was one of the
  founders of N.O.W.

? Betty Friedan
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The Womens Movement (continued)

• National Organization for Women (N.O.W.)
  organization formed in 1966 whose major goals
  were to help women get good jobs and equal pay
  for equal work

NOW protest in New Jersey in 1972 ?
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• Equal Rights Amendment (E.R.A.) Constitutional
  amendment passed by Congress and sent to the
  states for ratification
• It would guarantee women equal opportunities in
  jobs and education, and equal pay for equal work
• Needed 38 states to ratify it by 1982 (only 35
  did)

• Other laws do
• protect the rights
• of women, such
• as the Civil Rights
• Act of 1964 and
• the Higher
• Education Act

ERA activists ?