Dr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoJul 3, 2023

59 years ago, Pres. Johnson signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act, shaping America as we know it today. 60 years ago, everyday activities like dining, hotels, & public trans were pockmarked by segregation & discrimination. This Act is the most comprehensive civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, & we owe it all to the tireless efforts of ordinary citizens in the American civil rights movement.

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Show threadDr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoJul 3, 2023

After the Civil War, a series of constitutional amendments were enacted. The 13th abolished slavery, the 14th granted citizenship to formerly enslaved, and the 15th ensured the right to vote for all men regardless of race. However, numerous states employed tactics like poll taxes, literacy tests, to disenfranchise Black citizens. They also enforced strict segregation through "Jim Crow" laws and tolerated violence the KKK.

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Show threadMark Squires Jul 3, 2023
@Deglassco They didn't go nearly far enough. Structures that support minority rule--like the electoral college and the Senate--were left intact.
Show threadDr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoJul 4, 2023
@marksquires I think they thought at the time, and now, that it is a work in progress. Unfortunately, we seem to be sliding backwards.
Show threadMark Squires 
@Deglassco But doesn't it seem thoroughly predictable? They readmitted all the slave states by 1870 which then gave those states a powerful electoral group of votes, not to mention the US Senate representation scheme. What else was going to happen? It was a recipe for backsliding and further problems.
Jul 4, 2023 at 9:42pmWeb