How did lyndon johnson deal with apartheid?

A sharp social problem in the United States after World War II is racial discrimination and oppression against blacks. There is racial discrimination in employment. Black people generally engage in tedious and most despised labor occupations. The average wage is only 1/3 ~ 1/2 of white people, and the unemployment rate is very high. There is obvious racial segregation in education, housing and transportation. During the Kennedy period, he tried to solve the civil rights problem and passed the relevant civil rights bill. Therefore,1October 27th, 1963 165438, Johnson said at the joint meeting of the two houses of Congress just after taking office, "There is no memorial speech or eulogy to commemorate President Kennedy more than passing the civil rights law he fought for as soon as possible."

1964 On June19, the American Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, which was signed into effect by President Johnson on July 2. This bill is the most influential civil rights bill passed since reconstruction. It explicitly guarantees that blacks can enjoy hotels, restaurants, entertainment and other public places like whites, and prohibits racial segregation in public places. It authorizes the federal government to sue and demand the abolition of apartheid in public facilities and schools, and the Ministry of Justice has the right to intervene in civil rights litigation. Protect black people's voting rights and cancel the federal funds allocated to enterprises and institutions with racial discrimination. Require companies and trade unions to give black people equal employment opportunities. And set up a social relations bureau to help solve civil rights problems in various regions. Henry Komag called it "the most far-reaching legislation since Wagner Act and Tennessee Valley Management Act". In his radio address that day, Johnson said: "The Bill of Rights is not only a challenge to everyone who works in the community, state and China, but also a challenge to everyone who really wants to eliminate the remnants of injustice in our lovely country."

1963 In August, Martin Luther King, the famous leader of the civil rights movement, delivered a famous speech "I have a dream" in front of the Lincoln Memorial Tower. He said: "I dream that all people are created equal;" I dreamed that the sons of former slaves and former slave owners sat at the same table like brothers; My dream is that one day this country will judge them not by their skin color, but by their character. "

But blacks feel that the implementation of the new civil rights law is too slow. During Johnson's second term, riots broke out in black slums in many cities.

1965 March 2 1 ~ 25, Pastor Jin led more than 3,000 people to March peacefully from Celma to Montgomery under the protection of Johnson's army. In August, 1965, 1 1 ~ 19, an atrocity occurred in Watts District, Los Angeles, in which a black man attacked the military and police with a gun. On August 12 of the same year, a two-day armed struggle between blacks and 2,000 military and police officers also took place on the west side of Lake Chicago. This year, the black armed struggle against violence developed to nine cities. 1967, there were 128 cities against violence. In mid-July, a large-scale black riot occurred in Newark, New Jersey, USA.

1968 In April, Reverend King launched the poor people's movement to March on Washington. On April 3, he led 6000 protesters into Memphis and delivered a speech at the Masonic Church: "I have reached the top of the mountain." The next night, he was assassinated at the Lorraine motel. His unfortunate death brought great sorrow to all black Americans.

Because of the assassination of Martin Luther King, the riot struggle in 168 town was triggered. In the eyes of African-Americans, Martin Luther King is their hero and pride. On the day of the funeral, Johnson had to order all government agencies to fly flags at half mast. On April 10, the National Assembly immediately passed the Bill of Rights to eliminate racial discrimination in housing.

1On August 6th, 965, Johnson signed the electoral law passed by the National Assembly, which stipulated that the Attorney General had the right to appoint federal registered personnel to supervise those places that prevented blacks from voting freely, and cancelled the cultural test and similar qualification examination for voters, thus punishing acts that interfered with normal voting rights. 1968 On April 10, President Johnson also signed the third civil rights bill, namely the Open Housing Act, which prohibits racial segregation and discrimination in housing. The above three bills legally destroyed the "Zhan Mu Crow" apartheid system formed in the southern United States since the reconstruction. In addition, 1965655438+001October 3, President Johnson signed an amendment to the immigration law, ending the legislation of the national origin quota system.