Emancipation Proclamation

This doc is a huge deal—it's the order that declared all slaves free, issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It's easily in the top three most important texts in American history, along with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

But it was only the first step on the way to equality. After America exorcised its biggest demon, the next step was to actually honor African American rights in full. And while that should have been super easy…that's not how it played out in real life. In real life, the struggle for justice and equality continued.

Remember how they had to blow up not one, but two Death Stars in Star Wars? It's kind of like that…had the Empire had once declared African Americans to be only three-fifths of a person.

Civil Rights

Broadly, this term refers to the rights of all citizens, such as free speech, habeas corpus, and all that other good stuff from the Bill of Rights.

During the '60s, the idea of a "Civil Rights Movement" became associated with the context of African American protests for equal rights. The movement was led by people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Lewis, head of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee.

Jim Crow

This cute-sounding term is actually anything but cute. Instead of describing an animated bird named Jim, this general term refers to laws in Southern states leading up to the Civil Rights Movement.

Jim Crow is especially associated with segregation, the policy of legally requiring African Americans to be separated from whites. This included drinking at different fountains, going to different schools, and a host of other messed-up-ness.

Governor of Alabama

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s reference to George Wallace, the Alabama Governor who infamously declared "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever" during his 1963 Inaugural Address. MLK also referred to some Alabamans as "vicious racists" (16.1).

Not gonna lie: Wallace definitely fit that description.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference

This was the organization that Martin Luther King, Jr. led during the '60s Civil Rights Movement. The group consisted of political activists as well as religious leaders and clergy members. For MLK, Christianity was intertwined with the dream of progress. (Source)

Negro

In the 1960s, this was a common term used to refer to African Americans. Both African Americans and whites used the word in public and print, and "I Have a Dream" uses it frequently.

The term "Negro" goes back hundreds of years, to at least the 1600s, but nowadays it's considered offensive and politically incorrect.

TL;DR: Do not write this word on your history essays, but don't freak out when you see it in the context of historical texts.

Non-Violence

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophy of protest. Some other African American leaders, like Malcolm X, considered violence to be an option, in order to achieve the goals of African Americans. King admired Gandhi, an Indian revolutionary leader who advocated non-violence. (Source)

Civil Disobedience

Another method of protest. Basically, this means refusing to follow an unjust law (King argued that an unjust law was not a legitimate law).

King went to jail when he led protests in Birmingham in spite of a judge's order against protesting. "Sit-ins" are another example. For this protest, African Americans would show up in places they weren't "supposed" to be, and sit there, non-violently chilling until people took notice.

Spiritual

In this context, this word refers to a religious song or hymnal. In the tradition of African American Baptist churches, singing spiritual is a big part of the service.

Police Brutality

Race-motivated persecution of African Americans by law enforcement. In Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, police attacked peaceful protesters with dogs and high-pressure water hoses. Yeah.

Check out this link to see some photos of these horrific actions. But be forewarned: they're disturbing.

Ghetto

A neighborhood within a larger city or town, cordoned off by race. The idea of a ghetto is especially associated with persistent poverty and social problems. The term was also used to refer to Jewish relocation leading up to the Holocaust; the comparison with African Americans in America was a powerful one.