Poor People's Campaign facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Poor People's Campaign |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Civil Rights Movement | |||
Demonstrators in the Poor People's March at Lafayette Park and Connecticut Avenue in Washington, D.C. in June 1968
|
|||
| Date | May 12 – June 24, 1968 | ||
| Location | |||
| Resulted in | See What happened after the campaign? | ||
| Parties to the civil conflict | |||
|
|||
| Lead figures | |||
|
|||
The Poor People's Campaign was a big effort in 1968 to get fair economic treatment for poor people in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) started planning it. After King's death in April 1968, Ralph Abernathy took over the leadership.
The campaign asked for human rights and economic help for all poor Americans. People from many different backgrounds joined. They presented their demands to the government. Then, about 3,000 people set up a protest camp on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.. They stayed there for six weeks in the spring of 1968.
The Poor People's Campaign wanted economic justice. This means everyone should have what they need to live. King and the SCLC saw that even with civil rights gains, many African Americans were still struggling. So, they decided to focus on poverty. The campaign included people of all races: African Americans, European Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. They wanted to fight poverty for everyone, no matter their race.
In the 1960s, many Americans lived below the poverty line. This included 40 to 60 million people. At the same time, more Americans were moving to cities. This meant they couldn't grow their own food. Poor African American women often faced extra challenges because of racism and sexism.
By 1968, the government's "War on Poverty" seemed to be failing. The government was more focused on the Vietnam War. The Poor People's Campaign wanted to solve poverty through better income and housing. They hoped to show how much poor people needed help. They also wanted to unite people of all races who were facing hardship.
The campaign proposed an "economic bill of rights." They asked the government for a $30 billion plan to fight poverty. This plan included demands for full employment, a guaranteed yearly income, and more affordable housing. King believed this campaign was a new step in the civil rights movement. He said it was time to win a "bloodless war" against racism and poverty.
King wanted poor people to come to Washington, D.C. He wanted politicians to see them and understand their needs. He imagined people arriving in "mule carts, in old trucks." He wanted them to stay until the government did something to help.
Contents
How the Campaign Started
The Main Idea
The idea for the Poor People's Campaign grew over time. King thought about bringing poor people to Washington as early as 1966. In May 1967, King told his team that the SCLC needed to use nonviolence in a new way. They wanted to pressure Congress to pass an Economic Bill of Rights for poor people.
The SCLC decided to expand its civil rights fight to include economic justice. They also wanted to speak out against the Vietnam War. King announced a shift from "reform" to "revolution." He said they had moved from civil rights to "human rights."
After riots in cities like Newark and Detroit in 1967, King and his friend Stanley Levison wrote a report. It suggested organized, peaceful protests in Washington. They believed this could be more effective than riots. It would be costly to society but not destructive. They thought mass civil disobedience could use anger in a good way.
Senator Robert F. Kennedy also encouraged Marian Wright Edelman to tell King to bring poor people to Washington. Kennedy wanted to make hunger and poverty visible. He felt the country was too focused on the Vietnam War.
Planning the Campaign
The SCLC held a big meeting in late 1967 to plan the campaign. They agreed to organize a nonviolent protest in Washington, D.C. It would focus on jobs and income. King wanted the protest to be "dramatic, as dislocative, as disruptive, as attention-getting as the riots without destroying property."
Not everyone in the SCLC agreed with occupying Washington. Some members had different ideas. But King moved forward with the plan. He visited Washington in February 1968 to prepare. Marchers were set to arrive on May 2.
Sharing the News
The SCLC announced the campaign on December 4, 1967. King gave a speech about the "social insanity" that could harm the nation. In January 1968, the SCLC shared an "Economic Fact Sheet." It showed why the campaign was needed. King emphasized that the campaign would be nonviolent. He said, "We are custodians of the philosophy of non-violence."
In February 1968, King announced specific demands. These included $30 billion for anti-poverty programs, full employment, guaranteed income, and 500,000 affordable homes built each year.
The media often focused on violence or disagreements within the movement. They did not always highlight the issues of poverty or the efforts to solve them. King traveled to many cities to get support. He visited Marks, Mississippi, the poorest county in the U.S. He saw children walking without shoes. This moved him deeply. He decided the campaign should start in Marks.
People Involved
Leaders of the Campaign
- Martin Luther King Jr. was the main leader until his death on April 4, 1968.
- Ralph Abernathy became the SCLC president and led the campaign after King's death.
- Bernard Lafayette was the national coordinator for the campaign.
- Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales, a Chicano leader, brought a group from Colorado.
- Reies Tijerina, from New Mexico, worked for land rights for Hispanic Americans.
- Andrew Young was a major SCLC leader and spokesperson.
- Jesse Jackson was chosen as the "mayor" of Resurrection City.
Getting People to Join
The SCLC recruited marshals who trained in Atlanta. These marshals then went home to find participants and raise money. People who joined had to agree to use non-violence.
Reactions to the campaign were mixed. Some people were against it. Leaders worked hard to connect with different groups. They wanted to appeal to both radical and moderate people.
The Marchers
Campaign leaders recruited people from all over the country. They started in the East and South, then moved West. People of all backgrounds joined. Many volunteers were women. Many had been part of other civil rights protests.
Marchers said they wanted to have a say in decisions that affected their lives. They wanted to show how government programs sometimes didn't help them. Many did not own homes or have basic utilities. Many did not get any federal benefits. They wanted to make their struggles known in Washington.
Meeting Other Groups
The SCLC invited about 80 representatives from other poor and minority groups to Atlanta. This was an important step. These groups included Chicano Movement leaders, white coal miners, Native American, and Puerto Rican activists. Most of these groups decided to join the campaign. They felt their specific issues, like land rights, would be heard.
Supporters
The National Welfare Rights Organization and the American Friends Service Committee were key partners. They helped plan, raise money, and recruit. The American Federation of Teachers promised to set up "freedom schools" for children in the camps. The YMCA also supported the campaign.
Local organizations and religious groups in Washington, D.C., were also excited. They helped prepare for the marchers. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) gave some support and money. They did not march because they didn't believe in strict nonviolence. Many middle-class white people also gave money.
Some labor unions supported the campaign, like the United Steelworkers. However, the main labor group, the AFL-CIO, did not support it. This was because they disagreed about the Vietnam War.
Government Reactions
The idea of thousands of poor people occupying Washington made many officials nervous. They feared riots.
Government Preparations
The government prepared as if the campaign might become violent. About 20,000 army soldiers were ready to act if needed. Some members of Congress openly shared their fears. One senator said the marchers might "burn the whole place down."
Richard Nixon, who was running for president, asked Congress not to give in to the campaign's demands.
FBI Monitoring
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) watched and tried to disrupt the campaign. They called it "POCAM." The FBI had been watching King for years. They increased their efforts after King spoke out against the Vietnam War. They tried to make government officials think King was a communist.
Operation POCAM was a big project for the FBI. They recruited thousands of people to report on poor Black communities. FBI agents pretended to be journalists. They used wiretaps and even got some recruiters to become informants.
The FBI tried to stop the campaign by spreading rumors. They said it was out of money or unsafe. They also said participants would lose welfare benefits if they joined. They had success with these tactics in some cities.
Key Events of 1968
Memphis Sanitation Strike
In early 1968, King focused on the Memphis sanitation strike. He saw it as a major part of the Poor People's Campaign. On March 28, some violence happened in Memphis. This made the Poor People's Campaign look bad in the media. The FBI spread stories suggesting the Memphis events showed what would happen in Washington. The SCLC responded by saying the real issue was "POVERTY AND RACISM."
King's Assassination
King returned to Memphis and was murdered on April 4. His death was a huge blow to the campaign. At King's funeral on April 9, tens of thousands marched in Atlanta. King's casket was pulled by a mule-drawn wagon.
The SCLC, now led by Ralph Abernathy, decided to continue the campaign. They got a permit to set up a camp on the Washington Mall. They decided to focus on creating a tent city rather than just civil disobedience.
The Committee of 100
Before the main march, a group called the Committee of 100 went to Washington. They lobbied members of Congress and government agencies. This group included poor people from around the country. They formally presented the campaign's demands.
The Committee demanded an Economic Bill of Rights with five main points:
- "A meaningful job at a living wage"
- "A secure and adequate income" for those who couldn't work
- "Access to land" for economic uses
- "Access to capital" for poor people and minorities to start businesses
- The ability for ordinary people to "play a truly significant role" in government decisions
They visited several government departments. They asked for legal reforms, jobs, fair wages, and an end to discrimination. They also criticized how some departments handled poverty and housing. They wanted more affordable housing and an end to programs that hurt poor communities.
Media reports on the Committee were mixed. Many delegates got to share their stories publicly for the first time. Congress's reaction was often negative.
Journey to Washington
On May 12, 1968, demonstrators led by Coretta Scott King began a two-week protest in Washington, D.C. They demanded an Economic Bill of Rights. May 12 was Mother's Day, and 5,000 people marched. They protested cuts to the Head Start program.
Throughout May, nine large groups of poor people traveled to Washington. One group started in Selma, Alabama. Others came from Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco. Much of the media focused on the "Mule Train." This group left Marks, Mississippi, on May 13.
The FBI collected a lot of information about each group. This included photos, participants, routes, and money. The marchers got help from the Department of Justice. This group helped them deal with local governments.
Resurrection City
On May 21, 1968, thousands of poor people set up a tent city called "Resurrection City." It lasted for six weeks. The city even had its own zip code.
Building the Camp
The city quickly worked to build shelters and meet the needs of its 3,000 residents. Many volunteers helped build the shelters. The group decided on the name "Resurrection City" and the National Mall as the location just two days before people arrived. They agreed to limit the city to 3,000 people for 36 days. The United Auto Workers union donated $55,000 to help set up the city.
The camp faced challenges but also received many donations. Celebrities and politicians visited. However, there were also reports of some young marshals bullying people. There was also confusion about the campaign's finances.
Life in the City
Thousands of people lived in Resurrection City. It was like any other community, with hard work, disagreements, and dignity. Businesses grew inside the city. There was also some street crime. People talked about politics, played games, and attended workshops.
Residents called it "the city where you don't pay taxes, where there's no police brutality and you don't go to jail." Resurrection City had a university, a "Soul Tent," and a city hall.
Challenges
The group faced low spirits, leadership conflicts, and racial tension. Living conditions were tough. It rained a lot, and the camp became very muddy. At one point, water was five inches deep. The wet and muddy protesters tried to meet with members of Congress, but most efforts were not successful.
The city was shocked when Robert F. Kennedy was killed on June 5. Many saw this as a bad sign. Kennedy's funeral procession passed through Resurrection City. Many residents joined in singing at the Lincoln Memorial.
Hawthorne School
Some marchers, especially Chicano activists, stayed at the Hawthorne School. This was an alternative high school a few miles from Resurrection City. The school was dry, unlike the muddy camp. It became a close-knit community. People from different backgrounds, like Chicanos and poor white people, shared their cultures. From Hawthorne, protesters marched to the Supreme Court. They protested a ruling on Native American fishing rights. This protest got a lot of media attention.
Solidarity Day
A big rally called Solidarity Day was planned for June 19. It attracted between 50,000 and 100,000 people, including many white supporters. Leaders from the SCLC spoke, including Abernathy and Coretta Scott King. Other speakers included Tijerina, Native American activist Martha Grass, and politicians. The United Auto Workers union brought the largest group of supporters.
Eviction
On June 20, police fired tear gas into the city. This happened after some people reportedly threw rocks. Life in the camp became very chaotic. On June 23, a visitor to the camp was attacked. Abernathy accused the police of causing the violence.
The camp's permit expired on June 23, 1968. On June 24, over 1,000 police officers arrived to clear the camp. About 500 residents were still there. Some were led by Abernathy to another place for a planned arrest. Police systematically searched the shelters and arrested people. In total, 288 demonstrators were arrested, including Abernathy.
Later that day, there were reports of rocks thrown and a fire bomb near 14th Street. Police responded with tear gas. The area was closed off, and a curfew was set. The mayor declared a state of emergency. National Guardsmen patrolled the streets.
What happened after the campaign?
The "economic bill of rights" was never passed. Leaders expressed regret about how the occupation ended. Some felt the campaign had not achieved its goals.
However, the campaign did lead to some changes. More money was given for free and reduced-price school lunches and Head Start programs in Mississippi and Alabama. The government also released extra food to the poorest counties. Food stamps were expanded, and some welfare rules were made simpler. Activists also made important connections in Washington. Many marchers, especially Chicano activists, said the experience helped them understand poverty better. It also strengthened their relationships with each other.
The SCLC organized another protest caravan. It traveled to the 1968 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, Florida. Later, the Mule Train went to the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. There, the demonstrators got caught in violence around the convention site.
In 1969, a Poor People's Campaign group met with President Nixon. They asked him to address hunger and malnutrition.
In 2017, a new movement called the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for a Moral Revival was started. Its goal is to continue the work of the original campaign.
Images for kids
-
FBI 1
-
FBI 2
