The December Vaughan Forum: Opposition to the Civil Rights Movement

A talk by Bradley Phipps

The US civil rights movement has been the focus of a good deal of historical inquiry. Less-studied, however, has been the ‘Massive Resistance’ to the movement, which sought to thwart racial integration and prevent civil rights for African Americans.

This talk will reflect on researching the opposition to the civil rights movement. Amongst these are the difficulty of establishing the facts about the often-secretive activities of segregationists who wanted Black and white Americans to remain separate; the limited sources available; and the reticence of segregationists to give interviews or provide material to those studying this aspect of history. Despite its challenges, researching this part of history is important, not only to provide important context to studies of the civil rights movement, but also because the legacy of the racist opposition to the civil rights movement continues to shape American politics today.

About the presenter

Dr Bradley Phipps is a historian of the modern United States, focusing on backlash politics and the opposition to the civil rights movement. He completed his PhD at the University of Leicester, and is now a Researcher at the Learning and Work Institute, working on research projects related to education, skills, and employment.

Image: 15 Nov 1960, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA --- At a meeting of the White Citizens Council of Greater New Orleans. Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS.