Southern Christian Leadership Conference

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was a group that worked to help African-Americans get fair treatment. It was based in Atlanta, Georgia.

The group was led by its first president, Martin Luther King Jr.. He was very important in the American civil rights movement.

The SCLC helped organize many events and protests. They fought for equal rights and fairness for all people, no matter their skin color. Their work helped change laws and make life better for everyone.

Founding

On January 10, 1957, after the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Pastor Martin Luther King asked about sixty black pastors and leaders to meet at Atlanta's Ebenezer Church. Important guests included pastors Charles Kenzie Steele and Fred Shuttlesworth, and activist Bayard Rustin.

Rustin had thought of forming a group to support nonviolent actions to end segregation on buses in the South. Steele agreed to work with Rustin but suggested they ask King to lead. King agreed, and the group met again on January 11. They called themselves the Southern Negro Leaders Conference on Transportation and Nonviolent Integration.

A follow-up meeting in New Orleans in February 1957 led to creating a new organization with King as president. They changed the name a few times before finally calling it the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in August 1957. The group aimed to end all types of segregation, not just on buses. They set up a small office in Atlanta with Ella Baker as their first staff member.

SCLC was made up of churches and community groups. The group looked to evangelist Billy Graham for inspiration, though they sometimes disagreed on strategies.

In the early years, SCLC faced strong opposition from police, the White Citizens' Council, and the Ku Klux Klan. Only a few churches dared to support them. SCLC's focus on nonviolent protests, like boycotts and marches, was controversial. Some leaders thought it was better to fight segregation in court rather than through direct action. Others felt that involving ordinary people in protests was too risky. There was also debate about whether churches should take part in political activities.

Citizenship Schools

Citizenship Schools began in 1954, started by Esau Jenkins and Septima Clark on the Sea Islands near South Carolina and Georgia. These schools taught adults to read and write so they could pass voting tests, fill out forms, and manage everyday tasks. The program grew and moved to Knoxville in 1961.

These schools taught about democracy, civil rights, and how to organize communities. By 1968, thanks to these schools, over 700,000 African Americans were able to register to vote. Septima Clark became the first woman on the SCLC board because of her work with the Citizenship Schools. Many women served as teachers in these important classes.

Albany Movement

In 1961 and 1962, SCLC joined forces with another group called SNCC in the Albany Movement in Albany, Georgia. This was one of SCLC's first big nonviolent campaigns. Though it didn’t win immediate changes, it taught important lessons that helped in later campaigns.

Birmingham campaign

The SCLC campaign in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 was very successful. The goal was to end segregation in Birmingham’s downtown businesses. The peaceful protests faced harsh responses from police, led by Commissioner "Bull" Connor.

One famous event was the Children's Crusade on May 2, when over 1,000 children joined the protests. Many were arrested. The next day, even more students came out. These events drew national attention and helped lead to agreements to end segregation in Birmingham.

March on Washington

After the Birmingham campaign, SCLC planned big protests in Washington, DC to push for new laws against segregation. On August 28, 1963, they held the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was a peaceful event with many people. The march’s highlight was Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

St. Augustine protests

When protests against segregation in St. Augustine, Florida met with arrests, SCLC sent help. Many were arrested, filling the jails. Protests included marches and sit-ins. These events helped build support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Selma Voting Rights Movement and the march to Montgomery

In Selma, Alabama, efforts to register voters faced strong opposition. SCLC joined local groups to campaign for voting rights. In March 1965, a march from Selma to Montgomery was planned. Later, a successful march took place from March 21 to 24, ending in Montgomery. This helped lead to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Grenada Freedom Movement

In 1966, civil rights activities grew in Grenada, Mississippi after the Meredith Mississippi March Against Fear passed through. Black students tried to attend previously all-white schools, facing opposition. SCLC supported protests and boycotts. Eventually, a court order helped ensure equal treatment in schools.

Jackson conference

In 1966, the Tenth Annual Southern Christian Leadership Conference was held in Jackson, Mississippi. Many leaders attended, including Edward Kennedy, James Bevel, Martin Luther King Jr., and others.

Chicago Freedom Movement

Poor People's Campaign

1968–1997

In 1967, some people tried to stop leaders who wanted change, including leaders of the SCLC.

After Martin Luther King Jr. passed away in 1968, Ralph Abernathy took over until 1977. Then Joseph Lowery led until 1997. After that, Martin Luther King III, the son of Martin Luther King Jr., became the leader. Later leaders included Fred Shuttlesworth, Charles Steele Jr., Howard W. Creecy Jr., Isaac Newton Farris Jr., and C. T. Vivian.

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1997 to present

In 1997, Martin Luther King III became the leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, taking over from Joseph Lowery. During his time as leader, the group worked on issues like fair treatment by police and held events to remember important moments in history.

However, King faced some challenges. Some people thought he wasn’t doing enough to address important problems. In 2001, he was temporarily asked to step aside but returned after promising to work more actively. He later stepped down in 2004, and others took over to lead the group. In 2009, Bernice King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, was chosen to lead, but she decided not to take the position in 2011.

Programs

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference has programs to help young people and adults become better leaders. These programs help people make good changes in their lives and communities.

Leadership

The most famous leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was Martin Luther King Jr.. He was the president and led the group until he died in 1968. Many other important people worked with the SCLC, including Joseph Lowery, Ralph Abernathy, Ella Baker, and Jesse Jackson, among others.

Relationships with other organizations

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) worked with other groups during the civil rights movement. Unlike the NAACP, which focused on lawsuits and education, SCLC used protests and marches to make change. It was also different from groups like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which focused more on local community organizing.

In the early 1960s, SCLC helped guide SNCC, but they later took different paths. SCLC led big campaigns in places like Birmingham and Selma, while SNCC worked more with local communities. Sometimes, this led to tension between the two groups. SCLC also had its own program called the SCOPE Project, which helped register voters in the South.

Later, in 1979, an SCLC leader met with the Palestine Liberation Organization to talk about fairness for the Palestinian people and encouraged them to think about Israel’s right to exist.