Civil Rights Movement Essay

1010 Words5 Pages

Prior to the beginning of the mid-century Civil Rights Movement of the 1900’s and onward, a series of multiple events would occur in order for the development of what is known today as The Civil Rights Era to take place throughout the 1950’s to 1980’s. When taking into consideration the question “What historical events paved the way for the civil rights movement?” It is most vital to navigate history deeply and effectively to comprehend the fundamental issues that propelled the rest of history forward. From the first arrival of enslaved Africans, to the abolishment of slavery, to a segregationist and racist caste system of Jim Crow the history of The Civil Rights Movement began far before the 20th century. The extensive and often overlooked …show more content…

After more than 2 centuries of enslavement the previously enslaved 4 million African Americans were emancipated by the actualization of the 13th amendment. On January 31st of 1865, the legislation for the 13th amendment was passed and slavery was officially abolished in the United States. Preceding the 13th amendment, the 14th amendment would grant each and every African American their citizenship. Despite the treatment of African Americans, and the remaining strongly rooted racist ideologies of the nation, African Americans were officially recognized by the law as citizens of the United States of America. Alongside with the 13th and 14th amendment, the 15th amendment was greatly significant in moving 4 million individuals from their lives as slaves to citizens of a society. The 15th amendment would go on to guarantee suffrage to all African American men, but many states would still locate barriers in the way of permitting them to exercise their right to vote. Many of the states that formed part of America during the time period would create regulations or specialties that were required for many of the rights newly granted to be exercised. In granting African Americans these rights and freedoms, the fight for equality could commence in a more effective manner. The progression of civil rights however …show more content…

Throughout the initial half of the 20th century, segregation was a social norm in the United States of America, mostly but limited to the southern region of the United States, it became a social norm that would enable hateful acts of violence to be carried out towards the communities that African Americans belonged to, African Americans themselves, and various other aspects of black life and culture. Within Jim Crow and slavery alike, the dehumanization of the black race was precisely the goal of those who enforced and supported its regulations. Between enforcing that African Americans utilize separate facilities that were clearly inferior to that of the white population, not permitting them to enter and use certain services based on the fact that they were black, and not limited to cases of extreme violence. In the cases of extreme violence is where the stories of lynching relay a chilling and disturbing look at the history of Jim Crow. Jim Crow was a normality found in the United States less that a century ago, because of this the civil unrest in response to the injustice in the treatment of African Americans in the 1950’s began to fight the strenuous but honorable

More about Civil Rights Movement Essay

Open Document