Historical overview
The time period 1946 to 1991 is an exciting period to engage and dive into the American history. Both many memorable and earth-shattering events happened during that timeframe. The year 1946 also marks the beginning of The Cold War, a proxy war between the two dominant superpowers at that time, the United States and the Soviet Union lasting until 1991, the same time the period ends.
This timeframe is famous for its wave of civil rights movement in America. Including both the Women’s Movement during the Second-wave feminism and the African-American Civil Rights Movement from 1954-68, where the popular political slogan “Black Power” and their logo as shown on the front page originated. It also marks a period where Ronald Wilson Reagan served as the 40th President of the United
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After the civil war in 1861-65, slavery ended, African-Americans were made citizens and allowed to vote. However these laws were often ignored and new laws were passed in the southern states to separate the black from the white in public. After almost 100 years of being threated as second-class citizens, the Civil Rights Movement began. Many consider the well-known story of Rosa Parks refusing to give her seat on the bus to a white man as the spark that ignited the beginning of a movement. The African-Americans started to boycott the bus system and chose the world famous and former Nobel Prize winner Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as the leader of their protest. The protesting behavior quickly spread and inspired others. It became the beginning of a movement. With Martin Luther King Jr. hands on the wheel the movement was characterized by major campaigns of civil resistance. King was very inspired of the works of Gandhi and there is a clear parallel to be drawn to Gandhi’s teaching of civil disobedience and peaceful demonstrations and the Civil Rights Movements campaigns