Since the civil rights movement began in the 1950’s, everyday citizens have stood up or sat down to fight for marginalized groups in the US. From Rosa Parks to Cesar Chavez to the National Women’s Political Caucus to LGBTQ groups, these American citizens have used strikes, walk-outs, peaceful protests, and other grassroots activism to fight equal rights for all Americans. Grassroots activism describes community members’ efforts to support political or social change that originates at a local level. Beginning with the civil rights movements in the 1950’s and 1960’s, citizens in the African-American committee fought back against segregation and racism. When Rosa Parks refused to sit in the back of the bus, in the colored section, she just wanted to sit, but what …show more content…
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was known throughout the world for his peaceful protests of segregation and for his famous “I Have a Dream” speech that spurred many to continue to fight for equal rights for African-Americans. In 1962, Cesar Chavez and Dorothy Huerta started the Farm Workers Association in Arizona. Together they lead farmer workers in boycotts that lead to farmer workers being organized into labor unions and bettering the workers’ benefits. Other ethic groups in the US including American Indians and Asian Americans occupied landmarks and protested unfair industries to further the fight for equal rights for all Americans. The National Women’s Political Caucus worked to improve American women’s reproductive rights, pay, and political participation. They got the Equal Rights Amendment passed through Congress, but it did not have enough votes in the states to be ratified. In the 1980’s, the LGBTQ community held demonstrations and protests to further their fight for equal rights. Hollywood actors put on the Play 8 to