Civil Rights Movement Of The 1960's

In the historical backdrop of the United States, there have been numerous social changes that have happened over the last fifty years. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's is, without a doubt, a standout moment among the many social changes in U.S. history, as it promoted the equality of all American citizens. Ever since the abolition of slavery in 1863, there had been a constant clash between the many races that lived in the United States. African Americans rights were being abused, simply because of the shade of their skin. Sadly, many of the changes that the movement fought for brought on a violent opposition from many white southerners which lead to the violent deaths of some of the famous leaders of the Civil Rights Movement i.e. Martin

During the 1960’s, African Americans and Whites were not granted equal treatment. African Americans were denied access to good schools, parks, restaurants and were also forced to sit behind white Americans in public transportation. In addition to legal separation, racial segregation included a set of beliefs that whites were superior to blacks in terms of intelligence. For instance, Whites believed that African American’s were not capable of participating in a civil society and should only be looked as the lesser of the two races. Moreover, prejudice was often used to keep African American’s beneath whites in the racial hierarchy. For example, according to the book, “American Nightmare: History of Jim Crow” by Jerrold M. Packard, author Packard provides a few examples of Jim Crow etiquette: blacks and whites were not supposed to eat together in public restaurants, but if they did, whites were to be served first. Furthermore, a black male was not supposed to offer his hand to a white male because that implied social equality. Blacks were always supposed to be introduced to whites, and not vice versa. Racial segregation did not only exist in the South, but was a national phenomenon

The civil rights laws mandated bringing the formerly excluded African Americans into the mainstream of education. These laws were also designed to help deliver the promise that every individual has the right to develop his or her talents to the fullest. The federal civil rights laws helped bring profound changes in American education and improved the educational opportunities of millions of African Americans. Many barriers that once prevented minorities such as women, individuals with disabilities, and older persons from freely choosing the educational opportunities and careers they would like to pursue were all made possible. (Impact of the civil right