During the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s, shifts in the political and societal views were very apparent. Through out the time era, we saw figures of great importance and the strength of activists are its highest. The build up of severe racism and discrimination led to the beginning of the civil rights era, which led to several divides in blacks, as well as a beginning of a more enriched society.. The Civil Rights era had several key events leading up to the full force of the movement - including bus boycotts, Freedom Riders, and the Little Rock Nine. Once the movement began to increase in involvement, many supporters were gained.
The 1960-70’s was the height of the Civil Rights Movement. African Americans were dedicated to gaining liberties which only whites could exercise freely, and did this was done through peaceful as well as violent means of protest. Individuals such as Martin Luther King protested by means of preaching peace and utilizing nonviolent actions against whites while others such as Malcolm x and elijah muhammad resorted to not only violence, yet separatism to protest and show their urge to gain civil Liberties. Though, both methods of protest were aimed towards the same goal, only one was to be influential and bring about the change that African Americans desire.
It was 1954 when the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. In response to the decision of Supreme Court, civil rights protests increased steeply and spread throughout the nation. Eventually, civil right issue became a crucial issue in the election of 1960. Responding to the demand of African American for the civil right, two important figures, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson called for the right of African American, as presidents of U.S (Civil Right). John F. Kennedy is one who initially proposed the Civil Right Act in the Congress.
Throughout the decades during the civil rights movement there have been many protests where people would resist the higher power. They would resist because the higher power would create laws that denied basic human rights to blacks leading all the way back to slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. a prominent leader in the movement would coordinate boycotts and marches. He resisted in multiple ways, which would lead to long term and immediate affects including death and sever injuries, but though all that Martin Luther King Jr. would show resilience and courage no matter how many threats and violent acts upon him he would receive.
While sitting in jail for nonviolent protest, Dr. Martin Luther King wrote, “One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws” (King). This message of civil disobedience defined the American Civil Rights Movement: when the law is unjust, nonviolent action becomes morally and fundamentally required. Through boycotts, marches, and other forms of peaceful resistance, the American Civil Rights Movement ultimately lead to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (The Civil Rights Act of 1964), a key piece of equal rights legislation that outlawed discrimination based on sex or race. Peaceful resistance to laws is the cornerstone of progress in a free society, and it is fundamental to democracy and equality.
The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s was a major campaign for racial equality in the United States, aiming to end segregation and secure legal rights for African Americans. Led by Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and organizations such as the NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the movement used nonviolent protest, civil disobedience, and legal challenges to combat institutional racism. Notable achievements include the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which planned to eliminate racial discrimination in voting. The movement's strategies included organized marches, sit-ins, boycotts, and
The 1960s was the time where protesting boomed in the United States; there were groups all around the country protesting against racism, poverty and militarism in the Unites States. The civil right protests were protesting against racism in the time when the United States was, in a way, segregated. Black people were not treated the same way that white Americans were treated. The protesters were fighting for equality among white Americans and African Americans. The United States has, since then come a long way, but there are still a few things that remain the same.
“The volunteers merely dropped in for a summer, then went home to question America” (Watson.14) is what started it all. The Civil Rights Movement happened in the 1950’s and 1960’s. A volunteer campaign, Freedom Summer, occurred in the summer of 1964. This movement was influenced by the Jim Crow Era. It was started to attempt to secure legal rights for African Americans.
The Civil Rights Movement is clearly one of the most influential times during the 1950’s and 1960’s. The fight for equality and desegregation for African American people was a long and hard fight. During this time, the economy was booming with inventions, 60% of whites were living in the middle class, jobs were increasing due to new construction of homes and roads. The opposite was happening for the African American community.
The women’s movement throughout the 1800s relied mostly on other social campaigns to begin its pivotal role in their own revolutionary protests. After the Great Awakening, many women revived their religious views and advocated for the prohibition of alcohol and for the freedom of slaves. These actions advanced their speech skills and taught the masses how to organize to progress, thus strengthening their operations in the future. So, in the midst of their fight for gender equality many other issues were mixed in, and those problems were resisted through the help of women. In fact, women acted as a critical component for better working conditions in factories and the elimination of child labor.
During the 1960’s the civil rights movement was a large, widespread, nonviolent movement. Starting in February of 1960 there was a new strategy coming from the movement. African American civil rights activists would “sit-in” at white only restaurants and demand service. Four college students started this movement when they went into the local lunch counter and asked for a cup of coffee. Even though the students were threatened and intimidated, they sat there patiently waiting for their cup of coffee.
Nonviolent protest is the act of protesting nonviolently to gain justice. In the mid-1900s, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Montgomery Approvement Association and the Southern Leadership Conference were nonviolent organizations, nonviolently fighting for desegregation. To bring fairness to African American citizens, the NAACP was formed to work towards black equality in Criminal and Civil cases. In the 1900s, southern states began the Civil Rights Movement as African Americans became fed up with the continuation of disenfranchisement, segregation, and race brutality. Years after the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were declared in the Bill of Rights, African Americans were still faced with the “Separate but Equal” doctrine that was
These types of protests were where you would go into drug stores and sit in the white only section of the dining area. Black Americans who did this were beaten and treated very harshly for sitting in the white only section. This brought lots of attention to the Civil Rights movement by showing that even though Black Americans were being treated harshly and being beaten they never did anything back or said anything back, they just sat there. This showed people in America that they aren't trying to do anything wrong or be violent, they just want to be like everyone and be integrated into everyday life. This also connects with Dr. King, “The Only Road to Freedom” speech which states, “Only a refusal to hate or kill can put an end to the chain of violence in the world and lead us toward a community where men can live together without fear” (King, “Nonviolence”).
The Civil Rights Movement was the biggest turning point in U.S. history for African Americans. The Civil Rights Movement changed America from the very discriminating and racist country it was into a place where all people of different races were equal. There were also many protests during the Civil Rights Movement. All of them were meant to publicize the amount of racism in the U.S. One of the protests that opened the eye of the public the most was the Children 's Crusade.
As Elie Wiesel once said,“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” When it comes to changing the course of history as we know it, and to influence society’s norms and values, social activism is a must.
