Thousands of African American citizens were denied basic rights and discriminated against during the 1950s and 60s. The Civil War began on April 12, 1861, and lasted until April 9, 1865. During the War, the long-debated disagreement about slavery was brought to light and fought over. Segregation laws and black codes inflicted unjust punishments for those who didn’t follow them. Rosa Parks and Thurgood Marshall were some of the most influential activists in the 1950s-1960s because they fought for everyone's rights/beliefs, helped to strengthen the idea of equality in America, and helped develop strong arguments/protests that helped advance the country's unity. Firstly, they were some of the most influential activists because they fought for everyone’s rights. As riots and …show more content…
For starters, Rosa seated herself in the front of the public bus where only white people were allowed to sit. This caused an uproar on the bus, which ultimately sent Rosa to jail. “By not giving up her bus seat to a white man on December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks's quiet defiance triggered the escalation of a major social movement by black Americans seeking equality under the law” (Gale). She was an inspiration to other African American citizens to not be silenced by whites. Parks defied the law and helped strengthen equality. On the other hand, Thurgood fought many cases as a well-renowned attorney to get justice for many people. His resilient arguments and persistence caused various wins. “Marshall served as a leader during the civil rights movement, as an architect of the legal strategy that ended racial segregation, and as the first African-American Justice of the Supreme Court” (Gale). Marshall stood as a platform for upcoming African-American attorneys. He set the standards high when he argued a record-breaking 32 cases and was the first African-American Justice of the Supreme