During 1954 to 1968, African Americans and whites alike were fighting for the rights of African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout America, protesters used different tactics to earn their freedom. Some used violence, while others chose a non-violent path. Non-violence overall was more effective than violence during the Civil Rights Movement. Furthermore, bus boycotts are an efficient strategy that was used in the 1950s to 60s.
Because buses were segregated, many African Americans boycotted using buses. In Tallahassee, black students waved at the buses going by (Document 7). The lack of African Americans using the bus led to more empty buses, soon persuading the bus systems to integrate. The bus boycott in Tallahassee followed soon after the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott. After a year of not using the bus, the African Americans in Alabama were finally granted their right to sit wherever they pleased on the bus. Right before the start of the boycott, Rosa Parks famously refused to give her seat up to a white man on a bus (http://ow.ly/Yuqbq) .This shows how something as simple as not using public buses can help one gain
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The anthem of the movement, “We Shall Overcome”, has created a base for other songs (Document 5). These songs give protesters something to do while marching or in a lunch counter sit-in. The lyrics have meanings that refill the energy of Civil Rights activists. Another way music was useful during non-violent protests is by relaying a message to passerby. The song sung often reflected the mood of the protesters (http://ow.ly/Yuq0O). Some songs were sung when someone was killed, so they were reflective of the sadness. Other songs were festive and sung during a victory. In this way, music played a big part in the Civil Rights Movement, allowing those involved to communicate with passerby what they were feeling and what they wanted to say. In addition, some may differ in