ipl-logo

How Did Religion Influence The Civil Rights Movement

546 Words3 Pages

After World War II, Black Veterans returned home focused on the promise of democracy, for which they had just finished fighting. The entire country was filled with zeal about democracy and against the fascism they had just defeated. This focus on democracy opened a window for Black Americans to begin to protest segregation and discriminatory laws. Religion, particularly Christianity, was a significant part of the Civil Rights movement. It was also a significant part of the opposition to the Civil Rights movement. Black Independent Churches were small, grassroots movements. These Churches were already adept at organizing community events and included democratic elements. It is no surprise that these Churches lead the Civil Rights Movement. In 1969, The Committee of Black Churchmen put out their “Black Manifesto” where they asked for $15 in reparations for “every Black brother and sister in the United States.” (Harvey and Goff 175) They additionally challenged White Faith leaders to join them or face …show more content…

This is also the period where fundamentalists and evangelicals became politically active. Some, like the Southern Baptist Convention and the Church of Latter Day Saints, supported segregation. The Southern Baptist Convention kept this position until 1995, when it resolved to denounce racism and apologize to African Americans (Southern Baptist Convention). In 1987, the Mormon elders had a revelation that they could include Black people in the priesthood (Church of Latter Day Saints). However, these denominations might be ignoring the message of the Scriptures they promoted. As Gone said, “We must therefore be reminded that Christ was not crucified on an altar between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves. He is not in our peaceful, quiet, comfortable suburban ‘churches’ but in the ghetto fighting the racism of the churchly white people” (Harvey and Goff

Show More
Related
1388 Words | 6 Pages

When the Civil War came to an end, Congress passed legislation on several civil rights issues that aimed at safeguarding those who had previously been slaves. However, even though this legislation had been passed, there was still a prevalent culture of racism that opposed the legislation. This resulted in the civil rights movement, a mass popular movement to acquire equal rights and opportunities for African Americans. Demonstrators pursued their goals through legal legislation, petitions, and nonviolent protests. It took the actions of many brave leaders to end the segregation between African American and Caucasians communities, which lead to many innocent lives to be lost in the process.

Read More
161 Words | 1 Pages

In 1945 African American civil rights advocates established challenges to the racial discriminations. Black Veterans and workers, after having already had a taste of liberation while being away at war, peregrinated home with the hope of reenergizing the civil rights movement. Many of the core resources such as leadership, legal resources, strategy coalitions with the whites, and a connecting philosophy to propel the movement forward, in the fight for African American equality converged during and right after the war (Schaller et. al. 942). President Harry Truman even took the time to make civil rights a component of his political and domestic agenda during his reign.

Read More
612 Words | 3 Pages

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.

Read More
680 Words | 3 Pages

Church for African Americans was the only place that they felt safe and free. Church was the place all blacks would come together and worship Jesus. Blacks knew that they will never feel threatened by anyone because it was the house of God. But one Sunday morning something unusual happened that changed American history. The bombing of 16th St Birmingham Baptist Church influenced American history by furthering the civil rights movement also it caused more violence towards black people, and by President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the law for voting rights for blacks.

Read More
455 Words | 2 Pages

The Civil Rights Movement promoted an ideology that hard work and sacrifice could mean the freedom of millions of people. An idea that scares many and inspires

Read More
775 Words | 4 Pages

The black church was the biggest rise for southern black community and African American education. This lead to the organization of black communities for Civil Rights. The rise of black churches consisted of the earliest churches, the role of black churches in educating African Americans in the south after the Civil War, and the role that black churches played in organizing the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. During decades of slavery in the United States, slave groups were a major concern from slave owners. Many members of the white society thought that black religious meetings were

Read More
1140 Words | 5 Pages

During the civil rights movement, the black community did not have much to depend on. “Oppression, rejection and segregation leave a human being with no one to turn to, but God” (Vicki Phipps n.pag.). With nothing to rely on African Americans use the church as their safe haven and a place of convenience. The church was more than a place to have meetings, it was a place where they could relax and talk to God. The African American church was so important that if anything happened, it would take the civil rights movement to a new

Read More
1718 Words | 7 Pages

(MLK 8). But regardless of the churches that won’t partake in the civil rights movement he knows that they will inevitably reach their goal of freedom. “because the goal of America is freedom” (MLK

Read More
582 Words | 3 Pages

During the civil rights era, the black church stood as a foundation for the African American community. It was a safe haven for those who felt like they didn’t have a voice outside of the church. The black church used to be a political atmosphere especially for those advocating black rights. It gave blacks the pedestal to vocalize the issues in the community and in the world to the oppressed. This was during a time when African Americans received no respect and were placed at the feet of injustice by the American society.

Read More
1704 Words | 7 Pages

Black churches became the place of organizing and the birthplace for the civil rights movement. One of the largest contributors to the civil rights movement is the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Founded in 1957, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was the leading civil rights orgaztion that helped organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Using the church as a haven to bring African Americans together to strategize how they can make the boycott effective and bring awareness to the inequalities that have been attached to African American. Leading these conversations was a young minister from Atlanta Georgia, who is now known to be the father of the civil rights movement,

Read More
1318 Words | 6 Pages

The African American Civil Rights movement existed at large between the early fifties and the late sixties in a society that was constantly on the verge of social destruction. The black rights movement existed politically, socially, and economically everywhere in the United States. As time progressed the movement developed and saw many changes along with schisms separating activists and how they approached getting their rights. In the early fifties there was a large non-violent integration based movement spearheaded by figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. However, as the time progressed, the movement started seeing a more aggressive leadership with figures such as Malcolm X, but eventually it turned into an extremist movement

Read More
1691 Words | 7 Pages

As the Ku Klux Klan’s membership grew, organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which fought to end racial discrimination and segregation, grew as well. With these two growing groups pushing for opposite ideals, tensions continued to increase. The NAACP pushed for reform and rights for African Americans and the Ku Klux Klan combated their progress with lynching and

Read More
1509 Words | 7 Pages

In order to look at the impact that the Civil Rights Movement had on society today it is important to first look back at where it all began. The author will base her opinion around the change in American culture, as America is one of the most powerful countries in today’s modern society and many countries follow the lead of America. The fight for justice and equality went on for many years in America and it has become one of the most well known movements in history. The note to take action all started when the African-American citizens decided that they

Read More
874 Words | 4 Pages

Introduction The story of the Civil Rights Movements of African Americans in America is an important story that many people knew, especially because of the leadership Martin Luther King Jr. Black people in America, between 1945 and 1970 had to fight for rights because they had been segregated by white people, they didn’t have equal laws compared to white people. So they initiated the Civil Rights Movements to fight for getting equal civil rights.

Read More
780 Words | 4 Pages

Could you ever possibly imagine a time where you couldn’t use the same bathroom as some of your classmates because the had a different skin color? This time in history was known as the Civil Rights Movement, a movement from 1954-1954, in which people fought against racism. Although the Civil Rights Movement mainly affected African Americans, but involved all of American society. Because most racism against ancient African Americans took place in southern United States, civil rights was extremely important to African Americans who lived in the south. Racism was so widely spread it even found its way into professional sports.

Read More

More about How Did Religion Influence The Civil Rights Movement

Related Topics

Open Document