How Did The Memphis Sanitation Strike Affected The Civil Rights Movement?

The Memphis Sanitation Strike of 1968 was one of the most influential social struggles during the civil rights movement. This strike aimed for the equality of social workers within Memphis. As miniscule as this strike was on a national scale, the impact within the Memphis community helped open up opportunities that African Americans might not have today. The strike went into full effect after two men were crushed to death in a garbage compactor, and the two men became a symbol for all of the racial inequality African Americans faced within the community (137 Memphis in Black and White). The events within the sanitation strike targeted the inequality many experienced based on their race and social status, and many saw this strike as the beginning

However, many moved to Ellis Auditorium because the city hall was not big enough to hold so many people. Mayor Loeb was infuriated by the demonstration, and announced his unbending position on the matter of social equality for black workers. He declared the march to be illegal, and instead of voting on political and legal independence, Loeb and the city council decided to allow only the executive branch to represent the city in contract negotiations. Bitter from the cowardice actions of the city officials, African Americans decided to march from the city auditorium to the Church of God in Christ’s Mason Temple (123-25 Crusades for freedom). On March 28, hundreds of people gathered to demonstrate, many flashing signs that displayed the words “I Am a Man” in bold letters throughout the streets of Memphis. These signs truly highlighted what the strike was about. It was about a man making his own decisions without the influence of others, and having a voice in the community around him, instead of having blatantly unequal decisions made for him. Chaos erupted from this initially peaceful demonstration, and ended with

Black college students organized their own sit-in, and felt as if by doing so, they were making history. This in turn made them more determined to try and secure their freedom, and helped them understand what they were truly fighting for and why. Students from Lemoyne-Owen College targeted public libraries first, but not one hour after they had quietly taken their seats in the library, had they been arrested. (Southern 232-233). The point in time where the civil rights movement focused on the desegregation of public accommodations gradually morphed into a phase that eliminated the most evident side of Jim Crow Laws. (Civil Rights Movement 153) The NAACP was affected by the student sit in, and it continued to grow with more and more community support. In May, students began to shift their attention to lunch counters, which was the location that many African Americans in other cities began their protest. With a more populated area, came more white resistance than they faced while they had silently protested at the library. The energy behind the sit-ins was different than normal, because the majority of the people participating were young college and high school students ready for change. They took a two-week break from protesting, hoping that this would give city officials