The Sncc's Contributions Of The Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement was a pivotal period in American history, where courageous leaders such as John Lewis and Martin Luther King Jr. exhibited no fear in the face of imminent danger to stand up for equality. Powerful organizations like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference arose to resist discrimination and oppression, and they labored tirelessly to contest white supremacy and achieve equal rights for all African Americans to create a better society.
The harsh treatment of newly emancipated slaves in the South was a driving force behind movements like the Civil Rights Movement, as the appalling conditions they faced served as a catalyst for change. Jim Crow laws were a method of

Known as the SCLC, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference was directed by Martin Luther King Jr. and concentrated on “... approach[ing] civil rights with a philosophy of nonviolent resistance,” while also attempting to pressure the federal government to pass civil rights legislation. (Perusich). To challenge unjust laws and practices, the SCLC used a variety of tactics, including boycotts, sit-ins, and marches, and played a considerable role in many key events of the Civil Rights Movement. Both the SCLC and the SNCC worked together to fight for equal rights for African Americans despite their differences. The SNCC often supplied the volunteers for many SCLC-led campaigns, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Birmingham Campaign. In turn, the SCLC provided the SNCC with important resources, including funding and media attention; furthermore, Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders supplied important advice to leaders of the SNCC, such as Lewis himself. Through their collaboration, these two organizations were able to achieve a multitude of victories in the battle for civil rights and demonstrated the strength of harmony and solidarity in attaining social

As the movement advanced, the SNCC played a prominent role in the modification of tactics and strategies used by different organizations as they evolved. Initially, the SNCC focused on nonviolent direct action; however, as the 1960s progressed, the organization's approach became increasingly radical as it started to embrace the principles of black power and self-determination. This drastic shift was ultimately driven by growing frustration and weariness with the sluggish progress made and the limitations of nonviolent protests. As many SNCC activists sensed that more confrontational and decisive tactics were essential to achieve their goals of legal equality and economic justice, a renewed emphasis on economic justice grew, as activists desired to address the systemic inequalities that were prevalent in black communities throughout the country. Lewis was originally tentative about this shift towards a more militant approach, but as time progressed he became more accepting of the more assertive stance. Additionally, the movement became more inclusive than ever before, acknowledging the struggles of additional minorities as well. Lewis remarks that the March on Washington was not just a demonstration for civil rights, but one to fight for the end of the Vietnam War since he understood the atrocities that the Vietnamese people were encountering.