I think that the civil rights movement made gains in postwar because people such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. were able to physically fight for a change in civil rights in the United States of America. One of the first people to stand up and take a physical approach to the civil rights movement was Rosa Parks. Before she led the civil rights movement into a new era of combating the system, the movement tried to gain popularity by verbally talking about the inequality seen throughout the United States. Trails such as the Plessy vs Ferguson case in 1896 challenged the civil rights in America politically as it created the “segregated but equal” doctrine. Soon later came Rosa Parks, who instead of verbally communicating the inequality of civil rights …show more content…
Other organizations such as the NAACP used Rosa as a prime example of the racial injustices in the United States. Fame of Rosa’s story ran wild and more people were fighting for the civil rights of African Americans. Rosa Parks influenced a generation of African Americans and created a ripple effect using her strategy. Soon the idea of a sit-in protest was being used all over the country to visually show whites that everyone has the same civil rights and they should be used by whomever they belong to. The inspiration that sprang from Rosa Parks trickled to other African Americans as the movement made its gains. Another huge influence for the civil rights movement was Martin Luther King Jr. As a local minister, King was elected by the public to represent the African American community when it came to negotiating with the city leaders. King spoke of how he wanted the people to continue to protest, but through nonviolent passive resistance. After a year of continuous boycott from the African Americans, the Supreme Court recognized the Alabama laws that segregated buses to be
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, one of the leaders of the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People [NAACP] refused to give up her seat to a white person on a segregated city bus in Montgomery, Alabama, despite being reprimanded by the driver (Schulke 166). Montgomery, Alabama was known for its terrible treatment of blacks. The buses in particular had been a source of tension between the city and black citizens for many years (Schulke, 167). As a result of refusing to give up her seat, Rosa Parks was arrested. Rosa Parks' popularity among the black community, proved to be the spark that ignited the non-violent Civil Rights Movement (Norrell 2).
During the Civil Rights Movement, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King highlighted the effectiveness of peaceful resistance. When Parks refused to leave a bus seat upon demand of a white man, she was arrested for civil disobedience. Such a simple action triggered a 381-day boycott of public buses and furthered the growing movement. King later described this movement in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” where he explained the bombings that drew him to Birmingham, and how he would peacefully pursue a solution through large-scale civil disobedience. Both Parks and King peacefully revealed injustice to the public, and the violent responses from their opponents allowed the media to highlight the impacts of segregation, mainly poverty, physical threats, and verbal prejudice. Again, civil disobedience broadened social inequality, while also reducing the violence, poverty, and discrimination that African Americans experienced, increasing their involvement in modern government and the overall equality of the
As a few white passengers boarded the bus and the white sections were already full so the driver shouted back at four black people including Rosa Parks “Move y'all, I want those two seats”. As this demand was made by the driver 3 of the bus riders obeyed to what was shouted back, however Rosa Parks remained in her seat and was determined not to move. She was arrested following the bus drivers order and fined ten dollars. This, however small incited a great wave of bus boycotts which in Montgomery black people chose not to ride the bus for a period of 381 days. This still to date is known as the moment in which the civil rights movement started to gain headway. It was the will of one woman who decided it was time for black people to take a stand and from this point on Martin Luther King was assigned to take this boycott on. Although he was assigned to take this on people also felt as he was young, fresh and people had not formulated enough of an opinion of him, there was little room for him to be hated yet so he posed as the right figure to lead this. After the many days of boycotting the case of this transport issue in Alabama went to the Supreme Court. Here it was decided that segregation was declared as unconstitutional so segregation by law was no
The Civil Rights movement began in the middle of the 50s throughout the 60s. Activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks used their messages to change segregation in the US to gain the equality African Americans worked hard for. Martin Luther King Jr. was a famous spokesperson in the movement that became a voice for future generations of African Americans. His most famous speech was I Have A Dream, which addressed racism and called for economic and civil rights. Rosa Parks was an activist in the Civil Rights Movement who used her determination to push forward for change. In December, 1955 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus to a white man because she was sitting in the back of the bus, which was a blacks only section. The man had no place to sit as the bus was full in the whites only section so he resorted to going to the back where the African Americans had to sit. Since Rosa refused to give up her sit she was arrested and fined. These activists used the issues conveyed in the famous literary works to promote change and act on it. These actions eventually brought on the change African Americans in the US were searching for and thus was born the Civil Rights of 1964. This act stated that it was illegal to separate people based on race, color or national origin in the
Because of the outcome of the Brown case a lot of African Americans took matter into their own hands and wanted to end forms of racial segregation. December 1st, 1955 Rosa Parks, a black seamstress and a NAACP activist denied giving up her seat to a white man. This caused mayhem and sparked a bus boycott due to the fact that Rosa Parks got arrested for not wanting to get up. This was a tactic that the civil rights movement leaders used to stop racial discrimination between blacks and whites in the United States. After more than a year of conflict, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the complete desegregation of Montgomery buses. (Hewitt and Lawson
“In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. This act of civil disobedience was an important catalyst in the growth of the Civil Rights movement; activists built the Montgomery Bus Boycott around it, which lasted more than a year and desegregated the buses. Civil rights protests and actions, together with legal challenges, resulted in a series of legislative and court decisions which contributed to undermining the Jim Crow
African Americans resisted.They started protesting for equal rights in United States to secure the future for their upcoming Afro-generation. Rosa Parks, an African American seamstress, was arrested for denying to giver her seat to white male. She was the first African American to stand up against a white in public and when she was asked why , she said “ I would like be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people”(Into Rosa Parks). Enraged by Mrs. Parks arrest the black community of Montgomery united together and organized a boycott of the bus system until the city buses were integrated. The boycott showed the unity of African Americans against their
The Civil Rights Movement was a critical event that is important in African American History. From the 1950’s to the mid 1960’s, civil rights activists and leaders rose up across the nation to fight for equal rights and against discrimination. Even local citizens such as Rosa Parks, took a stand against segregation on public transportation. Others also participated in "sit-ins" inside diners for "whites only". Although people expressed the need for equality, many efforts were shot down. Things began to change in the Jim Crow south when a young pastor named Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led the largest civil rights boycott against the Montgomery, Alabama bus system. Through his charisma and commitment, Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the
Martin Luther King Jr. stood for peaceful resistance during the civil rights movement. This idea, although many thought it to be ineffective, rose to connect to the heart of many non-believers of civil rights. When Rose Parks refused to give up her seat and when bus's were boycotted in Montgomery the white community, although not in the most joyous way, picked up maids and
For the majority of history in the United States, particularly in the southern United States, the hierarchy of white superiority remained a dominant and controlling reality. This mythology of white superiority went unchallenged for decades. However, as race relations and tensions started to climax during the era of the Civil Rights Movement, this discourse soon meet its challengers. In Montgomery, Alabama, arguably one of the most racist and defiant cities towards the movement of integration, people began to challenge the notion of racial segregation through a movement known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This movement, which lasted from December of 1955 to December of 1956, helped push the civil rights movement forward and challenge the
She sat in the first row of the “colored” section in the middle of the bus. There were many white men standing and demanded that Rosa, and other african americans, give up their seats. Three other African Americans gave up their seats, but Rosa remained seated. The driver asked Rosa again to give up her seat, but she again refused and remained seated. Rosa Parks was arrested for validating the Montgomery City Code. On the night Rosa was arrested Nixon, head of local NAACP, met with Martin and other civil rights leader to plan a citywide bus boycott. Martin was elected to lead the boycott because he was young and well-trained. Martin was also new to the community so had little enemies and felt he would have a strong credibility with the black
The 1950s and early 1960s brought several major events in the fight for the civil rights of African-Americans. In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat on the bus to a white passenger. This sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted for over a year and brought Martin Luther King, Jr. to the front of the movement. King led a number of non-violent protests including the Birmingham Campaign and the March on
Some people could argue that Martin Luther King Jr achieved more for black Americans. He was seen as a great figure and leader for all of the suffering Afro Americans throughout the country. Martin Luther King did an extremely good job in controlling and carrying out the bus boycott. The bus boycott was an event which took place in Montgomery, Alabama. It was when a black middle aged woman, named Rosa Parks, who sat at the front of the bus and refused to move for a white person. There were other black Americans who had also done the same thing as Rosa Parks, however these people were not suitable candidates to lead a black rights campaign. Rosa Parks was a respected figure. She was also a part of the local NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People). Shortly after Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat, a boycott was called for and 35,000 leaflets were created to spread the message of
The Civil Rights was a time where change was being made by the colored and the whites. Civil Rights activists had goals that they wanted to achieve. Their goals took efforts, challenges, strategic methods and through those changes results were made. Civil Rights activist struggled to achieve equal rights for everyone.
Rosa Parks and ruby bridges play a very important part in society. Rosa was one of the most influential women of the civil rights movement. Rosa’s early life was not easy. She was born in february 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her father was a carpenter and fire mother was a teacher. Rosa was sick a lot and because of that she wasn’t tall. When she saw a water fountain that said color she thought it came in colors. Eaven kids had to go through that. When you think you have a hard life, just think on back then when people wanted to kill you because of your skin. Rosa Parks did many things in her life. She got married to Raymond Parks in December 18,1932. For extra income she took in sewing and other jobs then she went to Alabama's state teachers college. What do you think of Rosa Parks when you here her name? She was best known for her civil rights movement. Rosa parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on the bus. She was taken to jail after this. When this happened thousands of blacks didn’t ride the bus. After a few years she was rewarded for standing up for her writes.