Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” The US Constitution provides all Americans with the right to peacefully petition the laws made by the government in the First Amendment. The United States would look nothing like it does now without the freedom of petition. Without the right to petition, American schools would still be segregated between African Americans and whites and most women would still only be housewives with no job of their own. Some of the everyday things experienced in America were once fought for tirelessly by protesters. Protests have changed the country and often have a ripple effect in society and in government. Ripple effects …show more content…
Before 1964, African Americans in the US were segregated from white people. They had different bathrooms, couldn’t eat at the same restaurants and schools were separated between African Americans and white people. African Americans were tired of being treated unfairly by most white people and decided to take a stand against segregation. Thus began the Civil Rights Movement, the Civil Rights movement consisted of peaceful protests by African Americans and small acts of resistance towards African Americans. One of the most memorable moments during the Civil Rights movement was the March on Washington. On August 28, 1963, a quarter million people marched on the Washington Monument to protest the segregation between African American and white people. During the march, multiple people spoke, and one of the most famous speeches of all time was given at the March on Washington, Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The goals of the famous march were to get the Civil Rights Act that Kennedy had sent to Congress passed, desegregate schools, and they wanted bills ensuring fair employment and forbidding job discrimination (Dunn). The March on Washington had a ripple effect in American history because of the prejudice driven violence, which had an influence on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of
The marchers gathered at the Washington Monument before dawn as planned on August 28, 1963. At 11:30, 100,000 to 200,000 of them began marching towards the Lincoln Memorial singing “We Shall Overcome” (“The March on Washington” 12). At the memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered multiple speeches along with other African Americans about segregation and discrimination issues. During one of his speeches, King Jr. declared that “we will not hate you, but we cannot obey your unjust laws. Do to us what you will and we will still love you…But we will soon wear you down by our capacity to suffer. And in winning our freedom, we will so appeal to your heart and conscience, that we will win you in the process” (“Negro Protest Movement” 507). This statement by King Jr. describes his plans of further nonviolent protesting against “unjust laws” to convince others of the civil rights movement’s cause. He furthers this statement and elaborates his ideas in his infamous speech, “I Have a Dream.”
By the 1950’s and 1960’s, a breaking point was reached and blacks were tired of being mistreated. Many Civil Rights groups began to form, like the SNCC, and leaders, like Martin Luther King Jr., began to rise. As document 5 shows, these groups goals were to use peaceful protest and civil disobedience to demonstrate the societal unrest that is occurring and the need for political action. Upset at the racial injustice instigated by “Jim Crow Laws” and racism, these groups, through demonstrations such as the Greensboro Sit-ins, the Montgomery Bus Boycotts and the March on Washington, brought to public attention to the African Americans’ dreams of to finally getting the rights they were promised with emancipation. This could be further demonstrated by the “I Have a Dream” Speech. In this speech, given in March of 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. discusses a future for America that lives by the standard that all men are created equal. This outside resource, along with various other movements, lead to further public outcry. As document 6 shows this grew to a point to where political action needed to be done. To Kennedy and his successor (Lyndon B. Johnson), this was a huge moral issue that couldn’t be ignored or else the nation would tear itself apart. This ultimately lead to the passing of the acts like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act. These acts were a major victory and largely paved the way to future equality for African
On April 28, 1963 over 200,00 Americans gathered at the Washington monument to protest cruelty that was being spread among our country. On that day, one of the most famous speeches of all American history was delivered. From that speech, America experienced a change that has brought us to where we are today. In the famous, “I have a dream” speech proclaimed by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., many types of rhetoric was utilized to try and stop the racial inequality that was occurring within our country at the time.
On August 28. 1983, a group of over 200,000 people supported and attended the March on Washington. (www.history.com). This statistic demonstrates the fact of how impactful the March on Washington was and how many people were on the same side. The speeches at this assembly are some of the most famous and well known speeches that are still remembered today. There are many events from the Civil Rights Movement that changed our daily lives, including speeches and court cases, and there are key people who were involved in them . Some of the major events included the Brown v. Board of Education (1954), he Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-1957, the Greensboro Sit-ins (1961), March on Washington (1963), the 24th Amendment being passed (1964), and the
On August 28th, 1963, over 250,000 people joined Dr. King march at the Lincoln Memorial to hear his speech, “I Have a Dream” Powerful words being heard and documented as a historical event for civil rights. He introduces his speech as the greatest demonstration for freedom in all the United States of America. Dr. King opens with, “The negro still is not free, one-hundred years later the life of the negro is still badly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimation.” Dr. King followed the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Believing that non-violent protesting was the ultimate weapon against racism.
The civil rights movement was a political, legal and social struggle for African-Americans in the United States to be full citizens and it was possible because of the union between grassroots activists and the black population. This movement was the first and most important as a consequence of the racial segregation that separated African Americans from whites. African Americans had schools, transportation, restaurants and parks just for them, but of worse quality than those of whites. Grassroots activism influenced the success of the civil rights movement because; the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was possible, A. Philip Randolph directed with grassroots activists the March of Washington of 1963 in which he Martin Luther King Jr, gave his famously known discourse “I Have a Dream” which became the key element for the success of the Civil Rights Movement and it also brings up the Supreme Court and presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman in their respective time to take action in order to ensure the protection of black people liberties.
Throughout the 1950s and the 1960s, civil rights activists started protesting for change. In the US and Australia there were many significant protests undertaken by different groups of brave individuals all to invoke change. Some of the most influential protests were the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the American and Australian Freedom Rides. These protests mainly used the tactic of non-violent protests however, they also used boycotts and demonstrations. These protests brought great change to the way that the African Americans were treated in the US and the Indigenous people in Australia, because it forced the public to acknowledge the hardships that they had to face from segregation.
The March on Washington is said to be the highlight of the civil rights movement. The march was not planned by one group, many civil rights activist groups gathered to plan this march. The agreed to all meet at the Washington Monument and march to the Lincoln Memorial. Almost 250,000 people showed up for the march, and this was the same day Dr. King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. Also on this day John Lewis challenged President Kennedy, but not in protest or violence, according to the document he said "We will not stop. If we do not get meaningful legislation out of this Congress, the time will come when we will not confine our marching to Washington…. But we will march with the spirit of love and with the spirit of dignity that
On August 28, 1963 more than 250,000 civil-rights supporters attended the March on Washington. Addressing the protesters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Profoundly, he proclaimed for a free nation of equality where all race would join together in the effort to achieve common ground. King stated his yearning for all colors to unite and be judged by character, not by race. African Americans would not be satisfied until their desire for freedom from persecution, bitterness, and hatred prevailed. Not only were the points in his speech powerful, but also the delivery he gave was so persuading and real
On August 28th 1963, Civil Rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. made his infamous “I Have a Dream” speech. In the speech, King confronts the mistreatment of the African American community and the lack of free will they contain in society. Throughout the mid-1900s, the Civil Rights Movement took place, influenced by centuries of cruelty towards the African Americans.. The most influential speech in the modern era was said in front of thousands of Civil Rights activists who all shared a common goal; to fight for the respect and to be treated as equals within the United States.
I was apart of the NAACP and I made many speeches and I gave blacks hope that one day we will get along with whites. The Little Rock Nine made history, they were a group of nine African Americans that attended an all white school on Arkansa. They had protection from troops that helped keep them save from the angry whites. All of this lead to the March on Washington, this was a big rally that was about having freedom and jobs. There was more than 200,000 people their to support us, there were songs be performed such as civil rights songs that were for encouragement that we slao sang during the marches .This was very important to us so we could get our equality rights and make a difference. At the rally they were many speakers that gave important
The Civil Rights Movement was a fight for African American equality i n opportunities and treatment. The movement involved many events, but a major component was the March on Washington on April 28, 1963. The March on Washington occurred on the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the emancipation proclamation. Although Slaves had been freed and given voting rights since the signing of the emancipation proclamation, racism still was present, even one-hundred years after. The objective of this march was to stop this racism in a non-violent way. The March on Washington did positively impact the civil rights movement but there has have been debates on whether the March on Washington, as a whole, was the turning point of the Civil Rights Movement.
Throughout American history, people have protested to create change in the time and circumstances in which they live. At the heart of every protest are grievances, such as experience of illegitimate inequality, feelings of relative deprivation, feelings of injustice, moral indignation about some state of affairs, or a suddenly imposed grievance (Stekelenburg). Whatever the reason, protests have been an important and present part of American society for many years. There are multiple ways in which people protest. People use books, magazines, and social media as forms of protest. Music is among the most important mediums, for the majority of society listens to and enjoys it. Songwriters and celebrities, tending to have an elevated presence in society, draw attention to subjects they believe should be spoken about in order to create change. Over the years, song artists have used their platform to show their objection to racial discrimination, war, and intolerance towards specific groups of people.
The lack of public works programs for minorities was another issue that prompted the march. The underlying problem, however, was about the inequality in other fields such as housing, education and transportation. Segregation was still in effect but was protested against and strained daily. Cases like the memorable Rosa Parks situation were widespread, and it was apparent that something must change. The March on Washington was the catalyst that America needed to push it over the edge and ultimately closer to equality. At the time that those 250,000 were gathered in the nation’s capital, an important Act was trying to push through congress. This act was the Civil Rights Act, called for by President Kennedy, which would outlaw discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. The Civil Rights Act is one of the most important pieces of legislature in history, one that defines what it means to be American. To witness the event that helped this bill pass would be to witness the turning point of history, and to witness one pivotal step in the struggle toward a society free of
August 28th, 1963, 250,000 marchers stood in front of the Washington Monument to hear a message. A message from the leader of the civil rights leader whom many of the marchers have come to respect and follow. Marchers from all different backgrounds all supporting the civil rights and jobs for the African American community. Martin Luther King Jr. took the podium in front of these marchers and spoke a message that would inspire not just those present, but all of America to have a dream just like his. A dream in a country that has been stacking the cards against them for a couple hundred years. King took the podium and spoke of his dream, “… a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”” (King npg.). King’s speech resonated with thousands of African Americans and inspired them to dream his dream and start a movement that would lead them their civil rights.