The Black Lives Movement: The Civil Rights Movement

The Virginia Historical Society, a renowned teaching center, states that “the civil rights movements did not achieve complete equality, but greater equality.” Today most African Americans are paid less, have inferior housing, and are more inclined to crime than whites (“The Legacy”). However, without the movements, discrimination would be even worse in America today. Kevin Perry, a civil rights essay winner, believes that the Civil Rights Movement caused people “to live in peace with each other” and to have greater acceptance for diversity (Perry).

Throughout history, African Americans have encountered an overwhelming amount of obstacles for justice and equality. You can see instances of these obstacles especially during the 1800’s where there were various forms of segregation and racism such as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan terrorism, Jim- Crow laws, voting restrictions. These negative forces asserted by societal racism were present both pre and post slavery. Although blacks were often seen as being a core foundation for the creation of society and what it is today, they never were given credit for their work although forced. This was due to the various laws and social morals that were sustained for over 100 years throughout the United States. However, what the world didn’t

The American Civil Rights Movement in the late 1950s and 1960s generated massive international following and controversy, which made the movement one of the most important in U.S. history. The movement’s legacy can still be felt today, with the positive aspects, such as voting rights to African Americans and wide spread desegregation of public facilities, still being felt in the United States, and in many similar models across the globe. Although there were many “battlegrounds” where civil issues were debated, many people who know of the movement today would argue that the movement’s heart was rooted in the Deep South, ironically where it could be argued that the mentality of people living in the area at the time were the most violently opposed to such civil rights. In contrast, those who championed the Civil Rights Movement chose the tactic of nonviolence, at least at first, as a tool to dismantle racial segregation, discrimination, and inequality. They followed models that Martin Luther King Jr. and other activists had commissioned, using principles of nonviolence and passive resistance. Civil rights leaders had understood that segregationists would do anything to maintain their power over blacks. So, in consequence, they believed some changes might be made if enough people outside the

The people of this generation may not be aware of the things that assisted in shaping today’s society that we live in. There were movements, organizations and personal leaders whom paved the way of African Americans to live a life of equality in today’s world. Many people are confused or mislead on how, when and where the curing of segregation and unlawful treatment toward blacks started and ended. One of the largest epidemics in history that impacted the lives of blacks was the 1950 and 60’s Civil Rights Movement. Historically, many would say and have others to believe that Rosa Parks an African American woman from Montgomery, Alabama started the Civil Rights Movement When she was prosecuted for not getting up and moving to the back of the bus one afternoon. Although she did drive the Movement into exceptional highs, the real foundation of the movement started with the Brown vs. board of education of Topeka case. This case was the backbone for Africans American History in one piece. Even before that there was the Plessey V. Ferguson case in 1896 that basically stated that if you were to separate students and put them into different education programs rather black or white, you would be denying them of equal educational opportunities. Although there were minor issues socially and politically that the Civil Rights movement didn’t overcome, overall it was a success in the major improvement in the lives of blacks.

The struggle for social and economic equality of Black people in America has been long and slow. It is sometimes amazing that any progress has been made in the racial equality arena at all; every tentative step forward seems to be diluted by losses elsewhere. For every "Stacey Koons" that is convicted, there seems to be a Texaco executive waiting to send Blacks back to the past. Throughout the struggle for equal rights, there have been courageous Black leaders at the forefront of each discrete movement.

Throughout the 1960’s, the widespread movement for African American civil rights had transformed in terms of its goals and strategies. The campaign had intensified in this decade, characterized by greater demands and more aggressive efforts. Although the support of the Civil Rights movement was relatively constant, the goals of the movement became more high-reaching and specific, and its strategies became less compromising. African Americans’ struggle for equality during the 1960’s was a relentless movement that used change for progress. In essence, the transformation of the Civil Rights Movement throughout the 1960’s forwarded the evolution of America into a nation of civil equality and freedom.

"When any society says that I cannot marry a certain person, that society has cut off a segment of my freedom." - Martin Luther King Jr, 1958. This provocative statement, in reference to interracial matrimony during the fight for black civil rights in America is unfortunately once again significant, however this time in reference to marriage equality in Australia. The failure of the law to allow all couples regardless of sex to marry, and furthermore refusal to acknowledge marriages conducted overseas, is a disgrace to the nation supposedly know as accepting of difference and intolerant to discrimination.

different levels equality through its many prominent activists. Prior to the movement, millions of Black Americans faced brutal abuse and segregation with little to no government action taking place against such wrongdoings. The movement included passionate advocates for black equality such as Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. These civil and human rights activists inspired millions of Americans to join in the cause for justice and equality for all through their many unique styles. Malcolm X was one prominent civil rights activist known for his fiery demeanor and controversial beliefs. The underlining aspect in Malcolm’s life was that he adamantly believed in was the importance to the devotion of Islam. Through the religion Islam Malcolm X identified himself as a human being and used his knowledge to inspire others. Malcolm X’s relationship with Islam advanced him as a civil rights activist among black Americans, which promoted social change.

The Panthers’ strategy of “picking up the gun” reflected the sentiments of many inner-city blacks. A series of major “riots” (as the authorities called them), or “rebellions” (the sympathizers’ term), erupted during the last half of the 1960s. Often influenced by the black nationalism of Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X and by pan-African leaders, proponents of black liberation saw civil rights reforms as insufficient because they did not address the problems faced by millions of poor blacks and because African-American citizenship was derived ultimately from the involuntary circumstances of enslavement. In addition, proponents of racial liberation often saw the African-American freedom struggle in international terms, as a movement for human rights and national self-determination for all

The Black Panthers are a military type, civil rights advocates. Founded in Oakland, California by Huey Newton, and Bobby Seal. They were inspired to create the group because they were tired of seeing their people treated so poorly. They combined their views along with the views and ideology of Malcolm X who was assassinated the year before. The group’s main purpose was to free the people from oppression. They had a strict structure that was made for the improvement of African-American lives. They had a ten-point program that described what the purpose of the group was and what they wanted to achieve for the people; which was written by the founder and scholar Newton. They had a series of rules that every member was to follow or they were

The Civil Rights Movement is a period of the United States history that most people see as an era in the past. The Civil rights movement brought about reform and change that made people of all races and ethnicities equal in society; however, some 60 to 70 years later, there is struggle for true equality for all races and ethnicities in America. In Malcolm X’s speech “The Ballot or the Bullet,” Malcolm X believes that civil rights are human rights, and all African Americans are “justified in seeking civil rights, if it means equality of opportunity”(Malcolm X 362). When using Malcolm X’s definition of civil/human rights, it is clear that even in society today, not all races have reached equality. African Americans are still fighting for

During the period of 20 years between 1950 and 1970, black Americans were able to improve their level of civil rights. Therefore, it is logical to say that they were at least partly successful in achieving their civil rights. This was accomplished through a variety of ways, two commonly used techniques being legal strategies and non-violent direct action. However, because they were unable to attain complete equality, there must have been factors that worked against the civil rights movement. One of these factors was the use of violence as a means of protest.

The Civil Rights Movement, lasting till the late 1960s’, sparked a time of controversy and transformation between the rights of individuals regarding their sex, religion, gender, and race. Many historians can agree on the fact that this movement granting freedom for African Americans, not only secured legal rights but also inspired many social movements and groups amongst minorities (Smith, Robert.). The movement was involved with a numerous amounts of sit-ins, rallies, boycotts, marches, court cases, as well as mass demonstrations. During the Civil Rights Movement, many groups like, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), that were involved at the forefront of the struggle (Sabato, Larry), sought out to secure

Throughout history, Civil Rights Movements have been written down for us to learn from. They have been there for us to read and for us to look at in horror that this was the way that the world managed to survive – thrive off of, for some groups of people.

The Black Power movement began towards to the of the Civil Rights Era. The Black Power Movement began in the 1950s and 1960s, many African Americans grew tired of the ineffective, peaceful protests so they turned to violence. Although it was not a formal movement and it contributed to a big turning point in history. The goal of the Black Power movement was to gain equal rights with whites. Even though it was violent many people thought it was necessary to the equal rights African Americans deserved.