The Civil Rights Movement

Social movements are not spontaneous events, and they must build towards their goals over time on a series of phases and preconditions. Successful social movements rely on a number of micro and macro factors including efficient organizational structures, the ability to mobilize human and material resources, as well as effective leadership and rapid diffusion of ideas. As it will be shown, the presence of mobilizing structures, movement frames as well as suitable political opportunities combined with reactionary incentives during the Civil Rights Movement helped culminate both short and long term societal changes.

Civil rights are the rights that every person should have no matter their sex, religion, or race. These were deprived to African Americans for hundreds of years, long before the civil rights movement of the 1960s. African Americans were slaves from the 1500s until the 1860s when the Civil War happened. After the slaves were freed, there was still a lot of segregation and racism throughout the U.S., especially in the South. The government put into place Jim Crow Laws, which were strict segregation laws that would punish people who associated with people of another race, if the law forbade them to do so. They also used poll taxes, literacy tests, and other things of the like to prevent African Americans from voting. White supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, or rather known as the KKK, would perform violent acts to minorities. They would bomb, carry out beatings and shootings and set fires to blacks’ homes.

The African American civil rights movement was a long journey for African American nationwide. The success involved many people, hardships and time in order to advance the African American community in America. The purpose of the movement was to achieve their rights, cease discrimination, and racial segregation.

In the 21st century if the revolution is not tweeted, is it still a revolution? Many say the revolution will not be televised but it will be tweeted. In “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted,” by Malcolm Gladwell, he provides us with an argument on how social media has an impact on activism. Gladwell discusses how social media will not spur the next revolution because it has changed the way protests form. The protests went from small, high-risk acts formed by people whose purpose was close to their heart to a low-risk act with an enormous amount of people who may hardly know each other. Although interesting, Gladwell’s article fails to prove today’s revolution will not be tweeted.

The African-American Civil Rights Movement is the struggle that African Americans had to endure in order to enjoy the liberties offered to all citizens of the United states today. Before it, the United States was still in darkness, with racism having a firm grip on most souls. Since its beginnings, it was a topic of debate not only by the top ranking government officials, but also by normal citizens. The African-American Civil Rights Movement is undoubtedly one of the most revered and memorable moments in our country’s history.

It was just a single line in a speech given more than fifty years ago, yet many still remember it as one of the most important turning points in Southern political history and the American civil right movement. As many civil rights activists were fighting for the abolishment of Jim Crow laws, newly elected Governor George Wallace stood at the podium under the Alabama State House to deliver his inaugural speech which would later cement his legacy amongst the most controversial figures in Southern history. His infamous line, “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever”, represents the pinnacle of the southern struggle between pride and blame (Wallace). To some, George Wallace was an unabashed racist who was the embodiment of white supremacy and opposition toward the civil rights movement in the South. To others, he was a brave fighter for states’ rights amidst one of the most difficult transition periods in the South. Regardless of one’s personal opinions about Gov. Wallace, his influence on many of the themes covered in this course such as the transformation of Southern politics, race relations, and ideals cannot be undermined. The Alabamian stood at the center stage of the southern civil rights movement where his fierce rhetoric and the subsequential outburst of racial violence and anger were forever seared in the region’s memory. By studying George Wallace and his inaugural speech, one can trace the roots and evolution of southern ideals and politics

There were hundreds of thousands of onlookers, twenty-one shots, four assassinations, one nation, and a changed world all effected throughout the 1960s. There were many distresses throughout the 1960s. Some of the main ones included the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Robert Kennedy and John Kennedy. The aftermath of all these deaths greatly affected the United States and the people in it. Each one of these men had a huge impression on a certain group in America that they broke a barrier for. The nation mourned and wept over them, and felt for their families. These sequences of deaths began in 1963 with the death of John F. Kennedy.

Institutions (such as schools, prisons, hospitals, churches, military, mass media, etc) are all collective systems meant to dictate how the masses who believe in and follow them, live and act. Each institution has its own collective set of rules, often times mostly unspoken, to guide what others in the institution should be doing in terms of right and wrong. But these rules are never fixed and may fluctuate with changes in leadership or environment among other things. The fluctuations of these rules mean that they must often be tested by people more on the fringe of the institution in order to determine where the heart of the institution stands at any given moment. That testing of boundaries, in and of itself, constitutes deviance and helps to explain how institutions meant to discourage it accidentally encourage it.

The civil rights movement began to influence view about people with disabilities. Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954, the US supreme court ruled that it was unlawful under the fourteenth amendment to discriminate subjectively against any group of people. The court applied this to the education of children. Soon people with disabilities were acknowledged as another group whose rights had often been dishonored because of discrimination. Pennsylvania Assoc for Retarded Children v. Commonwealth (1972) This case resolved that schools cannot refuse to educate students, free public education must be provided to all students; this resulted in the principle of FAPE. Larry P. v. Wilson Riles (1986) Found that IQ tests cannot be used alone to determine if a student has an intellectual disability, tests cannot be racially biased; this led to the principle of Nondiscriminatory Assessment. Hendrick Hudson S.D. v. Rowley (1982) Found that special education services must deliver an appropriate education this resulted in Individualized education. Daniel R.R. v. State Bd of Ed (1989) Found that appropriate placement for students with disabilities depends on whether a student can be adequately educated in general education, this influenced the principle of LRE. Oberti v. Clementon S.D. (1993) Found that school districts must offer a full range of supports ad amenities and just because a student learns differently doesn’t allow that students exclusion from general education; this became the

The Civil Rights movement was one of the many protests going on around the world that fought for civil liberties among mass people. All over the world countries were taking down flags that once flew through the wind, which made this the peak time to join the revolution in gaining rights for African Americans in the United States. During this time many black people were sick and tired of being told how and when to do things by a white person. Entire black communities in southern states were completely alienated. They were not allowed to use the same bathrooms, water fountains, parks, theatre’s, gas stations, restaurants, or even to sit in the front of the buss. After years of this discrimination and brutality from white people, including

Another minority group that progressed during the WWII period was the African-American society. High demands of WWII offered more civil rights to the group, yet, they were excluded from the social and political system due to the backlash of white Americans. Hence, African-Americans decided to fight for their equality and civil rights, which came to be known as the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1950-1970). The protest for equality involved methods such as filing court cases, bus boycott, sit-ins, marches, and forming the black panther party. In 1955, Brown v. Board of Education changed the American society by desegregating the schools due to the psychological effects faced by the black kids. In Little Rock Central High School, nine

In the same way culture has influenced how I behave, it could also be a contributor to the unfortunate scenarios we so frequently see in our news casts of late. Some groups are already angry with authorities and see no problem confronting them, arguing, and refusing to comply with an officer’s requests. For instance, accounts of marches and protests during the civil rights movement could contribute to some in newer African American generations believing these are the only methods in which to gain justice. Whereas other cultures, might respond differently, complying, but consulting with a lawyer or filing a grievance, because historically for them, those methods have been effective.

The second half of the 1960’s seen another upsurge of young adults; a subgroup opposed to the fundamental thoughts of others and their social and economic supports; mainly because they believed that dominant mainstream culture was corrupt; and needed to believe as they did in a way(s) of life, (offensively promoted) to defend against some (thing) lewder. Conceivably, the worst scenario might have been/or could be nuclear war, totalitarianism, overcrowding, alienation, and abusive living conditions etc... All things more or less off in some degree to the norm and this combination of some\thing cannot be earned, bought, and/or passed on. This some (thing) philosophy is compromised in a complex egotism based on loyalty; with an ulterior (self-preservation)

The American Civil Rights Movement is personified through several prominent personalities. These figures exhibited strong character throughout their careers in activism that revolutionized the ideals and opportunities of the 20th century, standing as precedents for courage and perseverance in the face of widespread systemic oppression. However, not all of these figures received the acknowledgment and acceptance that their legacy deserved. One such figure was Bayard Rustin, a lifelong Civil Rights activist in the African American and LGBTQ communities whose experiences exemplified the hardships faced by American minorities. His career was defined by perpetual conflict and confrontation as both sides of the Civil Rights Movement attempted to demonize and discredit him. Despite this obstacle, Bayard Rustin’s controversial decision-making and sheer tenacity made him an influential force in the ongoing fight for equality in the United States of America.

The Civil Rights movement is one of the most important acts to change the way not only African Americans were able to live their lives but all races and colors. It would slowly break down the social, economic, political, and racial barriers that were created by the The Age of Discovery and Transatlantic Slave trade. I believe without the Civil Rights acts our country would result to be no better than what it was when the Emancipation Proclamation just took effect. In the 1950s and long before, Southern folk, who were white had created a system that would interpret them as a superior race over blacks. The system would defend whites rights and privileges from being taken away from them while establishing terrible inhumane suffering for African Americans. In the South blacks were controlled in all aspects economic, political, and personal, this was called a “tripartite system of domination” - (Aldon D. Morris) (6) Though it isn’t as prevalent racism and discrimination towards other races that aren’t white is still found in America and can be in schools, the workplace, even when you are in the general public but you no longer see discriminating signs saying “Whites” or “Blacks” or Colored” along the front of bathroom, restaurants, and shopping malls doors. Nor do you see people being declined the right to buy a home based on their color or access to school and an equal education being declined because one didn’t meet racial requirements. The acts of violence towards