The Civil Rights Movement In The 1950s And 1960s

Social movements are one of the primary means through which the public is able to collectively express their concerns about the rights and wellbeing of themselves and others. Under the proper conditions, social movements not only shed light on issues and open large scale public discourse, but they can also serve as a means of eliciting expedited societal change and progress. Due to their potential impact, studying the characteristics of both failed and successful social movements is important in order to ensure that issues between the public and the government are resolved to limit injustices and maintain societal progress.

The civil rights movement made a rapid advance towards the civil rights with help of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X along with their famous speeches that rallied the people to support the end to segregation and the right for African Americans. The civil rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s helped lay the groundwork for this change. Americans face discrimination in every aspect of their lives until at at least 1950s.

The 1950s and 1960s was a period of growth and prosperity in America. Features of the common life included innovations such as television, dishwasher, and home air-conditioning. However, not all Americans equally benefited from the economic growth of this period of time. In addition to Jim Crow laws and unequal economic opportunities, America’s society became further segregated as many whites moved to the suburbs while blacks remained in run-down city neighborhoods. These many inequalities sparked the civil rights movement, where African Americans stood up and fought for their rights using nonviolent methods. The movement influenced the emergence of many prominent figures including Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s was successful in achieving equal rights for African Americans through nonviolent protests such as the Montgomery bus boycott, sit-ins, and marches.

In this research paper, we will be discussing the African American racial and prejudicial issues during the civil rights movements in the 1950’s and 60’s. Racial injustice goes way back since the Emancipation Proclamation which took place on January 1, 1863 issued by president Abraham Lincoln, was first created for states in the South who seceded from the union to abolish slavery during the Civil War. The Fourteenth Amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws due to issues related to slaves during the Civil War. Although slavery was not around almost a century later African Americans were still being treated unfairly in the 1950’s and 60’s. Major Icons such as Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, Black Panthers, Malcolm

The American South in the 1960 's and Ancient Thebes both had a rigid social and legal system that did not effectively and legitimately represent the majority of its citizens. In both eras, an antihero rose up to defy the establish system. Dr. King, in the 1960 's, protested unjust laws and was jailed and viewed as an antagonist. Similarly, in Ancient Thebes, Antigone is sentenced to death for doing what she believes is right, regardless of the law. If Dr. King failed, he stood to lose, in addition to his life, his reputation as someone who wanted true change for all African Americans. Furthermore, future generations of colored people would have to endure the same injustice that he was protesting against. Also, if his nonviolent ways failed there were people ready to take the civil rights movement in a violent direction. If Antigone 's defiance had failed, her brother will never find peace in the afterlife, and Thebes will never find unity and solace after its civil war. Additionally, she too could lose her life for her outward defiance. Therefore, both Dr. King 's nonviolent resistance, along with writing his letter from Birmingham Jail, and Antigone 's violation of Kreon 's edict are justified by what they stood to lose if they did not take their respective actions.

4. Evaluate the progress towards racial equality in the United States since the Civil Rights struggles of the 1950s and 1960s.

Younger generations of kids may not fully understand the liberties and freedoms that they have today, especially within the African American community. The civil rights movement was a long fight that many African Americans endured which started as far back as the twentieth century. Groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), formed in 1909, and the National Urban League, formed in 1911, were key advocates in the movement. The most significant time frame of the movement was between the years of 1953 to 1968. The civil rights movement was in full swing and there were a lot of significant events that made the civil rights movement a success. The Civil rights Act of 1875 was the last federal civil rights act passed until 1957. Led mostly by Dr. Martin

Civil Rights are the government’s guarantees that you will be treated equally no matter your race, religion, or gender. “The proclamation that “all men are created equal” appears in the Declaration of Independence, and the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires that the federal government treat people equally”. “No State shall . . . deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Thus, between the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, neither state governments nor the federal government may treat people unequally unless unequal treatment is necessary to maintain important governmental interests, like public safety (154). Everyone has rights under the constitution, but only when

The civil rights movement was a defining point in U.S. history, this movement redefined race relations in the US, and forcibly united a country that seemed intent on staying "seperate but equal". Government leaders were unprepared to handle the protests, and the African American community was split on whether the protests should be peaceful or aggressive in nature. The civil rights movement officially began in 1954, and this paper will analyze the impact of it's most influential leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X with particular focus on the movement in the 1960s.

The 1960s was an eventful time period in American History. During this time the Civil Rights movement was happening. Within the Civil Rights there was the Freedom Rides, which was when civil rights activist rode buses into the segregated south to protest bus segregation. Black people were passionate and determined to fix the injustices African-Americans were facing. An issue today that would prompt me to organize such a powerful movement would be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) rights.

Just imagine what the United States would look like if it were not for the protests of the 60s and today. Many thousands of people march through the streets of the cities in which they live in. Life would be way different if they did not work. There would still be protesting for civil rights and legal voting rights, and most places would be segregated. Civil rights movement had no social or political movement of the twentieth century has had as profound an effect on the legal and political institutions of the United States. This movement sought to restore to African Americans the rights of citizenship guaranteed by the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, which had been eroded by segregationist Jim crow laws in the South. There are even protesting

The civil right movement started in the late 1950’s. It was very bad back then, because black American’s could not being in place or have the same things like white American’s . All the black American’s were mad about that they were treated differently that’s why they were fighting for freedom.

It is contextually vital to distinguish between the pre and post war era in relation to the 1960s. The post-war era was that of a hearty economy, with the middle and working class generally advancing and a low level of social upheavals. The sixties were a period of heightened social struggles, women struggles, the Cold War, Vietnam, and a rising tide of conservatism despite the liberal counter culture and immense racism. People organizing and actively working for change both in the social order and in government, this included the student movement the women's movement movements for gay rights and a push by the courts to expand rights in general Progression of civil rights had key moments in what took place at Greensboro North Carolina University.

AAffirmative action was a result of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s and is still a controversial issue today. This was put into place to improve the employment and educational opportunities of minority groups and women. Although necessary, I do believe that there are pros and cons; otherwise the potential is there for inequality. Having a diverse workforce empowers an organization to serve multi-cultural customers. If all employees were white and spoke English only, could helping a Spanish speaking only customer be a positive experience? Plenty of people think this causes reverse discrimination, such as choosing an individual from an underrepresented minority group to meet the employer’s “quota” over a more qualified candidate that

The 1960s are known for being unique in that many protests and social movements occurred in this era. However, the 60s were also unique in that American college students became the leading force for social change. One of the key 60s movements focused on desegregation and equality for African-Americans. Although blacks endured much violence in the 60s – mainly by whites in Southern cities – it should be noted that there were also times when they were united with whites. The nonviolent March on Washington, for instance, was one of these cooperative times. Yet, when the well-liked John F. Kennedy was president, foreign politics seemed to eclipse the civil rights movement. Kennedy focused on other tasks, like establishing the Peace Corps to improve the U.S. image overseas and making the space program a priority after the Soviets sent a man to space. Like prior presidents, Kennedy treated all foreign policy like an extension of the Cold War. As a result, American tension with Cuba began because the U.S. didn’t approve of Cuban and Soviet relations. Tension between the countries increased and eventually resulted in a missile crisis after American spies discovered that the Soviet Union installed missiles in Cuba that could reach the U.S. and cause an all-out nuclear war. Fortunately, the U.S. and Soviet Union agreed to both withdraw missiles that could harm the other. After violence broke out against blacks in Birmingham, the civil rights movement became pressing enough for