The Civil Rights Movement Of The 1960's

The civil rights movement was and still is a crucial piece of American culture because it helped shaped our society to what it is today. The civil rights movement occurred at a time where Americans began to protest, in mass groups, against racial segregation and discrimination that was increasingly prominent in America. American began to think different about segregation, many did not believe in it.

The African Americans managed to solve their conflict and resolution through acts of non-violence and struggle. Even though the actions taken by Malcolm X were of good intentions, they ended up causing a ripple between African Americans. On the other hand Martin Luther King Jr. identified that if people were going to respond to hatred with more hatred then there will be little chances for change and substance which was never understood by Malcolm. He was, of course, powerful and strong as an Africa American commanding huge followers and believers, but things did not end well as Malcolm X dies in the hand of his own people. This meant that change cannot be made through dividing a nation but through uniting the people. Therefore Civil Rights Movements of the 1960s would have not had the same impact if they had been led by Malcolm X instead of Martin Luther King.

The beginning of the Civil Rights Movement started from an attempt to gain equality within the public school system for people of color. The education an African American child received was underfunded and lacked basic resources. In his article, “Segregation, Northern Style”, Fred Powledge writes, “In practical terms, it means older, more run-down, and more crowded schools buildings, less experienced teachers, more tattered textbooks…” (10). The standards for segregated schools were not equal, as was legally required by the 1876 Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson. In the Supreme Court ruling, schools could be “separate”, but had to be “equal” in

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.

The civil rights movement sparked around the 1950s. Even though blacks had been free for years, segregation still existed. To such an extent that blacks and whites did not go to the same school, eat in the same places, and drink from the same water fountains. The civil rights movement was a step towards real equality, and had many events that helped trigger the nation. Some major issues blacks fought for were education and equal rights to what whites had, and where mostly achieved through boycotts and some even lead to people’s death or being imprisoned.

In Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional separate schools for blacks and whites. White Citizens Councils, joined by prominent citizens, sprouted throughout the South. “They vowed that integration would never take place. In this atmosphere, the social protests of the civil rights movement were born” (-Constitutional Rights Foundation). In 1956 the court ruling declaring segregation of the Montgomery bus system illegal, which was a major victory for Rosa Park and Martin Luther King with thousands of other black protestors.

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s is one of the most significant periods of American history, but the struggle for equality began long before any March on Washington. The passage of the 13th Amendment in the 1860s was followed by a chain reaction consisting of black codes, Jim Crow, and the formation of the KKK and NAACP (Aiken et al., 2013). The 1900s saw progress in the form of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Little Rock Nine, successful bus boycotts, and a nonviolent protest movement emboldened by wartime hypocrisy (Aiken et al., 2013). The movement came to a head with the passage of the CRA in 1964, which President Johnson pushed through after the tragic assassination of President Kennedy, a vocal supporter of civil rights (Aiken et al., 2013). This legislative success was followed by yet another tragic assassination, this time of peaceful community leader Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 (Aiken et al., 2013).

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.

Since the creation of the United States of America, race has been an issue. The discussion of colored people’s position in society was discussed by the founding fathers even during the creation of the Constitution. As time passed, Americans realized the hypocrisy of the idea that all people are entitled to the rights of “life, liberty, and property.” How could a country support such an idea when the vast majority of its blacks lived in lifelong enslavement? The passage of the 14th and 15th amendments after the Civil War aimed to remedy the racial inequality that plagued America, but it became evident that that was not enough. As a result, the Civil Rights movement of the mid 20th century began in order to address existing issues. The movement led to the passage of pivotal pieces of legislation in regards to racial equality in America, such as the Civil Rights Act. Many believed that the racial problems of America had been solved. However, the issue of race has been brought to the forefront of America once again. In 2013, a controversial court case decision sparked the Black Lives Matter activist movement, which believes that racial inequality and profiling are problems that still exist in modern America and have contributed to unjustified violence against black people, especially by law enforcement officers.

Even with the passage of laws that guaranteed equality there were still many racial tensions during, before and after the war years. The large scale movement of African Americans from the South to the industrial centers in the North led to local confrontations over jobs and housing shortages. The Federal government feared a major race war could result. Luckily large scale disturbances did not happen, however there were instances of race riots in 1943 Detroit, and a series of anti-Mexican riots in Los Angeles during the same year. Despite all of these problems, the city of Vanport was officially integrated. The schools were mixed with all of the different ethnic and racial groups, and so were the churches and recreational facilities. Because of this, African Americans were able to form several organizations that helped them protect and expand their rights (citation).

America has experienced many periods in history that shape the social system we have today. Many of our adopted attitudes and beliefs have outlined our present and nearing future into a more liberal society. Following World War II, America was placed on a pedestal admired by the world around it for success during the post-war period. America had more internal damage that was not reflective of the values the country was set on. Entering the post War period, a group of college students advocated for domestic change writing a manifesto popularly known as the Port Huron Statement on June 15 of 1962. Students desired change and became active in the Civil Rights Movement in hopes to change the attitudes of the citizens in America. The Port Huron Statement reflected ideas of these newly conscious middle American youth, increased Civil right activism, and created the New Left in regards to form a more democratic society.

In the history of the United States, there have been many social changes that have occurred. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s was one of the most significant and important for the equality of all people. Since the abolition of slavery in 1863, there had been a continuous conflict between the races of people who live in the United States. Rights were violated on a consistent basis, purely because of the color of a person’s skin. Unfortunately, many of the changes that the movement fought for brought on a violent opposition from many white southerners and that led to the violent deaths of some of the famous leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. The movement led to the creation of several civil

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 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

In the 1950’s The Civil Rights Movement took off and changed the rights of the African American people. Before, many public places and the population were kept separate: schools, stores, restaurants, and transportation. Peaceful boycotts and sit ins were the people's attempts to forcefully change their rights. With Lyndon B. Johnson backing up the movement, Martin Luther King and other civil right leaders made a huge differences in southern U.S and the U.S in general. Major events like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Lunch Counter protests showed that perseverance and dedication was the way to gain their rights and equality after years of discrimination toward their community. The Civil Rights movement was able to make progression for equal