The Civil Rights Movement
Major Changes
- Major amounts of minorities speak out and stand up for what they believe in. Millions of African Americans partake in non-violent marches, sit-ins, and protests in an effort to gain equal rights.
- Massive riots take place. Thousands of fed-up African Americans revolt in an effort to get equal rights. Many died and even more were wounded.
- Integration arises. For the first time ever in the history of the U.S., African Americans and other minorities in Southern States are allowed to attend the same schools as white Americans.
- Affirmative Action is practiced. To make up for past racial discrimination, many corporations make special efforts to hire or enroll groups that have suffered discrimination.
Plessy v. Ferguson*During the 1890's, a number of court decisions and state laws limited African-American rights. In Plessy v. Ferguson, the courts ruled that "separate but equal law did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees all Americans equal protection under the law.
the little rock nine*Arkansas had become the first Southern state to admit African Americans to state universities without being required by a court order. The Little Rock Nine, nine African American students who had volunteered to integrate Little Rock's Central High School as the first step to a brighter future. A crisis erupted at little rock as many whites did not approve of the integration. The crisis forced President Eisenhower to act. He placed the Arkansas National Guard under federal control and ordered a thousands paratroopers into little rock to see that the desegregation went smoothly.
Martin Luther King Jr. *After the bus boycott, many felt that the African American movement need a leader. They elected the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, 26-year-old Martin Luther King Jr. to lead the group. Through non-violent protests, marches, and demonstrations, he effectively induced many people to revolt against segregation. He was by far the most significant player in the Civil Rights movement and his dream still lives on today. More on Martin Luther King Jr. can be found at this website.
Kennedy takes a standAfter hundreds of riots and mass movements, Kennedy finally spoke out to America with his Civil Rights address. In the speech, he said "Are we to say to the world - and much more importantly, to each other - that we are land of the free, except for the Negros?" Kennedy demanded that Congress pass a civil rights bill.
Civil Rights act of 1964Two weeks after King's "I Have a Dream" speech, four young Birmingham girls were killed when a rider in a car hurled a bomb through their church window. Two more men were killed in the unrest that followed. After Kennedy's assassination, Johnson promised to carry on Kennedy's work. On July 2, Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act that was started by Kennedy. This act prohibited discrimination because of race, religion, national origin, and gender. It gave all citizens the right to enter libraries, parks, bathrooms, restaurants, and other public places. This was a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement.
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Brown v. board of education*This landmark court case made a large impact on the civil rights movement and the effort to get equal rights for African Americans. The lead lawyer for this case was Thurgood Marshall, who was from the NAACP. Marshall together with his team of lawyers argued for a little eight-year-old girl named Linda Brown. They won their case and the Supreme Court unanimously struck down segregation in schooling as an unconstitutional violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
rosa parks*On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, took a seat in the front row of the "colored" section of a Montgomery bus. As the bus filled up, the driver ordered Parks and three other African American passengers to empty the row so a white man could sit down. Ms. Parks refused to move and the driver called the police. News of her arrest traveled fast and inspired many. Soon after, the Montgomery Bus Boycotts began. These boycotts were a peaceful means of protest. African Americans simply refused to to ride the public buses. This took a large economic toll on the busing companies; yet another small victory for the African American community.
freedom riders
Voting Rights act of 1965During the summer of 65, President Johnson finally passed the Voting Rights Act. The act eliminated the so-called literacy tests that had disqualified many African American voters. It also abolished things such as the grandfather clause. This was a large victory for civil rights, but many felt it was not enough.
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Core American VAlues |
- Patriotism: The protests and nonviolent movements that took place in America during this time period were probably the most patriotic form of rebellion that took place in America since the Revolutionary war. The idea of African Americans standing up for their constitutional rights as citizens is a very obvious form of Patriotism.
- Economic Help: After the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, the transportation systems were hurting economically Thousands refused to ride the bus and they were no longer making money. After the government passes the bus bill, prohibiting segregation on busses, thousands start to ride the bus again, thus bringing back the money and allowing the transportation companies to once again function.
- Hope: The Civil Rights Movement sparks hope is just about every African American living in the U.S. at the time. The idea that they could end this social injustice of segregation and discrimination was just mind-blowing. Many were hopeful that by following King and his movement, they would be able to live a better, more equal life.