In the history of America, African Americans are oppressed and have had their civil liberties violated. The first African Americans are brought to the “New World” as slaves, against their own will and civil liberties. After the civil war, slavery ends and African Americans had more rights, making the first steps toward equality occur. However, still African Americans had to obey the Jim Crow Laws and led segregated lives, with the belief they are inferior. Still having their civil liberties violated, African Americans became disenfranchised and created a movement in the 20th century. Notably the African American movement was mainly successful in the 1960’s, due to many changes with goals outlined by a group of united political leaders, with …show more content…
The 1960’s is different because the movement was led by Martin Luther King Jr and his colleagues, compared to the numerous leaders with different strategies and goals in the previous decades. Martin Luther King detailed in a prison cell in Birmingham, Alabama a goal of “Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bound” (Document B). With clear goals of creating a more open and equal society, this was easily communicated to fellow African Americans and people of all groups. Therefore, with this goal, people can hope and join in the movement making it a success during the 1960’s, compared to the unclear messages of previous decades. Furthermore, Martin Luther discusses the goal, to overcome their differences as exhibited by police and civil actions against African Americans in 1963 (Document C). King has also acknowledged this issue as he is prison and faced similar discrimination like those of (Document C), and wishes to end this discrimination against African Americans. Overall King, has exhibited the root of the issue, and has outlined a goal making the movement in the 60’s a …show more content…
Political support in policy for the movement is not evident with previous presidents, such as Eisenhower compared to Kennedy. during the 1960’s President Kennedy was one the first major politicians that lent their support for the movement, by introducing a proposition to congress, to ensure equality and end segregation. Kennedy discusses his support as “next week I shall ask the Congress, to make a commitment it has not fully made in this century to the proposition that race has no place in life or law” (Document D). With Kennedy’s overwhelming support for Civil Rights, and with his power as president would influence fellow politicians to join, making support for the cause even more. Furthermore, this support gives a credible face to people who are not of color making the movement have a popular face to increase support. This is very dissimilar to previous decades where major politicians like presidents did not lend support to the movement before. In addition, during the 1960’s, the first youth led organizations such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, as mentioned in (Document A), discusses how they will bring similar beliefs of Martin Luther King to the younger generations. With support of the younger demographics, the movement can spread their beliefs in new ways and with more protest and discussion to the general
During the civil rights movement from 1945-1968, activists and the federal government took the action they thought to be most effective to reach their specific goals. Many activists took the ways of protests, like boycotting public transportation, to show their dissatisfaction with the current laws and regulations in place. The federal government often times relied on the passage of laws, including the Civil Rights act of 1964, to end segregation. The use of politics to express the concerns of both parties was a way for the government and the people to work together. The civil rights movement brought challenges that were faced by activists, and the federal government through the seperate ways of protesting and the passage of laws, along with
From 1954 - 1968 the United States faced an essential event in its history called the African-American civil rights movement which occured to have equal rights for the african americans. When these events occurred there were leaders chosen for the african americans. A voice that spoke out in favor for them, and not only was there one but there was two. There names were Martin Luther King Jr (MLK) and Malcolm X.
Throughout the American 1960’s there was a Civil Rights Movement. This movement gained a lot of traction within a short amount of time through many people. There were two leaders with opposing tactics but had the same goal reined in the movement. One leader was Martin Luther King with the tactic of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience and integration. The second leader was Malcolm X with the tactic to fight back and to have the communities better themselves by being separate.
African Americans face a struggle with racism which has been present in our country before the Civil War began in 1861. America still faces racism today however, around the 1920’s the daily life of an African American slowly began to improve. Thus, this time period was known by many, as the “Negro Fad” (O’Neill). The quality of life and freedom of African Americans that lived in the United States was constantly evolving and never completely considered ‘equal’. From being enslaved, to fighting for their freedom, African Americans were greatly changing the status quo and beginning to make their mark in the United States.
Dr. King once said “we must see the need for nonviolent activists to create the tension…understanding and brotherhood” (doc 7). King got his inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi. King along with the rest of the civil rights movements used the justice system as a way to get their point across, using the court case Brown v. Board of Education. The leader of the suffrage movement, Susan B. Anthony, once said “Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God”. Women felt that because of their
People will remember the 1960’s as the year of freedom. The years that ended segregation. Although that is what people were hoping for back then, it did not necessarily happen that easily. In 1963, two very persuasive people spoke up about segregation and left a mark on peoples lives. George C. Wallace and Martin Luther King Jr. both had very strong viewpoints.
These life experiences will all greatly affect how these men will lead the movement. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of nonviolence made the most sense for America in the 1960s because he tried to push African Americans forward with integration, and was nonviolent. Integration was the right choice to make when approaching this issue as schools in the South have already started desegregating schools (Little Rock 9 1957), buses (Montgomery Bus Boycott 1956), etc. According to Document B, “With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to climb up for freedom together knowing that we will be free one day” (Doc B). If African Americans were to demand more and more equality in various aspects of everyday life, then the goal of desegregation would be achieved faster.
During the 1960’s, the Civil Rights Movement was a big topic and controversy with all of the United States. It was quite clear that African Americans did not get treated the same way that whites did. It had been ruled that it was constitutional to be “separate but equal”, but African Americans always had less than the whites did. For example, the schools that they had were run down, and had very little classrooms, books, and buses. Martin Luther King had a large role in the Civil Rights Movement, as did Malcolm X, and others.
The nineteen hundreds marked a period of improvement in all aspects of society: economy, politics, standard of living, technology, and entertainment. However, one thing that did not improve till the late nineteen hundreds was integration of African Americans into society. While it took several years for legislation to pass the Civil Rights Act, it was achieved through new organizations, protests, and court cases which passed laws in favor of desegregation. Considering African Americans were still facing segregation-despite the passage of amendments and laws in their favor- they knew the only way they could make a change was to take matters into their own hands.
The decade of the 1960s is remembered as one of the most turbulent times of Americanhistory. The decade, from riots to assassinations, was filled with violent disorder and confusion. Even with opposition and disagreement all over the United States, some movements took apeaceful, nonviolent approach with one of the most well-known and successful being the CivilRights Movement. The African American Civil Rights movement was a nonviolent fight for equal rights forAfrican Americans after years of mistreatment and segregation. The ultimate goal of themovement was to gain the rights of an American citizen.
In 1955 a former preacher named Martin Luther King began the Grassroots Movement, also known as the early movement. Dr. King’s had goals for the early movement, with a strategy that was supported by many African Americans. His goals was to move toward integration of white and black people, along with hopes to have black people given political rights and equality. Martin wanted a world where black and whites worked together equally, and side by side. His goals was to diminish the mindset of “us and them” and, instead create a world of “we”.
Soledad O 'Brien once said “I 've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom.” The civil rights movement, which lasted from 1954-1968, was a social movement seeking quality for the African American population.
Introduction The story of the Civil Rights Movements of African Americans in America is an important story that many people knew, especially because of the leadership Martin Luther King Jr. Black people in America, between 1945 and 1970 had to fight for rights because they had been segregated by white people, they didn’t have equal laws compared to white people. So they initiated the Civil Rights Movements to fight for getting equal civil rights.
When it came to civil rights, finding the right person to lead an entire population into freedom was a pretty important problem. The two most important leaders in the Civil Rights Movement were Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and they were respected by a large portion of the black community in America. Although, when it came the troubling issues of segregation, both of schools and in everyday activities, and the violent approach to fight racism v.s. the non violent approach, Martin Luther King Jr. was a better person to lead black americans. The first reason why black americans needed Martin Luther King Jr. over Malcolm X was MLK’s view on segregation.
Introduction: The civil rights movement of 1954-1968 has made a huge impact on the history of African-American equality. All the great leaders of the movement have gone down in history for their courageous work and outstanding commitment to the civil rights movement. One of the most famous of the activists was Martin Luther King Junior (1929-1968) . King is still remembered today for his legendary speech entitled “I had a dream”.