http://preservingjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/civil-rights-march.jpg
http://civilrightsteaching.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/25399.preview.jpg
|
Beginning the Civil Rights MovementThe Civil Rights movement technically started in the 1950's, gaining popularity and momentum, but really started to affect people in the 1960's. Before discussing this, however, it is important to get some background. Between the 1500's and 1864, Slavery was common in the US. After the Civil War, the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments guaranteed every person equal treatment, gave blacks voting rights, and made anyone born in the US a citizen. However, the Plessy v. Ferguson case made it legal for blacks and whites to continue to be segregated.
Many events happened during the 1950's and 1960's that made the Civil Rights movement possible. One such event happened because of Rosa Parks, who helped to start the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This also made Martin Luther King Jr. an important figure at the time. The Little Rock Nine had armed forces escort black students to school to force integration of schools in Arkansas. Freedom Rides also helped to make the Civil Rights movement popular, with people going across the South in Buses to fight for equal rights. |
ProtestsDuring the Civil Rights Movement, various protests happened. While the Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board established that schools must not be segregated, it took over three years to put this decision into effect. This decision met with much resistance, especially in the South. One of the most famous examples of this was the Little Rock 9.
9 African-American students legally and peacefully attempted to enter an all-white High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Governor of the time posted Arkansas National Guard to stop the students from entering the school. Furthermore, many of the people at the time were very against this decision. Many tried to stop the students from entering, or verbally abused the students. At that point, Eisenhower had to send in armed forces to make sure that Arkansas complied with the Supreme Court's decision to allow all students equal education. The armed forces had to escort the students for one year. At the same time, peaceful Sit-In protests were going on in North Carolina. Students came into segregated stores, sat down and demanded to be served. While the protests were peaceful, the students were often thrown out of the stores, and many were arrested. While there was no grounds upon which to be arrested, many were charged with loitering. Because this was expected, there often were other students waiting outside who could come in and take the others' places. |
http://historymartinez.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/little-rock.jpg
http://stateofhbcus.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/greensboro-sit-in.jpeg
|
http://www.wallpapermaven.com/cat/people/download/Martin-Luther-King-Jr-1280x800-3.jpg
http://mensagens.culturamix.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/malcolm-x/malcolm-x-1.jpg
|
Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm XTwo major figures in the Civil Rights movement were Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X. Both had very different backgrounds.
Martin Luther King Jr. came from a very politically active family. By the age of 15, he was at university. Later in life, he became a minister, which helped him gain popularity in fighting for Civil Rights. During the 1960's, Martin Luther King heavily fought for equal rights, and integration. He preached for a strategy of non-violence. On the other hand, Malcolm X had a very troubled early life. His house was burned down by the KKK, and his father was murdered when he was young. By the age of 15, unlike MLK, he was in prison. There, he taught himself with the materials he had available to him. At this time, he also joined the Nation of Islam. Later on in his life, he began to fight for equal rights, but did not want integration. He also taught that violence was at times necessary, but only acceptable in self defense. |