...Non-Violence Vs. Violence The civil rights movement started with an african American women refusing to give up her seat on a bus in montgomery Alabama. Her name was Rosa Parks. “ The only tired I was, was tired of giving in.” - Rosa Parks. This one women standing up for herself led to a bus boycott that would last 13 months. An organization that was the start to change was The montgomery improvement Association (MIA) helped to focus on the rights that african Americans had when it came to as simply as where they sat on a bus. This organization was started before Rosa Parks ever stood up for her right. Founded in 1946. This boycott happened when students start riding different busses integrated (black, white, black) on the bus seats so when other people would get on they would have no choice but to join in with the lack of segregating the busses. All of these events that have happened in the 60’s are examples of and the reason that non-violence protesting is the most effective....
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...A Lifetime in Black America 1900 Booker T. Washington During Spring Break of 2017, my History class inspired a road trip with my twelve-year-old daughter. We toured great sites such as Rosa Parks Museum, Dr. Kings Floating Grave and both Spelman and Morehouse College. Along the way, we talked about how each visit resonated a profound sense of vision within us. Consequently, I chose six core black Americans figures to express how each individual story helped to shape the United States of America. Beginning in the early 20th century, President Theodore Roosevelt invited Booker T. Washington (a former slave and prominent black leader) to dinner. Washington, who founded the Tuskegee Institute, was one of the most influential intellectuals of the era. Roosevelt, known for his impulsiveness, respected Washington, who also advised President William Howard Taft. Though Booker was not the first African American to advise a...
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...When the civil rights act came to the table only 22% of all democrats voted against it and only 12% of all republicans voted against it. The civil rights movement started in 1954 and lasted 12 more years all the way until 1968. The most important civil rights activists consisted of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks(started the civil rights movement), and so on. There were many courageous men and women all over America who took a stand during the civil rights movement. The Martin Luther King Jr. I have a dream speech, on the steps of the Lincon memorial, in Washington D.C. was one of the greatests speeches to be recorded. In the article titled MLK, I Have a Dream Speech, it states,”The 1960’s was defining decade in America, and...
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...Historically, the Civil Rights Movement was a time during the 1950’s and 60’s to eliminate segregation and gain equal rights. Looking back on all the events, and dynamic figures it produced, this description is very vague. In order to fully understand the Civil Rights Movement, you have to go back to its origin. Most people believe that Rosa Parks began the whole civil rights movement. She did in fact propel the Civil Rights Movement to unprecedented heights but, its origin began in 1954 with Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka. Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka was the cornerstone for change in American History as a whole. Even before our nation birthed the controversial ruling on May 17, 1954 that stated separate educational facilities were inherently unequal, there was Plessy vs. Ferguson in 1896 that argued by declaring that state laws establish separate public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. Some may argue that Plessy vs. Ferguson is in fact backdrop for the Civil Rights Movement, but I disagree. Plessy vs. Ferguson was ahead of it’s time so to speak. “Separate but equal” thinking remained the body of teachings in America until it was later reputed by Brown vs. Board of Education. In 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, and prompted The Montgomery Bus Boycott led by one of the most pivotal leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. After the gruesome death of Emmett...
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...Racism in the Past The idea of racism was not really present in the Civil War era. People in the Civil War, in the South, thought slaves, mainly African Americans, were property and not people. Then the Civil Rights Movement emerged. The Civil Rights Movement was all about black equality and ending segregation. The Jim Crow laws barred them from classrooms, juries, bathrooms, theaters and even trains. In 1954, United States Supreme Court made the “separate but equal” clause that made discrimination and segregation legal, but stated that they should be treated equal, notice the word “should” be. The Civil Rights movement was lead by many people such as: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and Andrew Goodman. There are many things that white people and even other races have discriminated African Americans over. Such as not having a high...
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...Marshall-Linda Brown-ended segregation in all public schools • Montgomery Bus Boycott-Rosa Parks-MLK was a leader • MLK-inspired by Gandhi • Southern Christian Leadership Conference-set out to end segregation • Little Rock Nine-Eisenhower hand to order troops in-LBJ helped it pass, but it was weaker • Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee • Freedom Riders- rode buses in the south to protest-were beaten by Whites and KKK • Kennedy used civil rights to win election-promised support • James Meredith-applied to college, but was denied even with a court order • Kennedy assassinated, but Lyndon Johnson carries on his support of African Americans • Civil Rights Act of 1964- Gave power to made segregation illegal, gave power to federal gov. to prevent discrimination • Selma March-many were beaten in front of cameras-shocked nation • Voting Rights Act of 1965-allowed for many African Americans to vote-no more literacy tests • Even though discrimination was ending, it didn’t change people’s attitudes • Watts riot- African American neighborhood-had to send in National Guard • Kerner Commission- studied why the riots were happening • Chicago movement- march through white neighborhoods to show poverty of African Americans • Richard J. Daley- ordered police to protect Chicago movement • Black power- meant that blacks should control the social, political, and economic direction of their struggle • Malcolm X-joined Black Muslims-believed that blacks should separate themselves-advocated...
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...Cultural Characteristics of African Americans The largest minority population in America, African Americans helped to build the foundation and culture of the United States of America from the beginning. Separated from their original homeland and culture, Black slaves struggled to find a new identity, religion, language, and core set of family values. Despite hardships like slavery, segregation, lack of proper education, and divided families, African Americans created a unique, spiritual, and creative culture that thrives in modern times. Definition of African Americans The term African American refers to any Black American who is a citizen of the United States. Every Black American of African descent falls into this racial and cultural category. According to 2010 census data, they are the second largest demographic group after Whites and the largest minority population in America. History All people within the African American culture share the common history of enslavement, acculturation, and racial oppression. This history and cultural heritage provides a common bond that gives relevance to the African heritage. The most important historical bond is the recognition that most all African Americans descended from slaves. Slavery The first slaves were introduced to the English-American colonies by a Dutch trader. He sold 20 slaves to settlers in Jamestown, Virginia. After this initial trade the larger global trade pattern between Europe, Africa, and...
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...I was very much interested in the Civil Rights movement, but my mother never allowed me to speak my mind about such a sensitive topic. She always thought I was just a little kid who didn’t know what she was talking about." But a young, intelligent person understood the very aspect of the Civil Rights Movement and the motives behind it. As people graduated from American High School, they attention veered towards the Civil Rights Movement and they feel it. Some communities are a predominantly black community in an inner cit. Many people in these communities do not seem as interested or affected by the historical movement. But everyone knew to follow the rules of not conversing nor interacting with whites. One person describes one hot July day, there was a rally held in Downtown Miami along with many other cities. The really lasted all day but messages were being spread. “I felt a sense of glory because it was the first time I felt a true connection with every other person in the country who was trying to make a difference in this country. “Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love,” A message from Martin Luther King, JR. that showed his passion to promote unity and non-violence during the Civil Rights Movement. During the times of the Civil Rights Movement, many African Americans were angry and had hatred towards white people because of the oppression they endured for years. As a result...
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...Drew Kuntzi African American History to 1865 April 9, 2024 A Reflection on African American History Studying history is not merely an exercise in examining the past; it is an exploration of the complex tapestry that shapes the world we live in today. Understanding the events, ideas, and struggles of previous generations is essential for comprehending the present and envisioning the future. In this reflection, I delve into the rich and multifaceted history of African Americans, exploring key themes, events, and ideas that have left an indelible mark on our society. Throughout this semester, we have delved deeply into the history of African Americans, uncovering pivotal moments that have shaped their experiences and aspirations. Three major themes...
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...ballot or a bullet. And if you're not ready to get involved with either one of those, you are satisfied with the status quo. That means we'll have to change you." (Malcolm X) While Martin Luther King promoted non-violence, civil rights, and the end to racial segregation, a man of the name of Malcolm X dreamed of a separate nation. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the conscience of his generation. A Southerner, a black man, he gazed upon the great wall of segregation and saw that the power of love could bring it down. From the pain and exhaustion of his fight to free all people from the bondage of separation and injustice, he wrung his eloquent statement of what America could be. (Ansboro, pg.1) An American clergyman and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, he was one of the principle leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement and a prominent advocate of nonviolent protest. King's challenges to segregation and racial discrimination in the 1950's and 1960's, helped convince many white Americans to support the cause of civil rights in the United States. After his assassination in 1968, King became the symbol of protest in the struggle for racial justice. ("King, Martin Luther, Jr.," pg. 1) In 1964, Malcolm X founded an organization called "The Muslim Mosque, Inc. In an interview conducted by A.B. Spellman on March 19, 1964, Malcolm...
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...Board of Education case influenced the path of America’s racial transformations and opened new doors for all citizens of America. Brown v. Board of Education case is responsible for the creation of many non-discriminatory laws. After the case and the integration of public schools had taken place, led to the desegregation of buses, bathrooms, water fountains, etc. This case was a motivation to the Civil Rights Movement, which led African Americans to full equality. America’s race relations has gone from a divided nation to a united nation, the intention of the founding fathers. The Brown v. Board of Education case will hopefully be an inspiration to those fighting for the abolition of discrimination of sexuality. In order for “the land of the free” to become a reality, all discrimination including: race, religion, gender, and sexuality must cease to...
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...The Civil Rights Movement Sharon L. Jordan HUM410 Contemporary History Instructor: Lila Griffin-Brown October 16, 2011 African Americans’ efforts to stop the segregation of trains and streetcars, the organizations created to contest Jim Crow laws, and segregationists’ attempts to silence the protests all provide rich testimony to the spirit of agitation present even in this bleak time in American history (Kelley, 2010, p.5). The Civil Rights Movement was a struggle by African Americans in the mid-1950s to late 1960s to achieve civil rights equal to those of whites, including equal opportunity in employment, housing, and education, as well as the right to vote, the right of equal access to public facilities, and the right to be free of racial discrimination (Law, 2005). This movement sought to restore to African Americans the rights of citizenship guaranteed by the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. The words civil rights often raise images of Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his soul-stirring “I Have a Dream” speech before the nation’s capital. "The practical cost of change for the nation up to this point has been cheap," Martin Luther King Jr. conceded “(LITWACK, 2009). Martin Luther King Jr., and other leaders of the movement anticipated, the movement provoked gains not only for African Americans but also for women, persons with disabilities, and many others. Organized efforts by an African American, W.E.B. Du Bois, who exhorted blacks to fight for the rights was...
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...an end to racial injustice by becoming one of the first blacks to apply for admission to the University of Mississippi Law School, helped integrate “Ole Miss.”, and was NAACP’s first field secretary in the south. These actions resulted in registering voters, organizing boycotts of segregated businesses and encouraging activists. First off segregation was a big issue in America, it went on for almost 60 years in the U.S. With segregation, it meant that “whites” had one school, area, room etc, while “colored” had the others. Medgar Evers was a black man who lived in the 20’s to the 60’s. When Evers was denied acceptance from University of Mississippi Law School on February 1954, he and other people like James Meredith(another civil rights movement figure) helped take the case of being denied entry into Mississippi Law school because of color, all the way to the supreme court. Along that came a big riot that would end up capturing the attention of president Kennedy, two dead, and over 300 people injured from the wild protesting, "It was a horrible thing, and I'm sorry we had to go through that, but it certainly marked a very definite turning point. And maybe a learning experience for some people, I think even the ardent segregationists didn't want to see violence like that again." (James Meredith). At the time Medgar was a upcoming civil rights Activist who shortly became pretty popular among people fighting for equal rights. After the integration of “Ole Miss” Evers would end...
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...Name: Instructor: Course: Date: American Civil Rights Movement Introduction The American Civil Rights Movement was a mass protest movement which was against discrimination and racial segregation in southern United States. The American Civil Rights Movement came into national prominence during the period of mid-1950s. The roots of this movement can be traced to the era of African slaves where their descendants started resisting racial oppression and they also advocated for the abolishment of slavery. This effectively led to the American slaves being emancipated due to the Civil War and they were also granted vital civil rights. These civil rights were granted during the Fourteenth and the Fifteenth amendments were done to the US Constitution. There were also continued struggles during the following century to effectively secure federal protection in regard to the granted rights (Green and Harold, 03). These struggles used various ways to express what they actually wanted by use of nonviolent protests. It was during the periods of between the 1950s and the 1960s when the civil rights movements attained the abolishment of race discrimination in public facilities in the south that they were more motivated to continue with their struggles. This was a breakthrough since they had achieved the equal-rights legislation basically for the African Americans. This was a humongous achievement since the 1865-1877 periods that was referred to as the Reconstruction period. The passage...
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...Wright University of Phoenix The American Experience Since 1945 HIS/135 Gladys Vint 11/20/2011 Following World War II there have been many social, economic, and political events that have taken place during this decade. Different people may have various opinions of what event had the most impact or effect on the American people than other events within the same decade. I will attempt to explain the events that I believe are the most significant events of this era. 1950’s Civil Rights Movement The Civil Rights Movement began in the late 1940’s and extended throughout the late 60’s. Many people can recall some of the key events that took place during this time. For example, we all remember reading about Ruby Bridges, Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X, and many others that played an important role in the Civil Rights movement. However, Ruby Bridges is the small 6 year old little girl that comes to mind when I think of the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. This young brave little girl was escorted on her first day to school by U.S. Marshalls, as her parents stood close by. She endured being called names and threatened and feared being poisoned if she ate anything besides a packaged bag of potato chips (Davidson, Gienapp, Heymann, Lytle & Stoff, 2006). Ruby was the only students for several weeks until white students finally began coming back to school during the first year since the segregation of the schools (Davidson, et al., 2006). Ruby’s...
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