...regardless of their race or color. Even with this 15th amendment, the whites in the South had their own methods to keep African Americans from voting. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, was one of the many civil rights activists, whose idea was to get racial equality by grabbing the public's attention of racism, joined in the fight for civil right movement for black Americans. Dr. King led peaceful protests and boycotts without violence to get the right to vote for all kind. There were many strategies to...
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...Introduction The Civil Rights Movement reached its peak in the 1950s and 1960s. An abundance of unfair events created a desire to secure equality for all Americans. Numerous historical leaders poured their lives into fighting for the basic privileges and rights of U.S. citizenship. Many African-American men and women, along with whites, organized and led the movement to fight against injustice. The eight resources below provide information about several historical leaders that made an impact on the Civil Rights Movement. These resources may be used to create assignments to help students develop a deeper understanding of the Civil Rights Movement. Furthermore, students will benefit from meaningful classroom discussions about these heroic leaders. Important People There are numerous well-known historical figures that influenced the Civil Rights Movement leading up to the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is probably one of the most powerful leaders involved in the fight for civil rights. Coretta Scott King worked and marched alongside her husband, Dr. King and continued his fight for justice after his death. In addition, Thurgood Marshall became the first African-American judge on the Supreme Court appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play Major League Baseball which contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement. African-American...
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...RESISTANCE & RACIAL JUSTICE The Civil Rights Movement was a movement that gave African Americans equal rights and freedom. One person who was important during this time was Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a strong advocate that used non-violent resistance against the racial oppression of African Americans. Racial justice is where everyone is treated equally and not discriminated against. No matter if a person has a different type of skin color, they should not be treated differently. The way King did this was speaking to people of other races. One of his well-known speeches was “I have dream.” He claimed that black people should have equal rights as the whites. “One day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.” Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted Americans to be unified. He wrote about six necessary characteristics of nonviolence and was inspired by Gandhi. Though these were big part of the movement, King really gave much emphasis to it by fighting for freedom, and treating people equally. Three significant aspects that he brought to The Civil Rights Movement were strength of spirit, friendship, and willingness to accept suffering without retaliation Black people bonded together during The Civil Rights Movement in 1950s and 1960s. When people were gathered in the fight for freedom, it kept their spirits strong...
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...Peaceful resistance to laws does have a positive impact on a free society. Peaceful resistance such as; protests, marching for a cause, and strikes are healthy to a society because they give a way for the citizens to voice their opinions to make sure their society is truly free. One of the best examples of peaceful disobedience is in the civil rights movements with Martin Luther King Jr. and his peaceful disobedience, another peaceful disobedience is with Rosa Parks in her fight for racial equality, and the marches and strikes from the Mexican American plantation workers. These examples had a positive impact on the society and helped make America as free as it is today, along with examples of peaceful protesting today for greater freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. is well known for his participation in the Civil Rights movement and has gone down in history as an example of how peaceful protesting can promote positive change. One of the ways that he did this was by writing letters from inside Birmingham jail. The letters that Martin...
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...remember when Dr. Martin Luther King jr. is brought to mind? His famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech? His impact on American history? The civil rights movement that lead to the equality of white and colored people? Those are only a few of many things Dr. Martin Luther King jr. has done within the short time span of his lifetime. A few more things he had a set attitude on are the working conditions for the sanitation workers, how the direction of the civil rights movement has changed because of the events he made possible and most importantly, the achievement of equality for everyone. To begin with, In Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I’ve Been to The Mountaintop’ speech states that the city of Memphis was mistreating and neglecting the sanitation workers that worked for them. The riot that was lead by 1,300 sanitation workers was neglected and the only thing that was shown in the spotlight of the press is the breaking of windows. In Martin Luther King’s speech ‘I've Been to The Mountaintop’ he states “They [the reporters] don't get around to that.” He stated this shortly after explaining how the riot only was publicized by the violent manner of breaking windows. The press never did explain how the...
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...of what a person does determines whether or not they are a leader. Martin Luther King Jr. was an excellent impactful leader during the civil rights movement. Odysseus is a Greek hero who also leads as discussed in The Odyssey. However, in The Odyssey, Homer has Odysseus leading people into disaster with his selfishness. While Odysseus and Martin Luther King Jr possess similar leadership skills to lead people, Martin Luther King Jr was an iconic civil rights leader because he proclaimed his thoughts with peace and loyalty, rather than letting his hubris side affect him like Odysseus did when he was on his journey. Odysseus had power from being the king of Ithaca and the ability to lead a large group to follow him, Martin Luther King Jr also had capability to lead people to change and turn their way of thinking. In The Odyssey, Odysseus and his men were trapped with the...
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...the person that is experiencing that walk. How does someone make a walk powerful to other people? How does someone make a walk that means more than a means of transportation? The walks that have power behind them are the walks that mean something. These walks are to make a stand. These walks are meant to bring people together in order to shout out the message that they truly believe in. These walks make history. Rebecca Solnit describes in her book, Wanderlust: A History of Walking, the effects of these powerful walks...
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...Birmingham movement was a culmination of King’s ideas, theology, experiences and civil rights tactics’. How far do you agree with this statement? Martin Luther King undoubtedly played a key role in helping black people win civil rights through the Birmingham movement in 1963. However it can be argued that his leadership though effective was only partly responsible for the gains made by the campaign; as the opposition changed their tactics, Martin Luther King’s ideas and theologies were tested and therefore he was made to harness alternative strategies that had been initiated by other civil rights activists. Essentially the Birmingham movement was crafted to allow the best possible outcome. King preached a distinctive philosophy based on the teachings of Jesus and the example of Mohandas Gandhi. He believed that all Christians should love their enemies and never retaliate. Nonetheless, he also taught that Christians should stand up to injustice. Consequently, he advocated civil disobedience and direct action, insisting that protest should always be peaceful. The perseverance shown through peaceful protest won mass support from both the public and media making it difficult for Federal government to ignore demands. King involved in provoking the authorities but it can be said that the brutality stimulated from such protests was what gave King the upper hand; it provided him with the driving force to challenge the system. Peaceful protest was applied to the Birmingham movement, since...
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...prejudice. A man named Martin Luther King Jr want to have equal right to African Americans around the world, but most people did like that idea. African Americans were still treated differently after so many years. For making a difference for the people he was murdered by a man who didn’t want anything to change. Martin Luther King Jr was an influential advocate of equal rights through his speeches, persistence, and campaigns. Martin Luther King Jr impacted through equal rights with his speeches. On October 14, 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence. In 1965, he and the SCLC helped to organize the Selma to Montgomery marches and the following year, he took the movement north to Chicago to work on segregated housing. In the final years of...
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...well known world leaders and a well-known American Leader and the significant impact these individuals had on society and political changes. b. Thesis statement: History shows how leaders impact the outcomes and development of cultures and society due to social and political changes and influences. c. Preview of Main Points: i. World leader Gandhi led to Satyagraha and the equal rights for all. ii. Martin Luther King Jr. contributed to the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act. II. Gandhi’s contribution to social changes. a. One of the worlds most pronounced leaders of the twentieth century. b. Concept of Satyagraha, truth and firmness (Mohandas Gandhi). c. Indian Independence from Britain in 1947. III. Martin Luther King Jr.’s contribution to the social changes made in the United States. a. King traveled the Country and the world to lecture other leaders, activists, and protestors on the importance, how to, and benefits on non-violent protesting. b. Civil Rights Act prohibiting racial discrimination (History.com) c. Voting Rights Act guaranteeing the right to vote to all African Americans (History.com). IV. Conclusion a. Restatement of thesis: History shows how leaders impact the outcomes and development of cultures and society due to social and political changes and influences. b. Summary of main points: i. Gandhi led to the concept of Satyagraha and the equal rights for all due to his contribution towards India’s...
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...How far was the effectiveness of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s limited by internal divisions? (30 marks) During the Civil Rights Movement great improvements were made gradually for the small minority groups in USA, for example Black African Americans, Hispanic groups and also women. However, from the very beginning there were internal divisions within the civil rights movement as well as external divisions. These partitions were caused by four major factors; methods such as peaceful protest and violence, ideology, effects of tension from jealousy and rivalry and lastly personalities of the different civil rights organisations and their leaders as they were competing for media attention and public recognition. These divisions did limit the effectiveness of the civil rights movement as they slowed down the process and cause many complications. These divisions were extremely clear thought out the 1960s as there was the development of Black Power and their methods of violence which is a contrast to Martin Luther King’s approach which was peaceful protest. In the early 1960s many successes came about for the civil rights movement especially for SNCC and of Martin Luther King. The Greensboro sit-ins led by SNCC in 1960 is an example of a triumph as they demonstrated that civil rights campaigns could spread quickly and also showed that other organisations could work together as the sit-ins attacked all aspects of segregation and it lead to the extending of the existing NAACP...
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...Martin & Malcolm & America In this paper, there will be a primary focus on two of the most prominent leaders during the civil rights era. These two leaders are Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. The paper will discuss how these extraordinary men made their phenomenal contributions to America by offering to bring about their own political, racial, and social views that were affecting the people of color. Their ability to voice their strong opinions about the injustices that were taking place among African Americans and the oppositions that were before them gave them the durability to prolong the fight for freedom and justice. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were both men of purpose, dignity, and pride. The ongoing effort they gave for the people and to the people helped them to earn the respect that has followed them for decades. For that reason, this paper will reflect the ways in which both men contributed to the African American culture and the shaping of America in an effort to bring about a change that was needed to move forward. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X had different political philosophies; however, they both went about using different methods to campaign for civil rights. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a champion of non-violent protests and peace marches. His speeches entranced both blacks and whites into action for the civil rights movement. MLK knew that if the blacks worked for peace, peacefully, then equality was inevitable. “What they...
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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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...Butler ENGL-113-ND Willmore Kanyongo, PhD March 1, 2014 The analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech, alongside with Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg address”, reveals that both men had the same idea of human equality. What is the definition of human equality? This is a definition that was brought to the country’s attention by two great men of history. Nearly one hundred years separated two men that both had the same ideals of what human equality means in a free nation. They both came to the same ideal that was set by our founding fathers. All men were created equal and had the rights to liberty and justice, including the prosperity of the American Dream that so many fought for with demonstrations and the wars of our fathers. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln walked on the battlefield of Gettysburg and delivered the Gettysburg address. Compelled by the constitution and the Declaration of Independence, the ideals of the American nation were to be upheld to the highest regard for basic human life. The wars that were fought previously and the war that the President was going through in order to uphold the promises that the founding fathers promised all those living in the new nation. The civil war separated a single nation fighting one another based on the ideals that one man can own another man. This war lasted for 4 years in order to retain what both sides thought to be right. President Lincoln of the Union stated that we were anti-slavery, and fought rigorously...
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...How far were the actions of the African Americans the main reason for the advancement of the Civil Rights in the period 1865-1980? “Power concedes nothing without demand, it never has and it never will”[1]. Said by Fredrick Douglass in 1857, an escaped slave who had bearded the brunt of the slave years. He had come to the realisation that African Americans had a fountain of “power”; however that power that they possessed would never establish anything without a “demand”. Fredrick Douglass awoke the conscious of African Americans to make them realise that wanting to be free and wanting to achieve full civil rights was not enough, neither was enduring a life under white supremacy waiting for life after death to see a new dawn .Believing and hoping was not enough. “Power concedes nothing without demand” the solution is to be willing to work hard to establish it yourself by demanding what belongs to them. However using power in order to concede civil rights was a struggle which was acknowledged by Fredrick Douglass “Without struggle there is no success”. To achieve advancement in African American Civil Rights, African Americans had to undergo a process of struggle. A rainbow is not made without rain; you can not want rain without thunder and lightening being accompanied by it. To achieve full civil rights African Americans had to pay the price along the way which was persecution, de-humanisation and scrutiny. Martin Luther King being inspired by Fredrick Douglass said “Freedom...
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