Essay about The Civil Rights Movement - 2130 Words

Man-made constitutions once created a society based on hierarchy, separating black from white, Latino from Asian, and rich from poor. Through the significant decades of the 1940s-1960s, America laid the groundwork for civil rights, a movement through which minorities fought for equal opportunity. How could America call itself â€Å"land of the free† when only the white man could socially and economically move upward? For minorities, this represented an immobile society. Yet, equality elapsed over time, and due to pivotal events in American history such as the Cold War and WWII, the Civil Rights Movement molded the road toward change and challenged America to redefine their core values. The Civil Rights Movement was first established during†¦show more content†¦Lieutenant General Jon L. Dewitt would exemplify the efforts of many white Americans in the midst of this fight for order. Unfortunately, for many white Americans bliss was ignorance and the Army’s B ureau of Intelligence produced a survey to prove it. In the early 1940s, the Bureau found that â€Å"the majority of white Americans were unaware that there was such thing as a Negro problem, and were convinced blacks were satisfied with their social and economic conditions† (Foner 828). Examples such as this portray the inconceivable boundaries that Negros, Latinos, Asians, and several other minorities, including the poor, had to overcome. Subsequently, the only way minorities were going to be heard was by making their presence known. As the world showed signs of reviving to meet the demands of World War II, Philip A. Randolph (a black labor leader), â€Å"saw a new opportunity to pressure the government† (Why Should We March). In 1941, Randolph called for a march on Washington to end segregation, encourage an anti-lynching law, as well as establish fair employment for blacks. Randolph’s actions put pressure on President Roosevelt, leading to Executive O rder 8802, which banned discrimination in defense jobs and established the Fair Employment Practice to monitor compliance. Small victories such as the Executive Order 8802 and the Fair Employment Practice propelled and strengthened the CivilShow MoreRelatedThe Rise Of The Civil Rights Movement1179 Words   |  5 Pagessegregations. Out of the numerous elements that arose in the 1960s, there are three movements that truly affected the American society. Firstly, the rise of the civil rights movement was greatly influenced by racial discrimination of colored people in the South. Secondly, the women’s movement aimed to convince the society that women are capable of achieving and maintaining higher waged job like males. Lastly, the gay rights movement aimed to gain acceptance and stop discrimination of homosexuality. The mostRead MoreThe Folk Music Of The Civil Rights Movement1208 Words   |  5 PagesResponse Paper #4 The folk music of the Civil Rights Movement â€Å"came out of tradition, common experience, and generations of resistance† (Dunaway 2010: 140). The songs used throughout the movement derived from the shared experiences and struggles of African Americans while connecting â€Å"the gentle, idealistic world of folk music and the integrationist world of civil rights† (Dunaway 2010: 145). Songs, such as â€Å"We Shall Overcome†, were put through the folk process, where a song is passed on and alterationsRead MoreThe Great Leaders Of The Civil Rights Movement1563 Words   |  7 Pages They seem to be forgotten until they are highlighted once again. Another example of a person that was not really highlighted for their actions is Nina Simone. She made an impact on the Civil Right Movement that not many other artist or celebrity would have done. 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Movements create this new form of platform that, if done successfully, are able to create a worldwide frenzy where people from across all walks of life, including politicians, academics, the less fortunateRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement911 Words   |  4 PagesThe Civil Rights Movement: Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. changed history not only for African American’s, but for all who live in the United States. Martin was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. As a child Martin attended many public segregated schools throughout Georgia until he graduated at the age of fifteen. Following high school, Martin Luther King Jr. attended many colleges such as, Morehouse College, Crozer Theological Seminary, and Boston University. While studyingRead MoreCauses Of The Civil Rights Movement954 Words   |  4 Pagesquote was very much true. Post civil war times were hard on African Americans. Even though at the time they were considered free, they were often criticized and discriminated against. Finally, shootings, brutality, and unfair treatment were enough. In an effort to end racial segregation and discrimination against African-Americans all over the country, they took a stand. This was known as the Civil Rights Movement. There were many interesting events that cause d this movement. The three main causes thatRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Essay1601 Words   |  7 PagesThe Civil Rights Movement â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.† This was a speech by Martin Luther King Jr. Even one hundred years after slavery was banned, African Americans were still being treated unfairly. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most famous leaders of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s. The Civil Rights movement was a movement of AfricanRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Essay1259 Words   |  6 Pages The civil right movement refers to the reform movement in the United States beginning in the 1954 to 1968 led primarily by Blacks for outlawing racial discrimination against African-Americans to prove the civil rights of personal Black citizen. For ten decades after the Emancipation Proclamation, African-Americans in Southern states still live a rigid unequal world of deprive right of citizenship, segregation and various forms of oppression, including race-inspired violence. â€Å"JimRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Essay1190 Words   |  5 Pages The Civil Rights Movement The 13th amendment, passed on the first of January, 1865 abolished slavery throughout America. Although African Americans were considered free after this amendment was approved, they still had a long and arduous struggle to absolute freedom. Before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, segregation in the United States was frequently used throughout many of the Southern and Border States. Schools, bathrooms, libraries, and even water fountains were segregated. Though there wereRead MoreCivil Rights Movement Essay797 Words   |  4 PagesThe Civil Rights Movement, also known as the American Civil Rights, was a mass movement during the 1950s and 1960s. It was one of the most intricate social movements of mankind. The Civil Rights Movement was a period where African Americans did not have the same equal rights or treatment as the whites. Instead, African Americans were segregated from whites by not going to school together, having to sit in the back of the bus, not being able to move freely, or not having the right to vote. Over the