The Civil Rights Movement
The civil war successfully ended slavery, although discrimination against the black people still continued, and they had to endure the horrible effects of racism. Although in the mid-20th century, the black community had enough from the violence and prejudice against them, so along with many white Americans, they began a fight for equality that lasted for two decades.
The civil rights movement was a fight for social justice for black Americans to gain equal rights in the United States, and it took place back in the 1950s and 1960s. It was an important movement that changed many things. So, everyone needs to be educated about it, especially students. Colleges and universities often have discussions about it and occasionally assign them to write an essay on the civil rights movement. There are many such essay examples online, in which students state that it is important for them to know what is the civil rights movement, and when was the civil rights movement, and love learning and writing about the influence that it had on history.
Many of them also state in their essays that the movement resulted in laws that protect every American’s right, regardless of race, color, national origin, or sex. So, let’s see some of how the US Civil rights movement influenced the laws and the lives of all Americans.
Jim Crow Laws
During the movement, the black community took a leadership role that was never seen before. They had a public office where they asked for changes that would provide them with the right to vote and equality. The 14th Amendment to the constitution gave the black community equal protection in 1868. And two years later, the 15th Amendment granted just the men from the black community the right to vote. Although many didn’t support that idea, especially the people from the south. In the late 19th century, the Jim Crow laws were finally established in the south. Although black people were not allowed to use the same facilities as white people, they were even not allowed to go to the same schools, and in some cases, live in the same towns. Also, interracial marriage wasn’t legal.
Jim Crow laws were not adopted in the northern states, but still, the black community was discriminated against all the time. And to make matters worse, some countries passed laws to limit their voting rights. Finally, however, in 1896, the U.S. declared that the facilities for white and black people can be separate, but they must be equal.
Rosa Parks
In 1955 on December 1, a woman named Rosa Parks, who was 42 years old, found a seat on an Alabama bus. The law stated that all the black passengers should sit at the back in designated seats, which Rosa didn’t agree with. She was arrested because she refused to give her seat to a white person and move to the back. When words about it came out, she got massive support and unwillingly became known as “the mother of the modern civil rights movement.” The courage that Rosa had incited the MIA to boycott the Montgomery bus system lasted for exactly 381 days. Finally, on November 14, 1956, it was ruled that segregated seating was wrongful by the supreme court.
Freedom Riders
On May 4 in 1961, six white and seven black activists were known as the freedom riders, got in a bus with a tour of the south of America to protest segregation but terminals. They faced violence both from the police and the white people, which drew a lot of attention. On May 8, when the bus was in Anniston, Alabama, a mob put a bomb into the bus. The freedom riders managed to escape, but they were hurt.
Robert F. Kennedy, a U.S attorney general, negotiated with the Governor of Alabama and found a suitable driver to take the freedom riders on their journey on May 20 under a police escort. The officers abandoned the riders when the bus was attacked once again in Montgomery. Attorney General Kennedy sent them federal marshals. And with their help, the riders arrived in Jackson, Mississippi, on May 24 when they were greeted by many supporters. But still, they were arrested for invading a facility for only white people and got a 30-day sentence in jail. The Supreme court changed the convictions, and many new freedom riders continued the rides.
March on Washington
One of the most popular events happened on August 28 in i963. It was arranged by the civil rights movement leaders, such as Martin Luther King, Jr, and a Philip Randolph. More than 200,000 protesters attended the peaceful march for the same purpose: to establish work equality for all and force civil rights legislation.
The highlight of this march was the speech that Luther King. Jr gave, in which he continuously said: “I have a dream.” Which later become a slogan for freedom and equality.
Conclusion:
All in all, the civil rights movement was a great success. With simply non-violent actions, the protesters took away the racist power structure across the United States, which broth many meaningful changes in the lives of all black Americans.