4,000 people that had taken part in sit-ins had been arrested, transforming the struggle for civil rights into a genuine social movement . The Greensboro Woolworths finally began serving blacks six months after the sit-in began. These students went against a system and helped the nation realize that this system evidenced racial inequality and injustice, all of which this democracy is supposed to oppose. The Greensboro students were afraid they would be arrested, beaten or even killed, but they were determined to stand up for their rights and the rights of all African Americans which eventually lead to a great significance as it was the key to the movements success. It can be determined; that the sit-in movement, non-violent action was enforced particularly for public demonstrations, it took a radical initiative from the younger generation to kick-start the process, as it was not a new form of protest, but the response to the sit-ins in the southern cities was unique
Since early 1950s, black Americans have faced a lot of discrimination, especially in the South, after the Jim Crow law. The civil rights movement was a political, legal and social protest by Black Americans to gain full citizenship rights and to achieve racial equality. This movement has tackled every fields in the life in America with the support of organizations and most importantly, media. At the begin of the movement, there were a lot of campaigns, sit-ins and protest against the segregation system. However, many were left unsolved mainly because of disenfranchisement and the still prejudice of white people.
Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Right Acts of 1965 guaranteeing basic civil rights for all Americans, regardless of race, after a decade of non-violent protests and marches. Throughout the novel, there were many different means of non-violent protests. The black community were taking a different approach to the racism unlike the white people who were very violent and abusive. The black people wanted to be free from the segregation and would do anything to escape it, if they had of fought back matters may have been made worse and their lives would have been made even more unbearable. One of the forms of non-violent protests was Boycotts.
Probably the most significant impact caused by World War II in advancing Civil Right for Blacks was revealing the horrors that could be caused if racism ‘went on too far’ because this sudden realisation caused many White Americans to begin opposing all racism at all circumstances. Revealing that Hitler exterminated over six million Jews due to their race caused many people to think twice about their racist attitudes. World War II also gave Blacks more self esteem and confidence. Black soldiers were appalled to know they were fighting a racist opponent yet being treated as second hand citizens and receiving prejudice treatment back home, so the ‘Double V’ campaign was launched to gain victory against overseas
Rosa Parks was a 42 year old seamstress from Alabama, who, after a hard day’s work, refused to move seats for a white person, as she was Black and therefore supposed to give up her seat. She was fined $10, but her inspiring actions caused her to be given the title “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement”. Parks, along with many other prolific Black activists such as: Martin Luther King jnr, Ed Nixon, and Jo Ann Robins; requested that Blacks no longer ride buses in Montgomery. As Blacks made up two-thirds of the population, bus companies would lose 75% of the day’s income. The protested lasted from December the 1st 1955 and finished on December the 26th 1956.
My opinion of Malcolm X is positive. I believe he did good things for the black community in the 1960s. I feel if Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. came together and could have found middle ground to help unify the black community, it would have been most powerful. It probably would have brought together every black citizen in the United States, regardless of background and beliefs. My personal reaction of some things I saw in the film disgusted me.
They each had to be overcome, one by one. It was not until men like King arose and educated the black community that many found the courage to stand for what they believed in. It was not until blacks began lovingly demonstrating that awareness was raised. The threat of eminent violence from the militant blacks pushed white moderates into supporting King, realizing that the alternative would be painful for everyone. It took the undoing of years of psychological torment and the reversal of many skewed perceptions to finally take a step forward.
Malcolm X advocated frequently for blacks who were unjustly treated by legal and social authority. He showed people that black people could be articulate, and highly intellectual. He advocated for black men to rise up and give the same reaction they received from the white power structure and not accept the status quo of racism and discrimination. It is because of Malcolm's views of social justice and revolutionary actions, that gave rise to the most influential and revolutionary groups in America today. People just could not believe how someone could take the life of someone of such great
It was the events and the attention they brought, as well as other politically based protests such as the Children’s Crusades that resulted in the Civil Rights Bill of 1964. Although the bill marked progress in the movement, it was far from over, with the events of Bloody Sunday a year later showing how entrenched in racism society was. Protestors have always used different methods to help their issues, and the civil rights protestors of the 1960s were no different. The African American community turned to both tested and new protest methods to bring about civil rights at that time. The events that took place because of this are what allowed the Civil Rights Movement to advance, and are, therefore, the reason why there is a far greater level of equality amongst races in America
A woman, Rosa Parks, refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. Disobeying a southern custom that demanded African Americans to give up their seats that were closest to the front to white people caused her to go to jail and then a black community boycott of city buses began. Blacks were determined to have change. The boycott lasted for a year and it gave hope and courage to blacks in other communities. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. became the boycotts most eminent leader.