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Civil Rights unit outline
Civil Rights unit outline
Civil Rights unit outline
Civil Rights unit outline
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Civil Rights unit outline
Civil Rights unit outline
Civil Rights unit outline
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Civil Rights unit outline

  1. Nathaniel Green Social Movements Dr. Hare 2/8/16 The Civil Rights struggle of the 1960s was born of centuries of systemic oppression in government and culture that black Americans could no longer endure. In the United States African Americans were not duly represented in local, state and federal government because of unfair voting laws, practices and collusion within political parties. What were identified as black problems were not represented in the media and culture. The most persistent and pervasive of the offenses that African Americans were expected to endure was the practice of segregation. Segregation was a barrier to progress in the social, economic and political arenas. This practice made it incredibly difficult for black people to succeed in the United States. It would be an extremely important victory for the Civil Rights movement to tear down the barrier of segregation, but it would not be the final battle. As the struggle continued for equality and Civil Rights some of these problems would be addressed, but the true nature of the opposition would be revealed in the violence that was perpetrated against the leaders and activists many of whom wanted nothing more than freedom and equality. The goals of the Civil Rights movement began as a desire for desegregation. The supporters and activists like Rosa Parks, wanted simply to be treated as equal under the law. They wanted access to schools, public services and commercial services to be equal not separate. But as opposition increased, the cry for freedom and equality escalated as well. It would be revealed how deeply racism and policies of inequality had impacted society and government.
  2. Voting laws would have to be changed, black people would have to fight against groups within the society and the political powers themselves, not only for the laws to change, but even for the ability to freely cast a vote. It became clear to Civil Rights activists that political power and participation within the process of lawmaking would be needed, African Americans needed representation. Equality was not only a struggle for black people, not just a problem of Civil Rights, but Human Rights. Malcolm X, before his assassination expressed a desire to shift the discussion to equality as an issue of Human Rights. A system that relies on oppression and control of any group, cannot be said to be free at any level. The ruling class is enslaved by the enslavement of others and oppressed by the oppression, the responses of those that rule are determined by the actions of those that are ruled. Individuals and groups in a society depend on each other, when political, economic and social power is managed irresponsibly, then conflict will occur. The results of these conflicts may not only improve the lives of individuals in a society, but they can determine the nature and escalation of future conflicts. The outcome of the Civil Rights struggle of the 1960s was a major shift in the course of the United States. Amidst the social and political upheaval Civil Rights became a major political agenda. President Lyndon Johnson spoke on the topic and ensured that black people would be allowed voting rights. The resolve displayed by the President is proof of the efficacy of the Civil Rights movement and the severity of the problem of inequality at this time. Acts of violence were a signature of the opposition to the Civil Rights movement. Several leaders were killed, threatened and attacked by a counterculture that rose to challenge activists in both the political and official arena and outside of the political sphere. Malcolm X, a leader and speaker for the Nation of Islam was murdered. Rev. James Leeb, an activist and advocate for Civil Rights was murdered following the second march at the Edmund Pettis Bridge. The first march at the
  3. Edmund Pettis Bridge, in Selma, AL was subject to an overwhelming display of force by State and local leadership and became a rallying point for Civil Rights activists. Other incidents of violence, both official and outlaw, such as the disappearance of three men in Meridian, the death of Jimmy Jackson, the assassination of Medgar Evers, and the attack on James Meredith, drew public outcry and garnered not only national media attention, but also highlighted the depth of the problem. These incidents steeled the resolve of huge portions of the nation in addition to the activists themselves and enabled the leadership, much of whom were committed to non-violence, to overcome the opposition and gain tangible and enduring freedom step by step. One major step in the direction of freedom came in the form of a policy that was enacted by the democratic convention to bar any delegate that practiced discrimination. Voting rights were granted and the acquisition of political power became an option for African Americans. The Civil Rights movement, through a series of actions by courageous and dedicated activists, became a cohesive and outspoken alliance of social organizations during the 1960s. This alliance gained media support and attention, made political allies and advocates and forged a path that would lead not only to an equal future, but to a more equitable one. There were several prominent groups that formed this, at times, tenuous alliance of social organizations. The most influential of these organizations was probably, SCLC, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The influence of SCLC was due in large part to the charismatic and outspoken Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, a promoter of non-violence, a prominent leader within SCLC, a gifted speaker and a dedicated leader of the Civil Rights movement. Much of the movement’s guidance was under the unofficial tutelage of Dr. King. The SCLC held meetings and discussions in churches and organized rallies, marches and protests during the struggle for Civil Rights.
  4. Representing the SCLC, leaders would reach out to other activist groups, like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Nation of Islam, to promote the agenda of non- violent protest. The emphasis on non-violence was a point of contention among these groups. The Nation of Islam promoted and celebrated Black Pride and self-reliance among black communities. To realize this goal they built churches and schools across the country and encouraged black business owners to work towards economic independence. But due in large part to the efforts of Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam carried a more radicalized message and did not embrace non-violence as a policy. Dissension within the Nation of Islam that resulted from controversial statements by Malcolm X would cause him to separate from the Nation of Islam and form the Organization for Afro-American Unity. The Organization for Afro- American Unity sought to promote Black nationalism and to change the discussion of equality into a discussion of Human Rights. To accomplish this Malcolm X and the Organization for Afro-American Unity garnered international support and attention to the fight for Civil Rights in the United States. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, SNCC, strived for voting rights particularly in the state of Alabama. SNCC canvassed neighborhoods, organized and led rallies and marches, and were met with persistent official resistance during this struggle for voting rights. SNCC members formed the Black Panther Party as a political and social group for black voters and candidates. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP, drew in many lawyers, scholars and educated activists and supporters. The NAACP organized boycotts and arranged for speakers. They were also involved in court cases and provided for legal channels to be followed in the pursuit of Civil Rights. Medgar Evers, a leader within the NAACP was murdered following his public support of James Meredith’s efforts to integrate
  5. Mississippi University. The assassination of Medgar Evers became a rally point for Civil Rights leaders and shone a national spotlight on the complexity of the struggle for Civil Rights. Social conditions and the climate of tension between not only the Civil Rights activists and the segregationists, but also between the Civil Rights groups themselves, added to the complexity of the struggle for Civil Rights. Segregationists, individuals and groups that protested and opposed the Civil Rights movement, inherited a political system and culture that had been built with the policy of institutional racism at its core. The legacy of segregation and the efforts of those that intended to maintain that legacy were heavily entrenched in all sections of society, political on all levels, economic, academic, and cultural. This systematic racism created a resolute and massive barrier for the Civil Rights activists to overcome. African American members of society were disadvantaged economically, many lived in ghettos were opportunities were scarce. They were disadvantaged by the long standing policy of segregation on all levels and each level had a cumulative effect that created a barrier to success, happiness and equality. The outrage that many individuals must have felt is understandable in the context of the vast injustice. This outrage, combined with a desire to change the circumstances of the people that are affected is a powerful and pervasive entity in a society. The contention between the leaders of SNCC, which supported a militaristic stance, and the Nation of Islam, with their ideal of Black Pride, on one side and the leaders of SCLC, with their policy of forbearance and adherence to non-violence was a significant factor in the pursuit of Civil Rights. The outrage of an oppressed group can be a powerful motivator for effective social change, but without a focus on peace and a desire to ease suffering instead of displace it, then the power of the collective emotions of a population
  6. can be a devastating and dangerous force. The condition that benefitted the Civil Rights movement the most was the unconditional commitment of certain individuals to create a non- violent resolution. With non-violence at the core of the movement, Civil Rights leaders and activists effectively leveraged sit-ins, boycotts, and marches. Protest rallies were held. Buses were boycotted in Montgomery. Stores were boycotted in Jackson. Marches were held in Selma and Marion. When the opposition, Governor Wallace of Alabama rallied State Police to break up protesters in Selma, or members of the Whit Citizen’s Council punished individuals and communities that supported integration, the Civil Rights activists continued to march and speak, bravely confronting violence with words of peace and harmony. When secretive counter-movement groups ambushed and assassinated members of the Civil Rights groups, like James Meredith, and Medgar Evers and Malcolm X, leaders publicly mourned the loss and ploddingly, doggedly, pursued the dream of a free and prosperous future in a system that did not include racism at its heart. The strategy of peace and the promotion of non-violence against an oppressive and violent system is the purest and most beautiful expression of human nature that can be witnessed. The confluence of events and response, the honesty and morality of the Civil Rights leaders, the courage and bravery of the activists that participated concluded not in a perfect future, but in a better one. Our society is not always an equitable system, but now it seems to be much more equal.
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