Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Civil Rights Movement

In this unit you will explore the Civil Rights Movement which lasted approximately 15 years during the second half of the 20th century. It was largely concentrated in the South and led by iconic leaders such as Martin Luther King. The movement attempted to abolish (get rid of) discrimination against African-Americans. There were 3 key events in the early 1950's that increased national awareness and provided fuel for a potential movement. Brown v. Board of Education, a Supreme Court case in 1954, ordered the end of segregation in public schools. Emmitt Till, a 14 year old African American boy visiting in Mississippi whistled at a white girl in a store and was subsequently beaten, shot and dumped into a local river. The case, although not entirely unique in the south, made national news and support for the movement increased. Thirdly, Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted over a year, led to the desegregation of public buses in the city and helped the Civil Rights movement grow dramatically.

Here are your prompts:

What other events played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement according to the Readings and Videos in Lesson 1?

Please share your view on whether or not the movement has been a success. Explain.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel that the films in this unit are leaving alot out of the Civil Rights Movement. Yes the films are accurate as far as African Americans are concerned but there were also the issues of Womens Civil Rights (ie Roe vs Wade), Hispanic American Civil Rights ( ie Cesar Chavez's founding of the UFW, United Farm Workers Union) and the Civil Rights of Native Americans (ie Termination and Relocation under Eisenhower and the formation of the National Indian Youth Council).

Anonymous said...

I agree with Kaitlyn completely. Although it was an absolutely important movement for the African Americans, It was also a huge time for Women's Rights and Hispanic American's Rights.

Anonymous said...

Traditionally, the Civil Rights Movement as its own time period, refers to the African American movement. While the other civil movements you mention are significant they don't serve as a time period in history. Please analyze the time period we are studying in class for your comments.

Anonymous said...

Some other events played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement are like Little Rock Nine and Brown V. Board of Education ending Segregation in Schools and Rosa Parks. I think that the rosa parks event has been a success because if she didnt give up her seat to a white person our world would so differnt we would all hate eachother and still be in seperated in school and it would be blacks here and whites over there or something.

-Jessica Russell

Anonymous said...

What other events played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement according to the Readings and Videos in Lesson 1?

What I got from the videos that were key roles in the Civil Rights Movement. The black people didn’t ride the buses for over a year because Rosa Parks got arrested for not giving up her seat to a white man. Schools got segregated and the president ordered soldiers to protect black people so they wouldn’t be harmed.




Please share your view on whether or not the movement has been a success.

I think it was success because school aren’t segregated anymore, blacks have full rights as a white man would have.

Anonymous said...

You know i dont actually think that what Rosa Parks really wouldve kept the Civil Rights movement from happening, but if you look at the time period and the people within it, you'll see that change was going to happen. Sooner or later change was going to take place. It may not have been fueled so much if rosa parks gave up her seat, but the civil rights movement still wouldve taken place, and things would be as they are today in the south and the east.

Cory Plough said...

Make sure you guys are reading my intro paragraph. The question asks you what OTHER EVENTS, meaning, what events not mentioned in the intro.

Anonymous said...

There were many other events that played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement in addition to those you listed. There was the March on Washington on 8/28/63. Martin Luther King led this march of 250,000 people and gave his famous "I have a dream" speach. Also, there was the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which banned discrimination in all public facilities and employments.

I think the Civil Rights Movement was successful because blacks and whites have the same rights today.

Anonymous said...

What other events played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement according to the Readings and Videos in Lesson 1?

Voting became official for colored people in 1963, only if they could read and write but a law got passed allowing colored people right to right no matter what!

Please share your view on whether or not the movement has been a success.

I think it was success because school aren’t segregated anymore, blacks have full rights as a white man would have.

Anonymous said...

What other events played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement according to the Readings and Videos in Lesson 1?

Voting became official for colored people in 1963, only if they could read and write but a law got passed allowing colored people right to right no matter what!

Please share your view on whether or not the movement has been a success.

I think it was success because school aren’t segregated anymore, blacks have full rights as a white man would have.

Anonymous said...

Benjamin Mays comes to Atlanta as the new president of Morehouse College (1940-1967).
During his tenure, he becomes known as the “schoolmaster of the civil rights movement” because
He helps to mold the intellect and character of many of the students destined to be leaders in the
Fight for social change, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and Julian Bond.

I think that the movement has been a success to a point, but I don’t think that segregation will ever be depleted.

Anonymous said...

What's often missed about the civil rights movement is how many people actually participated in the boycotts, marches, protests, etc. Although a few well-known events gave major boosts to the movement, the real difference came from almost the entire black community boycotting buses in Montgomery, taking beatings from angry mobs, and protesting against the system. Also, the support provided by anti-segregation whites and so many other races that wouldn't take racism sitting down helped make civil rights a reality.

With some of the things that exist today, I sometimes believe the civil rights movement wasn't as much of a success as we all may think. Shows like "Mind of Mencia" and "Chappelle’s Show," as funny as they are, show that racism still exists and is possibly stronger than ever in our society. The scary part is not that they're advocating segregation of the races and sexes, but that they're exposing what's already completely true in America. Also, if you look at just about any prison system or gang in the U.S. you'll see that the people segregate themselves. They make violent groups whose enemies are anyone who's not only not of their race, but not of their gang. Segregation seems to go beyond even just differences in appearance and includes title as well.

I could go in depth about how I believe that all this segregation and racism is a secret plot by the government to keep us from coming together and make us all distrustful of each other, but that might be too opinionated. I'll leave it for another discussion.

Cory Plough said...

@Isaac - Fantastic post, you captured some really important ideas. I think you are on to something with the theory about keeping people distrustful of each other. If we werent so disjointed, we might all come together and complain about the people who lead this country, and they certainly wouldnt want that :)

Anonymous said...

Another key-event in the civil rights movement was the desegregation of Little Rock, Arkansas. This happened when nine African-American students had sued a college because they were not aloud in, because they were African-American. They went to the school anyways, and the governer called the national guard in to prevent the students from entering. Nation-wide attention was brought to this event, and the students were aloud to attend the school.

The civil rights movement has obviously covered a lot of ground, and in this sense, it is a sucess. However, that's not to say that there is complete racial equality in our country.

Anonymous said...

From what I have learned in the videos and readings, the civil rights movement consisted of black people gaining more rights, and the end to segrgation in schools and buses.

Devin T. said...

I believe that Bloody Sunday was one of the most important events in the Civil Rights Movement. Several people were killed during it, but it also helped break one of the largest obstacles for African Americans: voting. This event helped bring African Americans even closer to equality.

I also believe the movement is a success, as there is very little racial segregation of any kind in the U.S in todays times.

Mikayla Chapin said...

The Civil Rights movement had to do with african-americans proving they are just as equal to white people. But with the struggle of standing up for themselves, the people who took place in this movement knew of their concequences for standing up for their rights, which made this movement even more powerful. Although historical figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks are known for their speeches and standing up for their rights to not be discriminated for their race, people today and not only including african-americans still suffer from racisim. But the Civil Rights movement brought together a better life and more freedom to people of different races.

Jeremy G said...

1 The Civil Rights act of 1964.
It gave all equal rights to all
African Americans.

2 The voting rights act, on August 6,1965. This gave African Americans the right to vote. While breaking the last legal chain keeping African Americans from inequality.

3 September 4, 1957 there was a struggle for racial inequality. Mobs were against the court order segregation of their school. So nine African American teenagers who became known as the Little Rock Nine. They were scheduled to attend their classes with more than 2,000 white students.


I believe the Civil Rights Movement has been a success because. Back in the 1950’s all African Americans were treated unfairly. On buses, in schools, and even bathrooms. They were severely beaten for standing up to their own rights. While all the white people didn’t even care. I believe that when Martian Luther King’s speech and after Rosa Parks innocent. It propelled people to look at society and say I am a human benign just like you. I deserve to be treated with respect and have equal rights. Just like every one else. I do believe we have come a long way though since then because. Now we have an African America as President now. Which has now shown how much society has changed today.

Ryan S. said...

Well, I think that the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, also referred to as "Blood Sunday", was an influential event. It all started when the people of Selma struggled to be able to register to vote, without being beaten, arrested, or even killed. While there were many movements to attempt to get African Americans to register to vote, most failed with little to none being able to. When a young man by the name of Jimmie Lee Jackson was shot and killed at a cafe when trying to protect his mother and grandmother from an Alabama State Trooper during another march, the community was outraged by this. Five to six hundred African Americans began to march to Montgomery to question Governor George Wallace, whether or not he permitted the troopers to fire on people during said march. Governor Wallace saw the Blood Sunday march as a disturbance of the peace and ordered it to be dispersed, which resulted in the local authorities using unneeded force, injuring many and hospitalizing seventeen people.

If you are asking whether or not I feel the Civil Rights Movement has been a success as a whole, then I believe it has to a degree. While it did bring many rights to many African American people, you will still see racism in this day and age. It is hard to believe for beliefs and hatreds that have lasted for hundreds of years to be abolished in a matter of a few decades though.

Brianna Stowell said...

1. African - Americans were now fighting the Americans because of not having any rights. Police tried to stop this, however, it would just rage on. The only way to bring some peace, was to give them some rights, that were nothing at all.

2. I've met young and older African - Americans. I see that the elderly respect what they have since they didn't when they were younger. However, the younger generation, is very good with the "race card." When not given their way, they make it sound like we hate them because they're "black." Not everyone is like this, but more then I'd like to see.

Anonymous said...

A key event that occured during the Civil Rights Movment was in 1954 the 14th amendment being passed. It was too revoke the separate but equal doctrine. I think the sperate but equal doctrine was not even equal in the first place. It was silly and does not make any sense to be seperat but equal because it really is not equal.. Another event that took place was The Little Rock Nine. Formerly all-white Central High School learns that integration is definetly easier said than done. Schools were just starting to be intergarted. Something big an new was happening intergration in schools. Well when nine black students are blocked from entering the school on the orders of Governor Orval Faubus. President Eisenhower sends federal troops and the National Guard to intervene on behalf of the students, who become known as the "Little Rock Nine." I believe it was the beginning of a big step for schools to be intergrated. This to me was very important and close to my heart event.

Eduardo R. said...

A key event that took place during the Civil rights Movement was the little Rock Nine which ended segregation in schools and gave the right to blacks to attend school without haveing to be attacted by the white at the school. After that many kids protested for other rights that were yet to be reached.The Civil Rights Movement was a success. Today we are all treated equall but there is still racism all around the world.

dalena blose said...

Their were alot of events that helped the civil rights movement. A couple stand out as major events such as, the the children in the schools singing on may 2, 1963 and the march of Bloody Sunday on march 7, 1965 in which protesters started out peaceful but then ended up with police attacking them with billy clubs, tear gas, and horses. This event turned the tide to the civil rights act of 1965. People of all races got upset after seeing black people being beaten up and discriminated.
This was a major success.

Chelsey S. said...

Some of the other events that played a key role in the Civil Rights movement were Rosa Parks not giving up her seat to a white male, Marthur Luther King Jr. making his I have a dream speach, the Brown vs. the board of education case.

The movement was a success. Blacks and whites can share the same school busses, they can go to the same school, also women can vote.

Anonymous said...

The Cold War lasted for almost thirty years. The battles were decided over the achievements of Democratic America and the communist state of the U.S.S.R. The main reason for it being a mostly weaponless war was because of the nuclear bomb. Because of the nuclear bomb there was fear, and due to the fact of the fear it wasn't ann actual war.
ashley stuart

Anonymous said...

Some events that played a major role in the movement would be, the murder of Emmett Till who was murdered while visting family in mississipi. The intergration of Little Rock HS in Arkansas. The march on Washington Where Martin Luther King made his famous "I have a Dream" speech. All these sparked controversy and inspired many more people to either join or fight harder for the movement. To me the Civil rights movement has been a sucess because for the most part there is no discrmination against race. People have friends, family members of all diffrent ethnicities . And America has its first African American president. That shows how far we have come as a country.



Dominique R.

Anonymous said...

The Civil Rights Movement was a Horrible time for African Americans. but I agree with everyone else the Civil Rights wasnt just based on Segregation there was the attack on Cuba, The "Great society" which started a war on poverty, The fight aganist communtism, and also Womans rights.

Well yes and no I still think there is alot of segregation in the united States and also in some countrys. But with the way things are going now I'm hoping it will get better.

Anonymous said...

Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream" speech. he hope that one day every race could live peacfully side by side. the speech is often considered to be one of the greatest and most notable speeches in history and was ranked the top American speech of the 20th century by a 1999 poll of scholars of public address. through this speech he educated, he inspired, he informed people about civil equality.


caseyh

Brian T. said...

African Americans were free from slavery just about two hundred years ago by President Lincoln, and yet here we are about two hundred years later still having pointless problems and issues. When there were separate schools, seats and drinking fountains for colored people, it was obvious that the United States had been going back on its own constitution. No man was created equal then. This lead to nonviolence riots and marches. People were speaking out, fighting for the freedom they deserve. People like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and hundreds of thousands of other colored people.

I absolutely think that it was a success. Not only do blacks have the same rights as whites now, but they have shown that they can succeed in life just as well as an average white person. Making the United States truly realize that every man is created equal.

Anonymous said...

I believe some of the major happings of the civil right movement were played by the main leagers such as mlk jr, malcom X, and the black panthers. they all took a diffferent approach to the situation that was given (even though some were violent) if it wesent for them we would still live with diversty. some main events were like the non-violent sit in, or when mlk jr was arrested for protesting. Or when the black ppanthers found a law alouing them to carry weapons in public, another event is when seggreation was outlawed, by the president of that time.

Well i believe it has changes and i dont, let me explain. see i think it has changed because we are not seggragated any more, but on the flip side their are still a lot of racist and haters even though its illegal.

- Carlos Cardenas