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.