Civil Rights Movement Overview

Historical Context

• African Americans faced oppression for centuries, including slavery and segregation.
• The Civil War and Reconstruction brought theoretical equality through the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
• These rights were not effectively enforced, leading to the rise of Jim Crow laws, which disenfranchised black voters and upheld segregation.

Long-Term Causes of the Civil Rights Movement

• Organizations like NAACP used litigation to fight segregation.
• Key figures like W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington had contrasting views on achieving equality.
• The Harlem Renaissance and the Great Migration increased Black consciousness and activism.

Short-Term Causes of Mass Activism (1945-55)

• African American contributions in World War II fueled their desire for civil rights.
• President Truman's support for civil rights, including desegregating the armed forces, set a precedent for future activism.

Key Events and Figures

• The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955), sparked by Rosa Parks' arrest, showcased the effectiveness of nonviolent protests and community organization.
• The Little Rock Crisis (1957) involved federal intervention by President Eisenhower to protect nine black students facing violent opposition at Central High School, Arkansas.

The Role of Martin Luther King Jr.

• King emerged as a leading advocate for nonviolent resistance.
• His involvement in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and impactful speeches, including the "I Have a Dream" speech, galvanized support for civil rights.
• King faced challenges in Northern cities like Chicago, which demonstrated the complex economic struggles and de facto segregation African Americans experienced.

Emergence of Black Power

• Black Power emphasized racial pride, economic self-sufficiency, and sometimes a more militant approach to achieving civil rights.
• This contrasted with King's non-violent philosophy.

Significance of the Civil Rights Movement

• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were major achievements, dismantling legal segregation and protecting African American voting rights.