Prescribed Subject 4: Rights & Protest — PS4.1 US Civil Rights Movement
Overview & Background
The US Civil Rights Movement was a decades-long struggle (1950s–60s) to end institutionalized racial discrimination and segregation against African Americans, primarily in the southern United States.
Focus: Racial equality, the end of Jim Crow, expansion of voting and civil rights, and the role of leaders and organizations.
Segregation, Jim Crow, and Social Injustice
- Segregation: Laws and customs enforced separation of races in schools, transport, housing, and public spaces, with African Americans denied equal opportunities.
- Jim Crow Laws: State and local statutes (late 1800s–1960s) that legalized and enforced segregation in the South, denying African Americans fundamental civil and voting rights and institutionalizing white supremacy.
- Social Impact: Systemic disadvantage, economic marginalization, and climate of intimidation and violence.
Example: Separate schools and facilities, employment restrictions, voting barriers (literacy tests, poll taxes, intimidation).
African American Leadership and Organizations
- NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People): Leading legal challenges to segregation, voter suppression, and discrimination. Instrumental in Brown v. Board of Education (1954).
- Martin Luther King Jr: Leader in non-violent protests, famous for “I Have a Dream” speech, leadership in Montgomery Bus Boycott, Birmingham Campaign, March on Washington.
- Other Organizations: SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference), SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee).
Strategy: Used legal action, non-violent protest, grassroots activism, and coalition-building to change laws and public attitudes.
Non-Violent Protest & Direct Action
- Bus Boycotts: Rosa Parks’ arrest in Montgomery led to a 381-day boycott that ended segregated buses.
- Sit-Ins: Greensboro sit-ins (1960) challenged segregated lunch counters.
- Freedom Rides: Interstate bus rides tested desegregation orders; met violent resistance but drew national attention.
- Marches: Notably the 1963 March on Washington, advocating jobs and freedom, culminating in King's speech.
Tactics: Focused on non-violence, civil disobedience, and moral appeal to the nation’s conscience.
Civil Rights Act (1964) & Voting Rights Act (1965)
| Law | Main Provisions | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Rights Act (1964) | Banned segregation in public spaces, discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin | Ended legal segregation, empowered federal enforcement of desegregation |
| Voting Rights Act (1965) | Banned literacy tests, allowed federal oversight of voter registration where discrimination was persistent | Secured voting rights for millions of African Americans, transforming political representation in the South |
Legacy and Conclusion
The US Civil Rights Movement fundamentally reshaped American society, rooting out institutional racism through protest, legal redress, and moral leadership. It remains a model for rights-based protest globally and a continuing struggle for equality and justice in the United States.