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122 Civil Rights Movement Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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The Civil Rights Movement is a pivotal period in American history that brought about significant social and political changes. It is a topic that has captivated scholars, researchers, and students alike, as its impact on society continues to reverberate today. If you are tasked with writing an essay on the Civil Rights Movement and are struggling to find the perfect topic, look no further. In this article, we have compiled 122 essay topic ideas and examples that will help you explore different aspects of this influential movement.

The role of grassroots organizations in the Civil Rights Movement.
Examining the impact of Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on the bus.
The significance of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the Civil Rights Movement.
Analyzing the leadership styles of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
The nonviolent philosophy of the Civil Rights Movement and its effectiveness.
The influence of the Harlem Renaissance on the Civil Rights Movement.
Investigating the role of women in the Civil Rights Movement.
The impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on American society.
The role of media coverage in shaping public opinion during the Civil Rights Movement.
The impact of the Brown v. Board of Education decision on school desegregation.
The Freedom Rides and their contribution to the Civil Rights Movement.
Comparing and contrasting the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power Movement.
The role of music in inspiring and mobilizing the Civil Rights Movement.
The influence of the Black Panther Party on the Civil Rights Movement.
The Civil Rights Movement's impact on other social justice movements.
The experiences of African American soldiers in World War II and their influence on the Civil Rights Movement.
Examining the role of white allies in the Civil Rights Movement.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the feminist movement.
The role of the Supreme Court in advancing civil rights.
The Civil Rights Movement's impact on voting rights and political participation.
The role of churches and religious leaders in the Civil Rights Movement.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Investigating the role of non-African American activists in the Civil Rights Movement.
The role of education in promoting civil rights and equality.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the criminal justice system.
The Civil Rights Movement's influence on the disability rights movement.
The role of student activists in the Civil Rights Movement.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on immigration policies.
The role of grassroots journalism in documenting the Civil Rights Movement.
The influence of international events on the Civil Rights Movement.
The Civil Rights Movement's impact on affirmative action policies.
Examining the role of the National Urban League in the Civil Rights Movement.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on housing segregation.
The role of boycotts in the Civil Rights Movement.
The Civil Rights Movement's influence on the labor movement.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on Native American rights.
The role of local activists in the Civil Rights Movement.
The influence of the Civil Rights Movement on the fight against poverty.
Examining the role of children and youth in the Civil Rights Movement.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on public transportation policies.
The role of the Black Church in the Civil Rights Movement.
The influence of international figures, such as Nelson Mandela, on the Civil Rights Movement.
Examining the role of African American athletes in the Civil Rights Movement.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the representation of African Americans in the media.
The role of the Civil Rights Movement in challenging stereotypes and promoting cultural pride.
The influence of the Civil Rights Movement on the decolonization movement in Africa.
Examining the role of the Civil Rights Movement in the fight against apartheid in South Africa.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the desegregation of public spaces.
The role of the Civil Rights Movement in challenging discriminatory employment practices.
The influence of the Civil Rights Movement on the development of Black Studies programs in universities.
Examining the role of the Civil Rights Movement in promoting multiculturalism and diversity.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the representation of African American history in textbooks.
The role of community organizing in the success of the Civil Rights Movement.
The influence of the Civil Rights Movement on the development of ethnic studies programs.
Examining the role of women in the leadership of the Civil Rights Movement.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the fight against police brutality.
The role of literature and poetry in capturing the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement.
The influence of the Civil Rights Movement on the development of Black-owned businesses.
Examining the role of the Civil Rights Movement in the fight against environmental racism.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the representation of African Americans in politics.
The role of the Civil Rights Movement in challenging discriminatory housing practices.
The influence of the Civil Rights Movement on the development of multicultural education.
Examining the role of the Civil Rights Movement in promoting interracial relationships.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the development of African American arts and culture.
The role of the Civil Rights Movement in challenging discriminatory healthcare practices.
The influence of the Civil Rights Movement on the development of African American studies programs.
Examining the role of the Civil Rights Movement in promoting restorative justice practices.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the representation of African Americans in the military.
The role of the Civil Rights Movement in challenging discriminatory lending practices.
The influence of the Civil Rights Movement on the development of Black feminist theory.
Examining the role of the Civil Rights Movement in promoting inclusive immigration policies.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the representation of African Americans in Hollywood.
The role of the Civil Rights Movement in challenging discriminatory healthcare access.
The influence of the Civil Rights Movement on the development of African American museums and cultural institutions.
Examining the role of the Civil Rights Movement in promoting LGBTQ+ rights.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the representation of African Americans in sports.

These essay topic ideas provide a wide range of avenues for exploration within the Civil Rights Movement. Whether you are interested in the experiences of specific individuals, the impact on various social issues, or the movement's influence on other movements, you are sure to find a topic that suits your interests. Remember to conduct thorough research, cite reliable sources, and present a well-structured argument in your essay to effectively delve into the complexities of the Civil Rights Movement.

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Home — Essay Samples — History — History of the United States — Civil Rights Movement

Essays on Civil Rights Movement

Hook examples for civil rights movement essays, anecdotal hook.

Imagine standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, listening to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. This moment in history epitomized the Civil Rights Movement's power and importance.

Question Hook

What does it mean to fight for civil rights? Explore the complex history, key figures, and lasting impact of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

Quotation Hook

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. How did civil rights activists like King refuse to stay silent and ignite change?

Statistical or Factual Hook

Did you know that in 1964, the Civil Rights Act was signed into law, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin? Dive into the facts and milestones of the Civil Rights Movement.

Definition Hook

What defines a civil rights movement? Explore the principles, goals, and strategies that distinguish civil rights movements from other social justice movements.

Rhetorical Question Hook

Was the Civil Rights Movement solely about racial equality, or did it pave the way for broader social change and justice? Examine the movement's multifaceted impact.

Historical Hook

Travel back in time to the mid-20th century and uncover the roots of the Civil Rights Movement, from the Jim Crow era to the landmark Supreme Court decisions.

Contrast Hook

Contrast the injustices and systemic racism faced by African Americans prior to the Civil Rights Movement with the progress made through protests, legislation, and activism.

Narrative Hook

Meet Rosa Parks, a seamstress who refused to give up her bus seat, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Follow her courageous journey and the ripple effect it had on the Civil Rights Movement.

Controversial Statement Hook

Prepare to explore the controversies within the Civil Rights Movement, such as differing strategies among activists and debates over nonviolence versus militancy.

The Outsiders: Challenging Stereotypes

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Analysis of "Ain't I a Woman"

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Civil Rights Movement and The Struggles of African Americans During Those Times

The impact of martin luther king on civil rights movements, the contradicting outcome of the civil rights movement in america, the role of martin luther king jr. and malcolm x in civil rights movement, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

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How The Civil Rights Movement Helped African Americans Achieve Their Rights

Martin luther king jr: influential figure in the civil rights movement, how martin luther king jr, rosa parks and malcolm x organized the civil rights movement, the role of the media in ushering the civil rights movement, development of racial tendencies in the united states, the civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s, a deeper look at the civil rights movement in america, generation of the civil rights movement, black lives matter in the civil rights movement, the civil rights movement about african american people, the civil rights movement and african american discriminations, a report on the events that helped martin luther king jr.'s prominence in america to push the civil rights movement, the civil rights movement about national indentify, the influence of jazz musicians on the civil rights movement, rosa parks and the civil rights movement, the contribution of local grass-roots activists to the civil rights movement, rosa parks: the lady of the civil rights, brown vs board of education, the way rosa parks leadership style changed the history, rosa parks: how one bold decision made a world leader.

United States

Racism, segregation, disenfranchisement, Jim Crow laws, socioeconomic inequality

W.E.B. Du Bois, Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Henry MacNeal Turner, John Oliver Killens

Civil rights movement was a struggle of African Americans and their like-minded allies for social justice in United States that came to national prominence during the mid-1950s. The purpose was to end legalized racial discrimination, disenfranchisement and racial segregation in the United States.

“Jim Crow” laws were established in the South beginning in the late 19th century with a purpose to separate Black people from white people. Black people couldn’t use the same public facilities as white people or go to the same schools. Although, Jim Crow laws weren’t adopted in northern states, Black people still experienced discrimination.

Forms of protest and civil disobedience included boycotts, such as the most successful Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–1956) that lasted for 381 days in Alabama; mass marches, such as the Children's Crusade in Birmingham in 1963 and Selma to Montgomery marches (1965) in Alabama; "sit-ins" such as the Greensboro sit-ins (1960) in North Carolina and Nashville sit-ins (1960) in Tennessee.

The Great March on Washington was held in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963. The purpose was to advocate for the civil and economic rights of African Americans. It was organized and attended by civil rights leaders such as A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King, Jr., who delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech.

On July 2, 1964, President Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, and later sexual orientation and gender identity. The act "remains one of the most significant legislative achievements in American history".

The civil rights movement had tragic consequences for two of its leaders. On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated at a rally and Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on his hotel room’s balcony on April 4, 1968.

The Civil Rights Act of 1968 was signed into law by United States President Lyndon B. Johnson during the King assassination riots. It prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, and national origin.

The 20th-century civil rights movement produced an enduring transformation of the legal status of African Americans and other victims of discrimination.

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111 Civil Rights Movement Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on civil rights movement, ✍️ civil rights movement essay topics for college, 👍 good civil rights movement research topics & essay examples, 🎓 most interesting civil rights movement research titles, 💡 simple civil rights movement essay ideas, ❓ research question about the civil rights movement.

Women Role in the Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement: Effects and Consequences
Social and Personal Responsibility of Martin Luther King Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement’s Success
1960’s Civil Rights Movement
The Causes and Effects of the Civil Rights Movement
Rosa Parks: Mother of the Civil Rights Movement
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Impact on Civil Rights Movement Even though the Civil War of 1861-1865 had ended 90 years earlier, racial equality had never been established in America.
The Civil Rights Movement History The Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s considerably changed the nation by defending equality at the legislative and public levels.
The Civil Rights Movement The movement for equal rights and opportunities for every citizen of the United States has led to positive results and outstanding successes.
The Civil Rights Movement’s Causes and Effects The civil rights movement had significant consequences for the USA which. Studying the causes of the appearance of this social phenomenon can give a more detailed insight into it.
Praying for Sheetrock: Civil Rights Movement In the book “Praying for Sheetrock: A Work of Nonfiction” Melissa Fay Greene considers the problem of the Civil Rights Movement in the American South.
The Influence of the African American Civil Rights Movement on Other Groups The Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s began the struggle for freedom and equality, whose ideas remain relevant in today’s America.
The American Civil Rights Movement in US History The need for the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s was contributed by the desire to end the Jim Crow segregation system in the Southern states.
African American Civil Rights Movement The growth of the anti-racist and pacifist movements in the United States was reflected in the sentiments of African American fighters for Civil Rights.
Researching of Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement aimed to eliminate racial discrimination and ensure that everyone has equal rights and opportunities regardless of skin color.
Affirmative Action in Civil Rights Movement Affirmative action has been in the spotlight of the political, and in particular, liberal agenda, since the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.
The Civil Rights Movement in American History The Civil Rights Movement is important in discussing American history because it effectively changed the nation with its impacts on minorities.
The Civil Rights Movement from 1955 to 1968 In the period from 1955 to 1968, the Civil Rights movement gained considerable momentum, ultimately resulting in the implementation of the Voting Rights Act and Fair Housing Act.
The Civil Rights Movement: Impact on the African American Citizens By building the Civil Rights Movement, African Americans managed to change not only the legal standards but also the social perspective, gaining the recognition that they deserved.
The Great Depression vs. The Civil Rights Movement The Great Depression had an impact compared to the Civil Rights Movement because it affected many people, and transformed the American culture more profoundly.
Civil Rights Movement and Construction of US Racism Racism is associated with slurs, Islamophobia, police brutality, and Donald Trump. This list signals that racism today is a more insidious, politicized form of discrimination.
Analysis of the Civil Rights Movement By the early 1970s, the fascination with extreme forms of black nationalism was gradually waning, the influence of adventurous slogans and tactics was falling.
Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Civil Rights Movement Martin Luther King, Jr. is the most well-known defender of black Americans’ civil rights; the movement he led has contributed significantly to the fight against racial segregation.
The Civil Rights Movement: Minorities vs. Police An opposition between minorities and police appears to be a problem that started during the Civil Rights Movement and continues to modern days.
Achievement of Civil Rights Movement The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s marked a new beginning in America’s history. Different minority groups came together in order to fight for equality.
The Civil Rights Movement and Its Biggest Events The Civil Rights Movement was initiated to advance the clamor for social justice by ensuring equal entitlements for the black society under the U.S. statutes.
Civil Rights Movement, Reconstruction, and the Gilded Age The Civil Rights movement of the 1950s-1960s became a struggle for social fairness. During the period of Reconstruction, Black Americans managed to receive political independence.
The History of Civil Rights Movement One of the differences between the activities of Claudette Colvin and young BLM activists lies in distinctive political situations.
Civil Rights Movement: Aims, Ideas, Impacts on Society The aim of the civil rights movement in the 1960s was to resist all forms of racial oppression as well as to abolish the legacy of slavery as an institution.
The Civil Rights Movement Overview This paper focuses on the Civil Rights Movement, especially its origin and influence in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.
Civil Rights Movement and Actual State of Human Rights Ending racial discrimination and equalization of rights between the variety of ethnic groups found on the territory of the United States is a struggle with a long history.
Civil Rights Movement Analysis This paper describes the Civil Rights Movement that started as a response to racial segregation in the U.S.A. The main ideologists were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.
Martin Luther King Civil Rights Movement: Impact on Modern Society The Civil Rights movement has had a significant impact on the history of the USA and played a significant role in forming modern society.
Women’s Demands: Seneca Falls in 1848 and Civil Rights Movement No matter the amount of difference between the demands of women at Seneca Falls in 1848 with the demands of women in the 1960s-70s, at the fundamental demand they were the same.
US Social Scientists and Civil Rights Movement One of the most important event of 1960s US was the Civil Rights Movement. The movement gave equal rights to African-Americans in the US which included right to vote.
Civil Rights Movement & Modern Afro-American Life This essay will provide a brief overview of the civil rights movement and discuss its impact on the contemporary life of African Americans.
Law in the Civil Rights Movement: Articles Review The article by Glennon seeks to prove that the mere act of prolonged protests during the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-1957 did not prevail on its own volition.
Early Civil Rights Movement and Its Goals The Civil Rights Movement encompasses the actions and strategies used by different groups in the United States between 1954 and 1968.
News Media Shaping Civil Rights Movement History African American journalists sacrificed their resources to support the Civil Rights Movement. This paper explains how the news media shaped history throughout this movement.
The Civil Rights Movement and Reconstruction This paper discusses Morris’ analysis of the Civil Rights Movement development and strategies. It also discusses what did reconstruction entail and why was it eventually abandoned.
Martin Luther King in Civil Rights Movement One should focus on the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King was able to raise people’s awareness about the destructive impacts of racial discrimination.
Pauli Murray’s Input to the Civil Rights Movement Pauli Murray’s name is not commonly mentioned alongside many historical figures immortalized in their fight for equality and civil rights for minorities and women.
Civil Rights Movement: Violence and Community This paper explores the role of violence in the context of the Civil Rights Movement and the way the bottom-up approach offers a different view of the Black struggle.
The Civil Rights Movement in USA Civil rights can be traced to during the United States of American Reconstruction period which happened between late 1860s and 1870s.
Civil Rights Movement in America One of the common elements of the history of the United States in the early years was racial discrimination against foreigners.
Civil Disobedience and the Civil Rights Movement
Muhammad Ali and the Civil Rights Movement
Human Trafficking and the Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement: The Right for Educational Equity
Barack Obama Reflects on the Deracialized Post-Civil Rights Movement Just
Hate Crime and the Civil Rights Movement
Angela Davis and the Civil Rights Movement
Affirmative Action Programs and the Civil Rights Movement
The American Civil Rights Movement Between 1955 to 1968
Philadelphia and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement
The Role of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X in the Civil Rights Movement
The Abolitionist Movement and the Civil Rights Movement
Racism and Prejudice During the Civil Rights Movement
The History of The Civil Rights Movement in The United States of America
Black Lives Matter in The Civil Rights Movement
Discrimination and the Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement and Its Impact on Gender
Gender Inequality During the Civil Rights Movement
Montgomery Bus Boycotts: Role of Women in the Civil Rights Movement
Personalities Behind the Civil Rights Movement
Non-violence During the Civil Rights Movement Assignment
Industrial Workers Movements and Civil Rights Movement
Martin Luther King’s Impact on the Civil Rights Movement
Civil Rights Movement and African American Women’s Role
Progressing the Civil Rights Movement With Aristotle’s Artistic Appeals
The Role of The Media in Ushering The Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement and the Feminist Movement
Analyzing the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War Assignment
Photojournalism and the Civil Rights Movement
African American Civil Rights Movement of 1955-1968
Native Americans and the Civil Rights Movement
Black Middle Class and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement
The Contradicting Outcome of The Civil Rights Movement in America
Civil Rights Movement and The Struggles of African Americans During Those Times
The Civil Rights Movement and the Biblical Oppression
Harriet Tubman and the American Civil Rights Movement
Bernie Sanders and the Civil Rights Movement
Relationship Between Civil Rights Movement & Feminist Agenda
The Civil Rights Movement and African American Discriminations
Reconstruction Era and the Civil Rights Movement
How Has the Civil Rights Movement Changed the United States?
What Role Did the Americans Play in the Civil Rights Movement From the 1950s to the 1960s?
How Did the Civil Rights Movement and Anti-Vietnam Campaigns Impact Society and Law Enforcement During the 1960s and 1970s?
What Changed After the Civil Rights Movement?
How Has the Meaning of Civil Rights in the United States Changed Over Time?
Why Did the American Civil Rights Movement End?
How Did the Civil Rights Movement Cause Social Change?
What Was the Most Significant Achievement of the Civil Rights Movement?
Was the Non-violent Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s Successful?
How Did the Civil Rights Movement Develop After 1961?
What Were the Similarities and Differences Between the Civil Rights Movement and Black Power Movement?
How Far Was Peaceful Protest Responsible for the Success of the Civil Rights Movement in the Years 1955-1964?
Why Did the Civil Rights Movement Fall Apart?
In What Ways and for What Reasons Did the Civil Rights Movement in the United States Make Significant Progress in the Period 1950 to 1964?
How Important Was Martin Luther King to the Success of the Civil Rights Movement?
What Made the Civil Rights Movement Successful?
How Did the Civil Rights Movement Change American Culture?
What Events Led to the Civil Rights Movement?
Did the Civil Right Movement Change the World?
Who Has the Biggest Impact on the Civil Rights Movement?
Why Did the Civil Rights Movement in the United States Become Fragmented After 1966?
Is the Civil Rights Movement Still Going On Today?
What Were the Causes and Effects of the Civil Rights Movement?
How Did the Civil Rights Movement Affect the World?
What Was the Most Important Event During the Civil Rights Movement?

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Civil Rights Movement

By: History.com Editors

Updated: January 22, 2024 | Original: October 27, 2009

Civil Rights Leaders At The March On WashingtonCivil rights Leaders hold hands as they lead a crowd of hundreds of thousands at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Washington DC, August 28, 1963. Those in attendance include (front row): James Meredith and Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 - 1968), left; (L-R) Roy Wilkins (1901 - 1981), light-colored suit, A. Phillip Randolph (1889 - 1979) and Walther Reuther (1907 - 1970). (Photo by Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The civil rights movement was a struggle for social justice that took place mainly during the 1950s and 1960s for Black Americans to gain equal rights under the law in the United States. The Civil War officially abolished slavery , but it didn’t end discrimination against Black people—they continued to endure the devastating effects of racism, especially in the South. By the mid-20th century, Black Americans, along with many other Americans, mobilized and began an unprecedented fight for equality that spanned two decades.

Jim Crow Laws

During Reconstruction , Black people took on leadership roles like never before. They held public office and sought legislative changes for equality and the right to vote.

In 1868, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution gave Black people equal protection under the law. In 1870, the 15th Amendment granted Black American men the right to vote. Still, many white Americans, especially those in the South, were unhappy that people they’d once enslaved were now on a more-or-less equal playing field.

To marginalize Black people, keep them separate from white people and erase the progress they’d made during Reconstruction, “ Jim Crow ” laws were established in the South beginning in the late 19th century. Black people couldn’t use the same public facilities as white people, live in many of the same towns or go to the same schools. Interracial marriage was illegal, and most Black people couldn’t vote because they were unable to pass voter literacy tests.

Jim Crow laws weren’t adopted in northern states; however, Black people still experienced discrimination at their jobs or when they tried to buy a house or get an education. To make matters worse, laws were passed in some states to limit voting rights for Black Americans.

Moreover, southern segregation gained ground in 1896 when the U.S. Supreme Court declared in Plessy v. Ferguson that facilities for Black and white people could be “separate but equal."

World War II and Civil Rights

Prior to World War II , most Black people worked as low-wage farmers, factory workers, domestics or servants. By the early 1940s, war-related work was booming, but most Black Americans weren’t given better-paying jobs. They were also discouraged from joining the military.

After thousands of Black people threatened to march on Washington to demand equal employment rights, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 on June 25, 1941. It opened national defense jobs and other government jobs to all Americans regardless of race, creed, color or national origin.

Black men and women served heroically in World War II, despite suffering segregation and discrimination during their deployment. The Tuskegee Airmen broke the racial barrier to become the first Black military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps and earned more than 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses. Yet many Black veterans were met with prejudice and scorn upon returning home. This was a stark contrast to why America had entered the war to begin with—to defend freedom and democracy in the world.

As the Cold War began, President Harry Truman initiated a civil rights agenda, and in 1948 issued Executive Order 9981 to end discrimination in the military. These events helped set the stage for grass-roots initiatives to enact racial equality legislation and incite the civil rights movement.

On December 1, 1955, a 42-year-old woman named Rosa Parks found a seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus after work. Segregation laws at the time stated Black passengers must sit in designated seats at the back of the bus, and Parks complied.

When a white man got on the bus and couldn’t find a seat in the white section at the front of the bus, the bus driver instructed Parks and three other Black passengers to give up their seats. Parks refused and was arrested.

As word of her arrest ignited outrage and support, Parks unwittingly became the “mother of the modern-day civil rights movement.” Black community leaders formed the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) led by Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr ., a role which would place him front and center in the fight for civil rights.

Parks’ courage incited the MIA to stage a boycott of the Montgomery bus system . The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted 381 days. On November 14, 1956, the Supreme Court ruled segregated seating was unconstitutional.

Little Rock Nine

In 1954, the civil rights movement gained momentum when the United States Supreme Court made segregation illegal in public schools in the case of Brown v. Board of Education . In 1957, Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas asked for volunteers from all-Black high schools to attend the formerly segregated school.

On September 4, 1957, nine Black students, known as the Little Rock Nine , arrived at Central High School to begin classes but were instead met by the Arkansas National Guard (on order of Governor Orval Faubus) and a screaming, threatening mob. The Little Rock Nine tried again a couple of weeks later and made it inside, but had to be removed for their safety when violence ensued.

Finally, President Dwight D. Eisenhower intervened and ordered federal troops to escort the Little Rock Nine to and from classes at Central High. Still, the students faced continual harassment and prejudice.

Their efforts, however, brought much-needed attention to the issue of desegregation and fueled protests on both sides of the issue.

Civil Rights Act of 1957

Even though all Americans had gained the right to vote, many southern states made it difficult for Black citizens. They often required prospective voters of color to take literacy tests that were confusing, misleading and nearly impossible to pass.

Wanting to show a commitment to the civil rights movement and minimize racial tensions in the South, the Eisenhower administration pressured Congress to consider new civil rights legislation.

On September 9, 1957, President Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 into law, the first major civil rights legislation since Reconstruction. It allowed federal prosecution of anyone who tried to prevent someone from voting. It also created a commission to investigate voter fraud.

Sit-In at Woolworth's Lunch Counter

Despite making some gains, Black Americans still experienced blatant prejudice in their daily lives. On February 1, 1960, four college students took a stand against segregation in Greensboro, North Carolina when they refused to leave a Woolworth’s lunch counter without being served.

Over the next several days, hundreds of people joined their cause in what became known as the Greensboro sit-ins. After some were arrested and charged with trespassing, protesters launched a boycott of all segregated lunch counters until the owners caved and the original four students were finally served at the Woolworth’s lunch counter where they’d first stood their ground.

Their efforts spearheaded peaceful sit-ins and demonstrations in dozens of cities and helped launch the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to encourage all students to get involved in the civil rights movement. It also caught the eye of young college graduate Stokely Carmichael , who joined the SNCC during the Freedom Summer of 1964 to register Black voters in Mississippi. In 1966, Carmichael became the chair of the SNCC, giving his famous speech in which he originated the phrase "Black power.”

Freedom Riders

On May 4, 1961, 13 “ Freedom Riders ”—seven Black and six white activists–mounted a Greyhound bus in Washington, D.C. , embarking on a bus tour of the American south to protest segregated bus terminals. They were testing the 1960 decision by the Supreme Court in Boynton v. Virginia that declared the segregation of interstate transportation facilities unconstitutional.

Facing violence from both police officers and white protesters, the Freedom Rides drew international attention. On Mother’s Day 1961, the bus reached Anniston, Alabama, where a mob mounted the bus and threw a bomb into it. The Freedom Riders escaped the burning bus but were badly beaten. Photos of the bus engulfed in flames were widely circulated, and the group could not find a bus driver to take them further. U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (brother to President John F. Kennedy ) negotiated with Alabama Governor John Patterson to find a suitable driver, and the Freedom Riders resumed their journey under police escort on May 20. But the officers left the group once they reached Montgomery, where a white mob brutally attacked the bus. Attorney General Kennedy responded to the riders—and a call from Martin Luther King Jr.—by sending federal marshals to Montgomery.

On May 24, 1961, a group of Freedom Riders reached Jackson, Mississippi. Though met with hundreds of supporters, the group was arrested for trespassing in a “whites-only” facility and sentenced to 30 days in jail. Attorneys for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP ) brought the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court, which reversed the convictions. Hundreds of new Freedom Riders were drawn to the cause, and the rides continued.

In the fall of 1961, under pressure from the Kennedy administration, the Interstate Commerce Commission issued regulations prohibiting segregation in interstate transit terminals

March on Washington

Arguably one of the most famous events of the civil rights movement took place on August 28, 1963: the March on Washington . It was organized and attended by civil rights leaders such as A. Philip Randolph , Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King Jr.

More than 200,000 people of all races congregated in Washington, D. C. for the peaceful march with the main purpose of forcing civil rights legislation and establishing job equality for everyone. The highlight of the march was King’s speech in which he continually stated, “I have a dream…”

King’s “ I Have a Dream” speech galvanized the national civil rights movement and became a slogan for equality and freedom.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 —legislation initiated by President John F. Kennedy before his assassination —into law on July 2 of that year.

King and other civil rights activists witnessed the signing. The law guaranteed equal employment for all, limited the use of voter literacy tests and allowed federal authorities to ensure public facilities were integrated.

Bloody Sunday

On March 7, 1965, the civil rights movement in Alabama took an especially violent turn as 600 peaceful demonstrators participated in the Selma to Montgomery march to protest the killing of Black civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson by a white police officer and to encourage legislation to enforce the 15th amendment.

As the protesters neared the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they were blocked by Alabama state and local police sent by Alabama Governor George C. Wallace, a vocal opponent of desegregation. Refusing to stand down, protesters moved forward and were viciously beaten and teargassed by police and dozens of protesters were hospitalized.

The entire incident was televised and became known as “ Bloody Sunday .” Some activists wanted to retaliate with violence, but King pushed for nonviolent protests and eventually gained federal protection for another march.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

When President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law on August 6, 1965, he took the Civil Rights Act of 1964 several steps further. The new law banned all voter literacy tests and provided federal examiners in certain voting jurisdictions.

It also allowed the attorney general to contest state and local poll taxes. As a result, poll taxes were later declared unconstitutional in Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections in 1966.

Part of the Act was walked back decades later, in 2013, when a Supreme Court decision ruled that Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act was unconstitutional, holding that the constraints placed on certain states and federal review of states' voting procedures were outdated.

Civil Rights Leaders Assassinated

The civil rights movement had tragic consequences for two of its leaders in the late 1960s. On February 21, 1965, former Nation of Islam leader and Organization of Afro-American Unity founder Malcolm X was assassinated at a rally.

On April 4, 1968, civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on his hotel room's balcony. Emotionally-charged looting and riots followed, putting even more pressure on the Johnson administration to push through additional civil rights laws.

Fair Housing Act of 1968

The Fair Housing Act became law on April 11, 1968, just days after King’s assassination. It prevented housing discrimination based on race, sex, national origin and religion. It was also the last legislation enacted during the civil rights era.

The civil rights movement was an empowering yet precarious time for Black Americans. The efforts of civil rights activists and countless protesters of all races brought about legislation to end segregation, Black voter suppression and discriminatory employment and housing practices.

A Brief History of Jim Crow. Constitutional Rights Foundation. Civil Rights Act of 1957. Civil Rights Digital Library. Document for June 25th: Executive Order 8802: Prohibition of Discrimination in the Defense Industry. National Archives. Greensboro Lunch Counter Sit-In. African American Odyssey. Little Rock School Desegregation (1957). The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute Stanford . Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Global Freedom Struggle. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute Stanford . Rosa Marie Parks Biography. Rosa and Raymond Parks. Selma, Alabama, (Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965). BlackPast.org. The Civil Rights Movement (1919-1960s). National Humanities Center. The Little Rock Nine. National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior: Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site. Turning Point: World War II. Virginia Historical Society.

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The Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement sought to win the American promise of liberty and equality during the twentieth century. From the early struggles of the 1940s to the crowning successes of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts that changed the legal status of African-Americans in the United States, the Civil Rights Movement firmly grounded its appeals for liberty and equality in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Rather than rejecting an America that discriminated against a particular race, the movement fought for America to fulfill its own universal promise that “all men are created equal.” It worked for American principles within American institutions rather than against them.

African-Americans endured racial prejudice that compelled them to fight racism in World War II while fighting in segregated units. It was particularly hard to accept because the war was fought against the racist Nazis who were attempting to eradicate the Jews grounded in racially-based totalitarianism. For black soldiers, the stark contradiction with American wartime ideals was as repulsive as their daily condition of fighting separately. Many black units—most famously the Tuskegee Airmen—fought just as courageously as their white counterparts. Fighting for the “Double V” for victory over totalitarianism and racism, returning black veterans were not keen on returning to the Jim Crow South with legal (de jure) segregation nor to a North with informal (de facto) segregation.

On the national level, African-Americans sought to overturn segregation with legal challenges up to the Supreme Court, pressuring presidents to enforce equality, and lobbying Congress for changes in the law of the land.

In the postwar years, civil rights leaders prepared a dual strategy of attacking all discrimination throughout American society. On the national level, African-Americans sought to overturn segregation with legal challenges up to the Supreme Court, pressuring presidents to enforce equality, and lobbying Congress for changes in the law of the land. On the local level, marches were held to demonstrate the fundamental immorality and violence of segregation and to change local laws.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which was established by W.E.B. DuBois and other black and white, male and female reformers in 1909 to struggle for civil rights, helped lead the legal battle in the courts. The NAACP legal team, led by Thurgood Marshall, who would later become the first black justice on the Supreme Court, scored the first major success of the Civil Rights Movement with Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954) decision that indirectly overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which had set the precedent for legalizing segregation. New Chief Justice Earl Warren persuaded his fellow justices to issue a unanimous 9-0 decision for the moral force to overcome expected white southern resistance. The outcome was a landmark for black equality that initiated the Civil Rights Movement.

The good outcome led many to overlook the questionable legal reasoning employed in the decision. The Supreme Court shockingly admitted white and black schools were equal despite evidence to the contrary. Moreover, the Court stated that the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment had “inconclusive” origins related to segregated schools and doubted whether it could be applied to this case. Instead, the Court turned to social science as the basis for its decision. It referred to experiments in which black children played with dolls of different races. Members of the Court misread the evidence because the results of the studies actually showed that the segregated black children chose to play with black dolls. The Court mistakenly reported that the black children played more with the white dolls and had a “feeling of inferiority.”

The Court settled for declaring the edict that segregated schools were “inherently unequal” based on dubious social science and missed an opportunity for a constitutionally-grounded precedent banning all racial discrimination.

In Plessy v. Ferguson , Justice John Marshall Harlan wrote this powerful dissent: “Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. In respect of our civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law.” (John Marshall Harlan, Plessy v. Ferguson Dissenting Opinion, 1896).

By ignoring Harlan’s understanding of the equality principle in the Constitution and settling for the use of social science, Chief Justice Warren diminished the constitutional force of the decision, which, if read narrowly, did not exactly overturn Plessy .

Even with the unanimous decision that Chief Justice Warren sought, the case encountered opposition, and it took more than a decade of direct action by African-Americans and others to win equality. In 1955, the Montgomery Bus Boycott initiated a decade of local demonstrations against segregation in the South. In December 1955, Rosa Parks courageously refused to give up her bus seat to a white man because she was tired of being treated like a second-class citizen. African-Americans applied economic pressure for more than one year to force concessions for desegregation at the local level, and a charismatic young Baptist minister, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., provided vision and leadership for the emerging movement at Montgomery.

As a result of the Brown decision, many white politicians and ordinary citizens engaged in what they called “massive resistance” to oppose desegregation. In 1957, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus refused to use the state National Guard to protect black children at Little Rock High School. President Dwight Eisenhower sent in troops from the 101st Airborne Division to compel local desegregation and protect the nine black students while federalizing the Arkansas National Guard to block Faubus. The Little Rock Nine attended school under the watchful eye of federal troops. The principles of equality and constitutional federalism came into conflict during this incident because the national government used the military to impose integration at the local level.

4.1 dwight d eisenhower official presidential portrait

In 1957, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus refused to use the state National Guard to protect black children at Little Rock High School. President Dwight Eisenhower sent in troops from the 101st Airborne Division to compel local desegregation and protect the nine black students while federalizing the Arkansas National Guard to block Faubus.

In the early 1960s, African-Americans continued to press for equality at the local and national levels. In 1960, black college students in Greensboro, North Carolina started a wave of “sit-ins” in which they took seats reserved for whites at segregated lunch counters. The sit-ins led to applying the economic pressure of a boycott that successfully desegregated the local lunch counters.

In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. used his moral vision and rhetoric to achieve the greatest successes of the movement for black equality and the end of segregation. King helped to organize marches in Birmingham, Alabama, where police dogs and fire hoses were turned on the Birmingham marchers and caused shock and outrage across the nation when the violence was televised. King and hundreds of others were arrested for demonstrating without a permit.

From his jail cell, King wrote his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” defending the civil rights demonstrations by quoting the great Christian authority St. Augustine that “an unjust law is no law at all.” Employing the principles of America’s Founders, King explained that a just law is a “man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God.” King posited that just laws uplift the human person while unjust laws “distort the soul” (Martin Luther King, Jr. “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963).

He argued that just laws are rooted in human equality, while unjust laws give a false sense of superiority and inferiority. Moreover, segregation laws had been inflicted upon a minority who had no say in making the laws and thereby passed without consent, violating American principles of republican self-government.

King closed the letter by asserting that the Civil Rights Movement was “standing up for what is best in the American dream and for the most sacred values in our Judeo-Christian heritage, thereby bringing our nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers in their formulation of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence” (Martin Luther King, Jr. “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963).

On June 11, 1963, President Kennedy responded and addressed the nation on television. “We are confronted primarily with a moral issue. It is as old as the scriptures and is as clear as the American Constitution,” he told the nation. For Kennedy, the question was “whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities” (John F. Kennedy, “Civil Rights Address,” June 11, 1963).

Kennedy was mindful of the historical significance of the year when he appealed to Lincoln’s Proclamation freeing the slaves: “One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free…And this Nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts, will not be fully free until all its citizens are free” (John F. Kennedy, “Civil Rights Address,” June 11, 1963).

On August 28, 1963, the greatest event of the Civil Rights Movement occurred with the March on Washington. More than 250,000 blacks and whites, young and old, clergy and laity, descended upon the capital in support of the proposed civil rights bill. From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, King evoked great documents of freedom when he said “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation” (Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have A Dream,” August 28, 1963). The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves one hundred years before on January 1, 1863. Simultaneously, he also subtly referred to the other great document of 1863, Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address,” which was inscribed in the wall of the memorial, and begins, “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” (Abraham Lincoln, “Gettysburg Address,” November 19, 1863).

King offered high praise for the “architects of our republic” who wrote the “magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.” King began his evocative peroration “I Have a Dream” by declaring that his dream is “deeply rooted in the American dream.” “One day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal’” (Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have A Dream,” August 28, 1963).

African-Americans won the fruits of their decades of struggle for civil rights when Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Civil Rights Act legally ended segregation in all public facilities. The act had to overcome a Southern filibuster in the Senate and the fears of conservatives in both parties that it was an unconstitutional intrusion of the federal government upon the rights of the states and into local affairs and private businesses.

Although the Fifteenth Amendment had been ratified a hundred years before, African Americans still voted at low rates, especially in the Deep South. A number of devices—literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses that prevented descendants of slaves from voting—severely curtailed black suffrage. Violence and intimidation were the main vehicles of preventing African-Americans from voting in the mid-1960s.

In March 1965, Martin Luther King and other leaders organized marches in Selma, Alabama, for voting rights. After enduring beatings by club-wielding mounted police officers on “Bloody Sunday,” the marchers eventually set out again several days later and reached Montgomery under the watchful eye of federal troops. Congress soon passed the Voting Rights of 1965, banning abridgment of the right to vote on account of race.

Yet in the wake of the great legislative triumphs for social and voting equality the summer of 1965 (and successive summers) witnessed the explosion of racial violence and rioting by black citizens in American cities. Despite gaining rights of equal opportunity African-Americans still lived under obvious economic disparities with whites. The passage of federal laws securing equal opportunity led to rising expectations of immediate equality, which did not happen. Young “Black Power” advocates also began advocating self-reliance as a race, a celebration of African heritage, and a rejection of white society. Forming groups like the Black Panthers, a minority of young African-Americans spoke in passionate terms advocating violence, leading to confrontations with police. Many white Americans were shocked and confused at the urban riots occurring just after legal equality for African-Americans had been achieved.

In the 1970s and 1980s, plans of “affirmative action” were introduced in college admissions and in hiring for public and private jobs that soon became controversial. Intended to remedy the historic wrongs of slavery and segregation, affirmative action policies established preference or quotas for the number of African-Americans (and soon women and other minorities) who would be admitted or hired. Its proponents sought to achieve an equality of outcome in society rather than merely equal opportunity in American society. Some whites complained that this was “reverse discrimination” against whites that tolerated lower standards for the benefited groups. The most notable Supreme Court case addressing the issue was the Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) decision, in which racial preferences, but not racial quotas, were upheld.

The Supreme Court essentially agreed with the supporters of affirmative action who argued that “discrimination against members of the white ‘majority’ cannot be suspect if its purpose can be characterized as ‘benign’” (Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr., Regents of the University of California v. Bakke , Opinion, 1978)

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Civil Rights Movement Essay Titles

The Civil Rights Movement’s Peaceful Protest Achievements
The Civil Rights Movement and the Drug War
The Civil Rights Movement’s Long-Term Impact
During the Civil Rights Movement: African Americans and Religion
The American Civil Rights Movement and Its Effect on African Americans
The Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement Analysis
Rock’ n’ Roll’s Influence on the Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement’s Importance and Impact on Public Policy
Women Activists in the Civil Rights Movement
A History of the Feminist and Civil Rights Movements in the United States
How Far can the 1950s Be Considered a Great Success for the Civil Rights Movement?
Study of the Civil Rights Movement in Selma: The Historical Accuracy of Ava DuVernay
A Look at the American Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Role
The Historiography of Women’s Civil Rights Movement Roles and Visibility
The Civil Rights Movement and The Southern Jewish-Black Relationship
The America Civil Rights Movement’s Contradictory Outcome
The Montgomery Bus Boycott Movement and The Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement and the Role of the Police
The Supreme Court’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement

Fascinating Civil Rights Movement Topics to Write about

The Civil Rights Movement’s Progressive Reform Stages
Democracy in the United States and the Civil Rights Movement
Theatre During the Civil Rights Movement
Student’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement
During the Civil Rights Movement: Relationship between Activism and the Federal Government.
African Americans in the Civil Rights Movement Adopted Both Violent and Nonviolent Protest Methods
The Civil Rights Movement’s Role and Importance of Grassroots Organizers
The Civil Rights Movement’s Fight for Aid
The Civil Rights Movement’s Success in the 1950s
The Reconstruction Era Laws and the Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement and The New York Times
White Opposition to Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement’s Impact on Black Women
The Civil Rights Movement in America versus Australia
Civil Rights Movement Successes and Failures
The Black Middle Class and the Civil Rights Movement
The Origins and Impact of the Niagara Movement on the American Civil Rights Movement
How Significant Was Grassroots Activism in Growing the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s
The Civil Rights Movement: A History, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
The Importance of Civil Rights Movement Research
The Civil Rights Movement’s True Face

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Home / Essay Samples / History / History of The United States / Civil Rights Movement

Civil Rights Movement Essay Examples

Emmett till: the murder that changed america.

For every citizen to have the same importance, privileges and prospects would mean to have equality. The lack thereof became the determination to obtain for black woman and men in the US, on a platform known as the Civil Rights Movement. Contrary to popular belief...

Martin Luther King Jr.: a Legacy of Civil Rights and Social Justice

Martin Luther King Jr. is an iconic figure in American history, celebrated for his tireless efforts in advancing civil rights and social justice. His life and work continue to inspire and resonate with people around the world. This essay delves into the remarkable journey of...

Civil Rights Movement and Civil Rights Act of 1964

Considering the topic 'Civil Rights Movement and Civil Rights Act of 1964 Essay' we can say that the main aims of the Civil Rights movement in the classic ‘Montgomery to Memphis’ period of 1955-1968 were to establish laws and public institutions in an attempt to...

Causes and Effects of the Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement was a period committed to activism for equal rights and treatment of African-Americans in the United States. During this period, many people revitalized for social, lawful and political changes to deny separation and end isolation. Numerous significant occasions including victimization African-Americans...

Discussion About Was the Civil Rights Movement Successful

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress”. The civil rights movement had many successes along with some failures as well. Successes included ending segregation and the important advance in equal rights legislation. Failures of the movement included a continued deep-rooted racism towards African...

The Success of the Civil Rights Movement: a Struggle for Equality

The Civil Rights Movement in the United States was a watershed moment in history, seeking to dismantle racial segregation, discrimination, and ensure equal rights for all citizens. This essay explores the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement, examining its impact on legal reforms, social attitudes,...

Civil Unjust in United States in 1968

Martin Luther King Jr. quotes, “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right.” This generation had civil unjust, no trust in the...

Civil Right Acts after Civil War

In my essay, I will be writing about racism in the united states between the blacks and the white and how the blacks are treated unfairly compared to the whites. So, what exactly is racism about? In layman terms racism is the belief of one...

Gender Ineguality in the America

This assignment will compare the sociological perspectives between functionalism and feminism and contrast them. It shall be analysing their views on families. Although feminism began in 1792, when Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) wrote a book ‘a vindication of the rights of women’ stating that women were...

The African Americans in Custer Died for Your Sins

In Chapter 8 of Custer Died For Your Sins, Deloria sets the foundation of how African Americans and Natives were treated by the white man and effectively highlights the differences between both minority groups. The Civil Rights movement was a “huge” accomplishment for African Americans...

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