Human rights and social justice have been crucial in ancient and modern human societies. Regardless of ethnic, religious, and geographical location differences, oppression of minority communities occurs across all communities. This oppression results in social, political, economic, and cultural marginalization of the targeted communities. With time, the marginalized sections of the society mobilize and demand their right through armed revolts, protests, boycotts, strikes, and any other method useful in conveying their message to the oppressors and the world about their suffering. The civil rights movement refers to an extensive and multiracial civilian organization formed between the 1940s and 1960 in the U.S. solely to eradicate economic, social, cultural, and political marginalization against the Black community (Bloom).
Initial changes preceding the Civil Rights movement
The efforts to establish equal rights and justice in America did not just spring out of the blues. The activities stemmed from earlier deliberations by Abraham Lincoln after the American Civil War, which abolished slavery. Although these policies were beneficial, they met a lot of resistance from the dominant white community. In the Reconstruction period, Black people championed their rights, like the right to vote, and through the 14th Amendment in 1868, Blacks gained the right to vote. The white population in the South did not welcome this move and continued discrimination against the Blacks.
As stated, racial marginalization in the South was rampant. In fuelling segregation, an alarming set of laws were instituted by Jim Crow in further marginalizing African Americans. These regulations are popularly known as the Jim Crow laws. The laws separated the Black community from the whites by prohibiting the common use of public facilities like hotels, buses, trains, and schools. Also, they illegalized interracial marriages and prohibited Blacks from voting. Jim Crow laws sparked a nationwide controversy, although Northern states never adopted them. Arguably, they set a pace for more severe racial segregation throughout the entire nation.
From a historical perspective, a series of events in U.S. history put in place and set the pace for the civil rights movement. Quintessentially, these events amounted to a nationwide debate on racial segregation and oppression of the Black Community. Before the Second World War, most Blacks in the U.S worked low wage jobs in factories, as domestic workers and farmers. All high wage job belonged to the white community. Besides, Blacks were barred from such organizational positions and military jobs (Connolly). Eventually, President Franklin Roosevelt gave in to the pressure from the Black community, and through an executive order, minority communities became eligible for military and state jobs.
The Rosa Parks Saga.
Rosa Parks, an African American female, took a seat on the Montgomery Bus on the 1st December 1955. Since the bus was full, the driver asked her to cede her seat, but she refused. As a result, she and the other four passengers were arrested. This event sparked protests against racial discrimination in Alabama, resulting in the Montgomery bus boycott that lasted for more than a year and the formation of the Montgomery Improvement Association led by the famous equal rights activist Martin Luther King Jr (Richard).
Little Rock Nine incident
The United States of America Supreme Court abolished racialism in educational institutions in 1954. The Central High School at Little Rock invited all learners to study in the Institution. In response, nine Black students attempted to access the school in vain due to protests, discrimination, and protests by white students (Wilkins). Although they finally managed to get into the school under state protection, the hatred and racism did not stop.
The Civil Rights Act of 1957
Unlike northern states, many states particularly in the South denied Blacks the right to vote by administering tests and procedures meant to disqualify blacks from voting. In response to the unfairness, President Eisenhower enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1957 through a signature (Bloom). The law allowed prosecution of any individual attempting to block another from engaging in an electoral process.
The Freedom Riders 1961
In testing a court decision banning racial segregation in interstate transport, six African American and six White riders embarked on a bus journey from Washington toward the South. Throughout the journey, the group faced violent protesters and police. At some point, they almost lost their lives as white supremacist protesters threw a bomb on the bus (Hollars). After a tumultuous journey, the group finally reached Mississippi. The Freedom Riders incident attracted international attention, forcing President Kennedy’s government to abolish segregation across interstate transport terminals.
The Washington March
One of the memorable events in the struggle for equal rights in the United States is the March on Washington organized in 1968. Civil rights activists and leaders like Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King Jr. graced the event. This historical event attracted more than 2000 peaceful protesters demanding equality in employment (Riches). Martin Luther King Jr announced his ambitions on this occasion in his famous “I have a dream” speech.
It is critical to note that these events are only a portion of the whole journey made by the civil rights movement. Other events include the Bloody Sunday, the Voting and Housing acts of 1965 and 1968, and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 (Wood). Although marked by violence and destructiveness, these events created a debate on equality and racial prejudice in the U.S. and the rest of the world. In the recent years, the civil rights movement has evolved into the Black Lives Matter movement and other activist organizations united in ending racial persecution of the Black community (Harris).
Black Lives Matter
Just like earlier movements, the Black Lives Matter movement is a modern movement focusing on fighting racialism and police brutality against minority communities in the U.S.A. The movement focuses on exposing the reality that in the United States, innocent African Americans are more often brutalized and killed (Clayton & Dewey). Arguably, compared to whites, Black people are four to five times more likely to be killed or beaten by police officers for minor reasons. The Black Lives Matter movement started as an online movement, drawing inspiration and support from all ethnicities against racialism in the U.S.A. Through both peaceful and violent protests across the globe, the Black Lives Matter movement remains unwavering in fighting for equality and social justice for the Black race. Recently, it has had a worldwide following, with other races joining the wave to end racial injustice.
Impacts of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.A
It is agreeable that,t in the course of their activities, civil rights movements in the United States have faced many challenges since the institutions meant for bringing change are rooted in historical racialism. Nevertheless, the efforts bore fruits like universal voting rights and equality in employment, education, and healthcare (Watson). Leaders like Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, W.E.D Du Bois, and others stand as heroes for bringing a wave of justice for the oppressed Black people in the U.S. and the rest of the world. Barrack Obama’s election into office is a historical achievement of the civil rights movement. Barrack Obama’s victory serves as an inspiration for minority communities facing oppression and marginalization across the world.
Even with these monumental achievements, it is unfortunate that the United States society has not fully achieved justice and equality for the Blacks and other minority communities like the Hispanics and Asians. Currently, Blacks make up the bigger portion of the population targeted by police and the U.S. prison system. Just as civil rights movements have evolved throughout the years, racism in America has also transformed into subtle forms. Studies still indicate that blacks are still highly susceptible to social injustice, racial discrimination, and income inequality. The current situation only adds fuel to human rights movements like Black Lives Matter and others in agitating and creating awareness about the global racialism crisis.
Works Cited
Bloom, Jack M. Class, race, and the civil rights movement. Indiana University Press, (2019).
Clayton, Dewey M. “Black lives matter and the civil rights movement: A comparative analysis of two social movements in the United States.” Journal of Black Studies 49.5 (2018): 448-480.
Connolly, Kieron. America’s Bloody History from World War II to the Civil Rights Movement. Enslow Publishing, LLC, (2017).
Harris, Fredrick C. “The next civil rights movement?.” Dissent 62.3 (2015): 34-40.
Hollars, B. J. The Road South: Personal Stories of the Freedom Riders. University of Alabama Press,(2018).
Richard, Kayla Jene. Beyond the Bus Boycott: The Impact of Rosa Parks on the Civil Rights Movement. Diss. (2020).
Riches, William. The civil rights movement: Struggle and resistance. Macmillan International Higher Education, (2017).
Watson, Frederick D. “The Impact of the Civil Rights Movement on Race Relations in the United States.” THE IMAGE OF IMPACT (2020): 84.
Wilkins, Taylor. “Commemorating Integration: Little Rock Nine Sixty-Year Anniversary.” Tenor of Our Times 7.1 (2018): 7.
Wood, Amy Louise. “Hanging Bridge: Racial Violence and America’s Civil Rights Century. By Jason Ward.” Journal of Social History (2019).
