Civil Rights Movement

Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement was a decades-long struggle by African Americans and their like-minded allies to end institutionalized racial discrimination, disenfranchisement, and racial segregation in the United States. The movement has its roots in the Reconstruction era during the late 19th century, although it made its largest legislative gains in the mid-1960s after years of direct actions and grassroots protests.

Background

The Civil Rights Movement was a response to the Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States. These laws were upheld by the Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case, which established the "separate but equal" doctrine. This doctrine was eventually overturned by the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954.

Key Events

Montgomery Bus Boycott

The Montgomery Bus Boycott, sparked by Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger, was a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement. The boycott lasted for 381 days and resulted in a Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses is unconstitutional.

March on Washington

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, is one of the most well-known events of the Civil Rights Movement. The march was a key moment in the push for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Selma to Montgomery Marches

The Selma to Montgomery marches, also known as Bloody Sunday, were three protest marches held in 1965. These marches were organized to demonstrate the desire of African-American citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote.

Impact

The Civil Rights Movement led to the passage of landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. These laws significantly reduced institutionalized discrimination and segregation in the United States.

See Also

• African-American Civil Rights Movement (1954–1968)
• Civil rights movements
• Timeline of the civil rights movement