We Shall Overcome
Civil Rights In The United States
The Battle For Equal Rights
The civil rights movement would impact not only the United States but the rest of the world. This was a movement of minority's (mostly Black Americans) protesting peacefully against the discrimination's they faced around the world. The movement would start in the early 1950's, and explode with support and many events in the 1960's.
To The Front Lines, Or Seat.
After the detaining of Rosa Parks, a 40 year old woman who refused to give up her seat to white man, Martin Luther King Jr, organized a boycott of the Montgomery Bus Service, refusing to ride any public transportation until Blacks had the right to sit where ever they pleased. The boycott would last one year from 1955 to 1956 and result with the desegregation of the buses.
Freedom Isn't Free
Here the bus of the movement Freedom Riders, was fire bombed by white citizens as they entered down south riding with blacks and whites with blacks up front.
Selma
Here, MLK leads a peaceful march to Selma, Alabama to protest equal rights for Black Americans. This would lead to the brutal beating of civilians as the state troopers would not allow them to cross. That day was known as Bloody Sunday.
Time Changes Everything
As the battle continued on for equal rights, Black Americans cause was beginning to see the light of victory. Court case after court case was ruled in favor of their cause, and for once, Equality was a real possibility.
I Have A Dream
Here, MLK would lead on a march on Washington to talk about rights for Black Americans. This was a gathering of over 200,00 Americans Backing the fight for civil rights in the summer of 1963.
Sit Ins
Here, from our very own state, four colleges students from Greensboro sit at the front counter and demanded service. At this time in 1960, Black Americans would be fed behind the restaurant.
Little Rock Nine
This event would be the first time a southern white high school would be desegregated and Black Americans would enroll in the year of 1957. They would be called the little rock nine due to the nine students. This would lead to the Little Rock Crisis were the Governor of Arkansas would not allow the students in and require federal troops to be brought in.
The man behind it all
Martin Luther King Junior was the main leader behind the movement of the civil right arguments. He was born on January 15th, 1929.He would lead peaceful protest and had anti violent views. He believed that all people were created equal and race should never matter. MLK would be killed by a sniper in Memphis, TN on April 4th, 1968. Over 100,00 people would show up to his funeral.
No Color In War
As civil rights was starting to become a large issue back in the real world, since the start of Vietnam, It was never a issue. This was a different war, were you fought for each other and not for the flag. These men were friends brought together by evil. They would fight beside each other and die beside each other, and race was of no importance.
It is finished.
Civil Rights never saw a greater victory then this. The first Black American to win presidency was now in office. After years of struggle, the civil rights movement was able to been seen as real. This country has went through a lot, but in the end, We will always be proud Americans.
Why.
This subject was something i never really put as my top interest when it came to history. I wanted to learn more about what it took to reach where we are now. It took courage to do what many of these people did, but they had a cause. As these battles have been won for civil rights, the war still continues for true equality for all races. This was something that changed the world for ever and in a extraordinary way.