Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement

Aside from the Vietnam War the Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Liberation Movement were two great catalysts for social protests in the sixties. After the Civil War many organizations were developed in order to promote peace, racial justice and equality in America; although this process was harsh and extremely slow.

It was not until the 60s, after hundreds of years of effort, that racial equality was given attention. This attention began to force change upon society. Marches, strikes, rallies and riots were all apart of the Civil Rights Movement. Great leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were introduced and later assassinated, violence took the lives of many people young and old, all-white juries created false justice, and the superior white race began to be challenged.

The most influential and well known leader of the Civil Rights Movement was Dr. Martin Luther King. He was the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Council, promoting nonviolence confrontations with the police and white majority in order to effect social change. He was well known for his inspirational speeches, which captivated audiences and drew in people from all nations. His effective leadership pushed President Kennedy and later President Johnson to fight for legislation and end discrimination. King was awarded a Nobel Peace prize in 1964. On April 4, 1968, this powerful leader of the 60s was assassinated, yet his legacy lives on.

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Another powerful figure of the Civil Rights Movement was Malcolm Little, also known as Malcolm X. He began his education in prison where he served time for a robbery conviction. After his release he joined the Nation of Islam, where he was taught that the black race was superior and the white race was evil, allowing complete separation for the two races to be the only solution to equality. In 1964 Malcolm X was fed up with the Nation of Islam and started the Organization of Afro-American Unity. He promoted peace among all races and became a great leader. On February 22, 1965 he was shot to death by three men while giving a speech in the Harlem Ballroom. His legend lives on.

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Now moving along to the Women's Liberation Movement. I want you to imagine the life of a woman before the 1960s. Her life was not easy. She was denied basic human rights, trapped at home stuck to cook and clean, and discriminated against at work (that's if she had a job, it was rare). Then came the 60s and women were sick and tired of being useless. The notion that women can do anything men do came into play, and the game was on. Women felt that they should have a say in their government, not feel guilty about venturing away from their home and children, and have jobs in the workplace making equal pay.

The Women's Liberation Movement brought about determination, persistence and change. Some extremists even went as far as making a "freedom trash can", and filled it with degrading objects and representations of being trapped in the home.