how the strategies used in the civil rights movements change the course of the movement

by Josiane Balistreri MD 8 min read

The main goal of these strategies was to get attention to the movement. The most effective strategies used by the Civil Rights movement were boycotts, sit-ins, and marching. There were many more but these are the most important. Firstly, boycotts began. Boycotts began and were more effective on the city buses.

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What strategies were used in the Civil Rights Movement?

Jul 01, 2014 · The main goal of these strategies was to get attention to the movement. The most effective strategies used by the Civil Rights movement were boycotts, sit-ins, and marching. There were many more but these are the most important. Firstly, boycotts began. Boycotts began and were more effective on the city buses.

What was the main goal of the Civil Rights Movement?

Apr 22, 2008 · The Civil Rights Movement was a “freedom struggle” by African Americans to gain equality in the 1950s to 1960s. The goals of this movement were freedom from discrimination, equality, right to vote and much more. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act declaring discrimination based on race is illegal.

How did the Civil Rights Movement bring about social change?

Apr 07, 2022 · 2. Challenging legal segregation IN THE COURTS The NAACP had a legal strategy to advance civil rights in the courts 1. Protesting for social change with NONVIOLENCE The Supreme Court ruled... Nonviolence... Now, summarize your notes and complete the "LEARNED" column on your KWL

How did African Americans fight for equality during the Civil Rights Movement?

The filibuster—a Senate practice that allowed a Senator or a group of Senators to prevent a vote on a bill—became the civil rights opponents’ chief weapon. In this era, too, the Senate modified its rules, raising the bar needed to achieve cloture—the practice of ending debate to …

How did the strategies of the civil rights movement change as the movement entered the mid 1960s?

How did the civil rights movement change in the mid-1960s? In the mid-1960s, economic issues became the main focused of the civil rights agenda. Violent outbreaks drew attention to racial injustice and inequalities in jobs, education, and housing.

What strategies were used to bring about change during the civil rights movement?

Civil rights activism involved a diversity of approaches, from bringing lawsuits in court, to lobbying the federal government, to mass direct action, to black power.

How did the civil rights movement influence other movements?

Influence on Movements The Civil Rights Movement also influenced new protest movements that encouraged other demographics to use civil disobedience to gain their own civil rights. This included, for example, the Latino Civil Rights Movement.Jan 19, 2022

How did civil rights activists change their strategies and goals in the 1960s and 1970s and how successful were they in achieving racial equality?

How did civil rights activists change their strategies and goals in the 1960s and 1970s, and how successful were they in achieving racial equality? The civil rights movement changed course in the mid-1960s, moving beyond the South and expanding its goals. Some activists also abandoned the strategy of nonviolence.

What made the civil rights movement successful?

A major factor in the success of the movement was the strategy of protesting for equal rights without using violence. Civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King championed this approach as an alternative to armed uprising.Jan 20, 2014

How did the civil rights movement change U.S. politics and society?

The movement helped spawn a national crisis that forced intervention by the federal government to overturn segregation laws in southern states, restore voting rights for African-Americans, and end legal discrimination in housing, education and employment.

How did the civil rights movement change after the voting rights Act?

It contained extensive measures to dismantle Jim Crow segregation and combat racial discrimination. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 removed barriers to black enfranchisement in the South, banning poll taxes, literacy tests, and other measures that effectively prevented African Americans from voting.

How did the civil rights movement and other activist groups cause changes to government and society?

How did the civil rights movement and other activist groups change the government and society? More minorities became appointed into government ositions after and slightly during this time. Black people gained the fully given right to vote.

What was the Civil Rights Movement?

In the late 1950’s – early 1960’s, the Civil Rights Movement was a peaceful, relatively low-key fight for equal rights. The movement had moderate goals, and generally did not aim to overcome prejudice in a swift and aggressive manner. At the start of the movement, many African Americans were outraged with the clear ineffectiveness ...

Where was the Civil Rights Movement founded?

As its name implied, this band of Civil Rights Activists was established in 1960 in Raleigh, North Carolina, in the interest of civil disobedience to achieve freedom. This group was responsible for a number of sit-in demonstrations, and many members were also Freedom Riders (which is discussed further on in this essay.)

What was the struggle for equality in the 1960s?

African Americans’ struggle for equality during the 1960’s was a relentless movement that used change for progress. In essence, the transformation of the Civil Rights Movement throughout the 1960’s forwarded the evolution of America into a nation of civil equality and freedom.

What was the purpose of the Civil Rights Act of 1957?

This political action intended to provide suffrage for blacks in Southern states; however, with the prevalent racism in the South, it was ignored.

What is the purpose of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee?

In the Statement of Purpose for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) of 1960, which reads, “We affirm the philosophical or religious ideal of nonviolence as the foundation of our purpose, the presupposition of our faith, and the manner of our action.

What was Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream speech?

would often deliver idealistic speeches about the triumphs blacks could achieve politically, socially, and economically. This is evident in Dr. King’s famed “I Have a Dream Speech,” which he made in 1963.

What is the literature on the Civil Rights Movement?

76 The literature on the civil rights movement is vast, accessible, and well documented. Standard treatments include Taylor Branch’s three-volume history, which uses Martin Luther King, Jr., as a lens through which to view the movement: Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954–63 (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988); Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years, 1963–65 (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1998); At Canaan’s Edge: America in the King Years, 1965–68 (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2006). See also David J. Garrow, Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (New York: William Morrow, 1986); William H. Chafe, Civilities and Civil Rights: Greensboro, North Carolina, and the Black Struggle for Freedom (New York: Oxford University Press, 1980), an account of one of the protest movement’s seminal moments. For an overview of the movement and its impact on late-20th-century black America see Manning Marable, Race, Reform, and Rebellion: The Second Reconstruction and Beyond in Black America, 1945–2006, 3rd edition (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2007). For the evolution of civil rights legislation in Congress, see Robert Mann, When Freedom Would Triumph: The Civil Rights Struggle in Congress, 1954–1968 (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2007)—an abridged version of Mann’s The Walls of Jericho: Lyndon Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Richard Russell and the Struggle for Civil Rights (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1996); Hugh Davis Graham, The Civil Rights Era: Origins and Development of National Policy, 1960–1972 (New York: Oxford, 1990): especially pages 125–176; and James L. Sundquist, Politics and Policy: The Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson Years (Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution, 1968): 221–286. A useful overview of Congress and civil rights is Timothy N. Thurber, “Second Reconstruction,” in The American Congress: The Building of Democracy, ed. by Julian E. Zelizer (Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Company, 2004): 529–547. Another useful secondary work, which touches on aspects of the voting rights reform legislative effort, is Steven F. Lawson’s Black Ballots: Voting Rights in the South, 1944–1969 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1976).

What was the impact of the Civil Rights Movement on African Americans?

A grassroots civil rights movement coupled with gradual but progressive actions by Presidents, the federal courts, and Congress eventually provided more complete political rights for African Americans and began to redress longstanding economic and social inequities.

What was the second reconstruction?

During the period from the end of World War II until the late 1960s, often referred to as America’s “Second Reconstruction,” the nation began to correct civil and human rights abuses that had lingered in American society for a century. A grassroots civil rights movement coupled with gradual but progressive actions by Presidents, the federal courts, and Congress eventually provided more complete political rights for African Americans and began to redress longstanding economic and social inequities. While African-American Members of Congress from this era played prominent roles in advocating for reform, it was largely the efforts of everyday Americans who protested segregation that prodded a reluctant Congress to pass landmark civil rights legislation in the 1960s. 76

When was the Voting Rights Act passed?

Johnson Presidential Library/National Archives and Records Administration On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. The legislation suspended the use of literacy tests and voter disqualification devices for five years, authorized the use of federal examiners to supervise voter registration in states that used tests or in which less than half the voting-eligible residents registered or voted, directed the U.S. Attorney General to institute proceedings against use of poll taxes, and provided criminal penalties for violations of the act.

What was the Brown v Board of Education case?

Board of Education, a case that tested the segregation of school facilities in Topeka, Kansas. Brown sparked a revolution in civil rights with its plainspoken ruling that separate was inherently unequal.

Who was the chairman of the House Rules Committee?

About this object Howard Smith of Virginia, chairman of the House Rules Committee, routinely used his influential position to thwart civil rights legislation. Smith often shuttered committee operations by retreating to his rural farm to avoid deliberations on pending reform bills.

What was the Supreme Court's decision in the 1960s?

Then, in the early 1960s, the Supreme Court rendered a string of decisions known as the “reapportionment cases” that fundamentally changed the voting landscape for African Americans. In no uncertain terms, the court required that representation in federal and state legislatures be based substantially on population.

What was the civil rights movement in the 1960s?

The civil rights movement progressed through various stages in the 1960s. Activists began the decade by focusing on Southern racial discrimination. Because of the sustained protests of the 1960s, President Lyndon Baines Johnson placed his support behind legislation that would end the most visible signs of Southern racial injustice.

When did the Montgomery Bus Boycott start?

Non-violent demonstrations had been the hallmark of the civil rights movement since the 1955-1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott. As the movement began shifting to areas outside the South, activists in these regions began embracing other resistance strategies.

What happened in 1965 in Los Angeles?

Only a few weeks following the enacting of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Watts Riots engulfed urban Los Angeles as African Americans protested decades of police brutality. Moreover, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., winner of the 1963 Nobel Prize for Peace, began demonstrating in Northern cities. In 1966, King rented an apartment ...

When did Martin Luther King die?

Notably, Martin Luther King died in April 1968 while in the midst of planning a Poor People's March on Washington. He had for months been visiting with poor whites in Appalachia who were to participate in the mass protest against economic injustice.

Who was Stokely Carmichael?

Stokely Carmichael, a leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), was the first movement leader to espouse black power publicly. He did so during the 1966 March Against Fear in Mississippi.

What were the major events of the Civil Rights Movement?

The Civil Rights Movement against racial discrimination of African Americans grew out of key events of the 1950s, such as the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the desegregation of Little Rock. Civil Rights protests expanded in the 1960s to include sit-ins and the famous March on Washington in 1963.

How did Freedom Summer affect the Civil Rights Movement?

Though Freedom Summer failed to register many voters, it significantly affected the course of the Civil Rights Movement. It helped break down decades of isolation and repression that were the foundation of the Jim Crow system. Before Freedom Summer, the national news media had paid little attention to the persecution of black voters in the Deep South and the dangers endured by black civil rights workers.

Why did Malcolm X advocate the separation of white Americans and African Americans?

The Nation of Islam advocated the separation of white Americans and African Americans because of a belief that African Americans could not thrive in an atmosphere of white racism. In a 1963 interview, Malcolm X, discussing the teachings of the head of the Nation of Islam in America, Elijah Muhammad, referred to white people as “devils” more than a dozen times. Rejecting the nonviolent strategy of other civil rights activists, he maintained that violence in the face of violence was appropriate.

How long did the Black Power Movement last?

The emergence of the Black Power Movement, which lasted roughly from 1966 to 1975, enlarged the aims of the Civil Rights Movement to include racial dignity, economic and political self-sufficiency, and freedom from oppression by white Americans.

Where did the first Freedom Ride take place?

The first Freedom Ride of the 1960s left Washington D .C. on May 4, 1961, and was scheduled to arrive in New Orleans on May 17. Led by CORE Director James Farmer, 13 riders (seven black, six white) left Washington, DC, on Greyhound and Trailways buses. Their plan was to ride through Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, ending in New Orleans, Louisiana where a civil rights rally was planned. Most of the Riders were from CORE and two were from SNCC; many were in their 40s and 50s.

Who was Fannie Lou Hamer?

Fannie Lou Hamer was an American voting rights activist, civil rights leader, and philanthropist. She was instrumental in organizing Mississippi’s Freedom Summer for SNCC in 1964, and later became the vice-chair of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.

What was the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a major legislative achievement for the Civil Rights Movement, banning discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in employment and public accommodations. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was another legislative victory for the movement, restoring and protecting voting rights of African Americans.

What was the Chicago Freedom Movement?

The Chicago Open Housing Movement , also called the Chicago Freedom Movement, was formed to protest segregated housing, educational deficiencies, and employment and health disparities based on racism. The movement included multiple rallies, marches and boycotts to address the variety of issues facing black Chicago residents. By Jan. 7, 1966, King announced plans to get involved in the Chicago Freedom Movement, and on Aug. 5, 1966, King led a march near Marquette Park in a white neighborhood. The marchers were met with rocks, bottles and firecrackers. Approximately 30 people were injured, including King, who was hit in the head with a brick. After negotiations with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, an agreement was announced on Aug. 26, 1966, to build public housing in predominately white areas and to make mortgages available regardless of race or neighborhood. The Chicago Freedom Movement continued through 1967 and was credited with inspiring the Fair Housing Act, passed by Congress in 1969.

What was the Albany movement?

This movement protested the segregation policies in Albany, Ga. Many groups took part in the Albany movement, including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), local activists and King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). King’s goal was to offer counsel rather than become a participant, but he was jailed during a demonstration and was given a sentence of 45 days or a fine. He chose jail to push for change but was released three days later. Some concessions were made to the coalition, but the movement eventually disbanded after nearly a year of protests without accomplishing its goals.

Why did Rosa Parks boycott the bus?

This boycott was born after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Ala., to a white male passenger. The next day, Dec. 1, 1955, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. proposed a citywide boycott against racial segregation on the public transportation system. African Americans stopped using ...

What was the march on Washington for Jobs and Freedom?

The front line of demonstrators during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Washington D.C., August 28, 1963. The 1950s and '60s were the height of the civil rights movement and the continued struggle for social and racial justice for African Americans in the United States. The Civil War abolished slavery, but it did not end discrimination.

How long did the Montgomery Bus Boycott last?

African Americans stopped using the system and would walk or get rides instead. The boycott continued for 381 days and was very effective. In June 1956, a federal court ruled that the laws in place to keep buses segregated were unconstitutional, and the U.S. Supreme Court eventually agreed. The Montgomery bus boycott was one ...

When did Martin Luther King wave to supporters?

The civil rights leader Martin Luther King waves to supporters on August 28, 1963, on the Mall in Washington, D.C., during the March on Washington.

Who led the Selma protests?

Approximately 600 protesters were to travel from Selma on U.S. Highway 80 to the state capital on March 7, 1965, led by John Lewis, then chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and the Rev. Hosea Williams of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

What was the movement for American Indian rights in the 1960s?

The movement for American Indian rights in the 1960s centered around the tension between rights granted via tribal sovereignty and rights that individual American Indians retain as U.S. citizens.

What is the American Indian movement?

The American Indian Movement (AIM) is an activist organization in the United States founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by urban American Indians. The AIM agenda focuses on spirituality, leadership, and sovereignty. The organization was formed to address various issues concerning the American Indian urban community in Minneapolis, including poverty, housing, treaty issues, and police harassment. From its beginnings in Minnesota, AIM soon attracted members from across the United States. At a time when peaceful sit-ins were a common protest tactic of the African American civil rights movement, the AIM takeovers in their early days were noticeably violent. Some appeared to be spontaneous outcomes of protest gatherings, while others included armed seizure of public facilities.

Why was birth control so controversial?

The Pill became an extremely controversial subject as Americans struggled with their thoughts on sexual morality, controlling population growth, and women’s control of their reproductive rights. Even by 1965, birth control was illegal in some U.S. states, including Connecticut and New York.

What were the issues of the second wave of feminism?

In contrast to earlier women’s movements, the second wave of feminism in the 1960s broadened the debate of women’s rights to encompass a wider range of issues, including sexuality, family, the workplace, reproductive rights, de facto inequalities, and official legal inequalities. Just as the abolitionist movement made 19th-century women ...

When did the environmental movement start?

In the United States, the beginnings of an Environmental Movement can be traced as far back as 1739. For centuries it was known as conservation, and it was not called environmentalism until the 1950s.

What was the impact of the 1960s on women?

Just as the abolitionist movement made 19th-century women more aware of their lack of power, the protest movements of the 1960s inspired many white and middle-class women to create their own organized movement for greater rights.

When was Earth Day first observed?

A major milestone in the Environmental Movement was the establishment of Earth Day, which was first observed in San Francisco and other cities on March 21, 1970, the first day of spring. It was created to give awareness to environmental issues.

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