"The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement in the country."
The study of the social movements in the 1950s and 1960s that sought to end segregation and racial discrimination against African Americans in the United States.
American Civil Rights Movement: The American Civil Rights Movement primarily focused on ending racial discrimination and segregation against African Americans in the United States. It covers the period from the late 1940s to the 1960s.
Martin Luther King Jr.: Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most prominent leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement. His philosophy of nonviolent civil disobedience and his advocacy of equal rights for African Americans played a significant role in the movement's success.
Rosa Parks: Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist who sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 by refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger.
Malcolm X: Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister who advocated for black nationalism and self-defense against white oppression. His approach to civil rights activism differed from Martin Luther King Jr.'s nonviolent philosophy.
Brown v. Board of Education: Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. This decision helped pave the way for the desegregation of other public institutions.
Civil Rights Act of 1964: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a federal law that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Voting Rights Act of 1965: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a federal law that eliminated racial barriers to voting, particularly in the South. It prohibited literacy tests and other devices used to prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote.
Freedom Riders: The Freedom Riders were a group of civil rights activists who rode buses through the South to challenge segregation on interstate transportation. They faced violent opposition from white supremacists and often encountered arrest and physical harm.
Little Rock Nine: The Little Rock Nine were a group of African American students who enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas in 1957. They were met with violent resistance from white students and mobs but continued to attend school with the help of federal troops.
Montgomery Bus Boycott: The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a mass protest against racial segregation on Montgomery, Alabama's public buses. It lasted for 381 days and was sparked by Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger.
Selma to Montgomery March: The Selma to Montgomery March was a series of protest marches led by civil rights activists in 1965. The marches aimed to highlight the need for voting rights for African Americans in Alabama and faced violent opposition from white supremacists.
Black Panthers: The Black Panthers were a militant African American organization founded in 1966. The group advocated for armed self-defense against police brutality and racial oppression and advocated for socialist principles.
Black Lives Matter: Black Lives Matter is a movement that emerged in response to the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012. It seeks to end violence against black people, particularly at the hands of police officers, and advocates for racial justice and equality.
Women's Rights Movement: The Women's Rights Movement was a social and political movement that focused on securing equal rights and opportunities for women in the United States. It began in the mid-19th century but gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s.
LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement is a social and political movement advocating for the rights and equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals. It has made significant gains in recent decades, particularly in areas such as marriage equality and nondiscrimination laws.
Disability Rights Movement: The Disability Rights Movement is a social and political movement advocating for the rights and equality of individuals with disabilities. It has focused on issues such as accessibility, employment, and education.
Immigration Rights Movement: The Immigration Rights Movement is a social and political movement advocating for the rights and dignity of immigrants, particularly those who are undocumented. It has focused on issues such as border policy, family separation, and access to education and healthcare.
Environmental Justice Movement: The Environmental Justice Movement is a social and political movement advocating for the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental decision-making. It focuses on issues such as pollution, climate change, and access to clean water and air.
Native American Rights Movement: The Native American Rights Movement is a social and political movement advocating for the rights and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples in the United States. It has addressed issues such as treaty rights, land rights, and cultural preservation.
Asian American Rights Movement: The Asian American Rights Movement is a social and political movement advocating for the rights and equality of Asian Americans in the United States. It has addressed issues such as immigration policy, discrimination, and representation in government and media.
African American Civil Rights Movement: Focused on eliminating racial discrimination against African Americans and establishing their basic civil rights such as the right to vote, education, employment, and housing.
Women’s Rights Movement: Aimed at obtaining equal rights for women in all spheres of life, including legal, social, and economic.
LGBT Rights Movement: Focused on achieving legal, social, and cultural recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals and their relationships.
Disability Rights Movement: Sought to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities and increase their participation in society.
Native American Rights Movement: Aimed at claiming Native American sovereignty and seeking recognition of their right to self-determination, political autonomy, and cultural preservation.
Hispanic Rights Movement: Focused on securing civil rights and social justice for Hispanic Americans, including their right to vote, education, employment, and housing.
Environmental Justice Movement: Concerned with the fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens, addressing issues such as pollution, climate change, and natural resource management.
Anti-Apartheid Movement: Aimed at ending the institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa.
Immigrant Rights Movement: Seeking to protect and defend the rights of immigrants, including their right to work, education, and health care, and advocating for comprehensive immigration reform.
Anti-War Movement: Opposed wars, including the Vietnam War and Iraq War, focusing on the cost and human loss of wars.
Workers’ Rights Movement: Addressed issues such as low wages, inadequate working conditions, and limited opportunities for collective bargaining.
Anti-Poverty Movement: Aimed at reducing poverty and ensuring access to basic necessities, such as housing, healthcare, and education.
Human Rights Movement: Meant to protect basic human rights, including political, economic, social, and cultural rights, and to hold governments accountable for their human rights abuses.
"The movement had its origins in the Reconstruction era during the late 19th century and had its modern roots in the 1940s."
"The movement made its largest legislative gains in the 1960s after years of direct actions and grassroots protests."
"African Americans were subjected to discrimination and sustained violence by white supremacists in the South."
"At the culmination of a legal strategy pursued by African Americans, in 1954 the Supreme Court struck down many of the laws that had allowed racial segregation and discrimination to be legal in the United States as unconstitutional."
"The Warren Court made a series of landmark rulings against racist discrimination, including the separate but equal doctrine, such as Brown v. Board of Education (1954), Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States (1964), and Loving v. Virginia (1967) which banned segregation in public schools and public accommodations."
"The Civil Rights Act of 1964 explicitly banned all discrimination based on race, including racial segregation in schools, businesses, and in public accommodations."
"The Voting Rights Act of 1965 restored and protected voting rights by authorizing federal oversight of registration and elections in areas with historic under-representation of minority voters."
"The Fair Housing Act of 1968 banned discrimination in the sale or rental of housing."
"The emergence of the Black Power movement, which lasted from 1965 to 1975, challenged Black leaders of the movement for its cooperative attitude and its adherence to legalism and nonviolence."
"Its leaders demanded not only legal equality, but also economic self-sufficiency for the community."
"Martin Luther King Jr. was the most visible leader of the movement."
"From 1964 through 1970, a wave of riots and protests in black communities dampened support from the white middle class, but increased support from private foundations."
"African Americans who had seen little material improvement since the civil rights movement's peak in the mid-1960s, and still faced discrimination in jobs, housing, education and politics."
"The movement was characterized by nonviolent mass protests and civil disobedience following highly publicized events such as the lynching of Emmett Till. These included boycotts such as the Montgomery bus boycott, 'sit-ins' in Greensboro and Nashville, a series of protests during the Birmingham campaign, and a march from Selma to Montgomery."
"After the American Civil War and the subsequent abolition of slavery in the 1860s, the Reconstruction Amendments to the United States Constitution granted emancipation and constitutional rights of citizenship to all African Americans, most of whom had recently been enslaved."
"Various efforts were made by African Americans to secure their legal and civil rights, such as the civil rights movement (1865–1896) and the civil rights movement (1896–1954)."
"These included boycotts such as the Montgomery bus boycott..."
"Loving v. Virginia (1967) which banned segregation in public schools and public accommodations, and struck down all state laws banning interracial marriage."
"However, some scholars note that the movement was too diverse to be credited to any particular person, organization, or strategy."