Civil_Rights_Movement

The Civil Rights Movement “Racial segregation was the rule rather than the exception during the 1950s in the southern states, where the great majority of black Americans lived. Outside the Jim Crow laws were less common, but racial prejudice and discrimination were widespread.”(Michael Johnson, pg. 239). African Americans began to stand up for themselves and began protesting for their rights and for equality. “The legal strategy of the major civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), reached its crowning achievement with the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.” (Johnson, pg. 884). The Brown v. Board of Education trial was when Oliver Brown protested for equality in schools. It didn’t make sense for his daughter to have to go more than a mile each way to attend her black school, when there was a white school only seven blocks from their home. “Oliver Brown, a World War II veteran and welder in Topeka, Kansas, filed suit because his eight-year-old daughter had to pass by a white school just seven blocks from their home to attend a black school more than a mile away.” (Johnson, pg. 884). During the court case, another suit joined Brown. NAACP’s lawyer insisted the court to overturn the “separate but equal” standard. Bringing to the court that the “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal” and which dishonored the fourteenth amendment. President Eisenhower refused to support Brown, and allowed for the separation to carry on. African Americans continued to face obstacles while President Eisenhower stayed quiet; they were still being beaten, bullied and even murdered. “He also kept silent in 1955 when white murdered Emmett Till, a fourteen-year-old black boy who had allegedly whistled at a white woman in Mississippi.” (Johnson, pg. 885). Two years later in September of 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas, a major crisis occurred. “Local officials dutifully prepared for the integration of Central High School, but Governor Orval Faubus sent Arkansas National Guard troops to block the enrollment of nine black students, claiming that their presence would cause public disorder. Later, he agreed to allow them to enter but withdrew the National Guard, leaving the students to face an angry white mob.” (Johnson, pg. 885). Television cameras were recording the destructive scene across the nation, forcing the president to launch regular army troops to Little Rock. Although army troops were sent in and the terrifying scene of what happened to these black students was publicized across the nation, other cities avoided integration by closing their public schools and spending the cities tax dollars to release a private school for Caucasians only. “Other southern cities avoided integration by closing public schools and using tax dollars to support private white-only schools.” (Johnson, pg. 885). Although there were some schools that desegregated their public schools, the majority didn’t leave many African American students in segregated schools years after Brown’s trial. “Seven years after Brown, only 6.4 percent of southern black students attended integrated schools.” (Johnson, pg. 885). December 1, 1955 an African-American woman sat down on a bus neglecting segregation laws refusing to give up her seat to a white man, she was then arrested. This was the beginning of the civil rights movement to desegregate blacks from whites. After the civil war, southern legislatures passed laws known as the black codes which had severely limited the rights of black and segregated them from whites. On December 1st, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus. She sat down in the black section of the bus which was located in the back and she was on her way home from work. More people loaded onto the bus and the white section was filled, however one white male was still standing, the bus driver told Rosa to move for him and she refused. This was the beginning of the Montgomery bus boycott, and the beginning of African Americans trying to achieve equality. Rosa Parks refusal to give up her seat wasn’t the first time an African-American spoke up about segregation. “There were incidents all the time. Mrs. [Virginia] Durr [a white woman] says that I would tell her about them time and time again. Mr. [E. D.] Nixon [a black community leader] used to try to negotiate some small changes.” (Johnson, pg. 239). During this time, there were many segregation laws from public restaurants, drinking fountains, schools and seating assignments on the buses. However, the segregation law that upset blacks the most was the bus segregation. “I don’t think any segregation law angered black people in Montgomery more than bus segregation… Here it was, half a century after the first segregation law, and there were 50,000 African Americans in Montgomery. More of us rode the buses than Caucasians did, because more whites could afford cars.” (Johnson, pg. 239). African Americans were humiliated on a daily basis multiple times a day 5 days a week riding on the back of the bus and possibly having to give up their seat so a white male or female could sit down. After Rosa was arrested, she was put on trial, and this upset many of the African Americans in Montgomery. This started the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which was when African Americans didn’t ride the bus to prove to Caucasians they didn’t need their transportation and to be humiliated on a daily basis because of the color of their skin. African Americans wanted to be treated equally, not differently because of the color of their skin. When word got out to the African American community of Park’s arrest and choice to fight the case, fliers were distributed asking for all Montgomery blacks to stay off the busses. “E. D. Nixon called a mass meeting at the Holt Street Baptist Church, where a crowd of supporters stretched for blocks outside.” (Johnson, pg. 886). At the meeting, car pools were arranged and assembled the vast majority of the black community to withstand a yearlong boycott. “The MIA arranged volunteer car pools and marshaled more than 90 percent of the black community to sustain the yearlong boycott.” (Johnson, pg. 886). Martin Luther King Jr., was the new pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. He had a doctorate in theology from Boston University and was later voted president of the Montgomery Improvement Association. King was a phenomenal leader and spokesmen; he gave inspirational speeches at churches throughout the black community. “A captivating speaker, King spoke to mass meetings at churches throughout the boycott, inspiring blacks’ courage and commitment by linking racial justice to the redeeming power of Christian love.” (Johnson, pg. 886). Montgomery blacks stood by Kings words and signaled their courage and determination. They continued on with the bus boycott walking miles to work not only for themselves, but for their family and future. There were many obstacles that came along with the boycott, including violence towards blacks. “Authorities arrested several leaders, and whites firebombed King’s house.” (Johnson, pg. 887). However, King reminded the black community that violence wasn’t the answer and to remain peaceful and wait for a resolution of desegregation. “Yet the movement persisted until November 1956, when the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional Alabama’s laws requiring bus segregation.” (Johnson, pg. 887). African Americans main goal to accomplish was desegregation and equality. They wanted to have the freedom and rights that Caucasians had as an American citizen. From boycotting and protesting, to remarkable speeches and sticking together, African Americans successful accomplished their goals eventually. Although some took years, the black community didn’t give up. They never had an easy win, they were beaten for no reason other than the color of their skin, murdered and sexually harassed, but they had a goal in mind and wanted to accomplish it, and they did. References 1.Johnson, Michael P. Reading the American Past: Selected Historical Documents. 4th ed. Vol. 2. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. Print. 2.Roark, James L., James L. Roark, Michael P. Johnson, Patricia Cline. Cohen, Sarah Stage, Alan (R. ) Lawson, and Susan M. Hartmann. American Promise: a History of the United States. 4th ed. Vol. 2. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2005. Print.