Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century

Civil Rights Movement of the 20th Century

¢10

Vol XCIII, No. 311

Friday August 6, 1954

The First Signs of the Movement

The Civil Rights Movement

Why Did This Movement Start?

Rosa Parks - Montgomery Bus Boycott

Until the 1950s, African American peoples had experienced discrimination in all aspects of their lives. They were no longer slaves but, still not treated like normal citizens.

Between the 1950s and 1960s, African American peoples embarked on a journey to gain their proper respect and rights as a citizen of the United States of America. They fought against discrimination and for the equality that the American constitution promised for its people. This was known as the Civil Rights Movement.

On December 1st 1955, Rosa Parks (the "mother of the civil rights movement") refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a public bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

Parks was arrested, tried and charged with disorderly conduct and violating a local law. When word had gotten to the black community 50 African American leaders gathered and organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott to demand a bus system in which passengers would be treated equally.

The boycott lasted 381 days until the law segregating the Whites and African Americans on public buses was abolished.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood -Martin Luther King Jr.

Jackie Robinson - #42

Martin Luther King Jr. - I Have A Dream

They Had A Dream

After Rosa Park's bus boycott, Martin Luther King Jr became the leader of the civil rights movement. King advocated civil disobedience, a non-violent resistance against unjust laws. Civil rights activists organized demonstrations, marches, rallies, boycotts, strikes and refused to obey the unjust laws.

King made sure that the civil rights movement did not sink down to the level of the racists. He wanted to stand for something better than hate. He gave the civil rights movement a strong, influential leader. His inspiring speeches encouraged the activists to fight for their rights no mater how hard it got.

Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was the first black man to officially play in major league baseball in the 20th century. This was unheard of. He possessed an enormous amount of talent and had the drive to succeed.

Despite his talents, Robinson was faced with massive amounts of racial discrimination. On the road, he could not sleep in the same hotels as the rest of the team. In his contract it was stated that he had to ignore all racist abuse. He was bombarded with racial slurs from the crowd threatening physical actions. In 1949 he won the league MVP award and finally in 1955 the Dogers won the World Series with Robinson on the team. When he retired he became a civil rights advocate. In 1962 he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as the first black man to play in major league baseball.

The 20th century was a turning point for all in the United States. The Civil Rights Movement led to the removal of barriers to voting and holding political positions for African American peoples. It also ended discrimination in public places and in the eyes of the law. There are many in need of thanks for the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement but Martin Luther King Jr, Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks were truly the pioneers.

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/jackie-robinson#