Category: Civil Rights Movement

Identification and evaluation of sources

The aim of this investigation is to answer the research question “to what extent did Martin Luther King Jr successfully achieve the civil rights movement between the years 1963-1968?”, and I will be assessing how far he accomplished his aims, where he hoped to achieve three things: an improvement of the African American economic system, African American right to vote freely, and racial desegregation.

Source A is a primary source as it originates from Martin Luther King himself. He made this speech on August 28th 1963 during the Washington March for job equality and freedom. The purpose of this speech was to address the goals for the Civil Rights Movements and it included demands for public schools, desegregations of public accommodations, and the violations of constitutional rights. The speech mentioned reasons why they should gain equality, and a description of the country King dreamed America would become by using repetition of the line ‘I have a dream’. King’s ‘dream’ resonated amongst the crowd gave people hope that one day the world would be a better place. This source can be deemed accurate as it came straight from King’s lips, and it is relevant because it highlights his goals. Moreover, the second half of King’s speech was improvised, meaning he spoke from the heart. However, there are limitations to this speech as it is only from one point of view, and that the original speech was disrupted by his emotions, we will never know what the rest of the contents were.

Source B is a primary source, also originating from Martin Luther King himself, written while he was jailed in Birmingham, Alabama for pretesting the treatment of black people. The letter explains his actions and addresses the main questions that were asked by critics and is now a classic example of civil disobedience. In this letter he argues on social, legal, historical and political grounds, saying that black people have waited for equality long enough. This was shown to be a great success as Andrew Young from the justice department acknowledged King’s doings and said that he had done ‘tremendous’ job in bringing the two sides together for the future changes in segregation. This source has value because it shows how far King will go to achieve the Civil Rights Movement, it shows that he is the voice of black people, he speaks for their actions, and his non-violent beliefs persuades the government to change their actions. Nevertheless, this source does have some limitations because of the conditions that he wrote this under; he could have written what people wanted to hear whilst he was under pressure and people were starting to lose faith in him.

Investigation

Martin Luther King (King), was a civil rights activist that influenced thousands of people. His non-violent protests, boycotts, and marches helped set the course of the civil rights movement. This was an important movement because at the time, over 70% of African-Americans were being discriminated and segregated. It is important today because the movement was so influential, that it changed history to where blacks and whites worked together instead of against each other. If this movement did not occur, maybe the relationship between the two races would not be as it is today. In this essay, I will use different events from the time period 1963-1968 to decipher how far King actually managed to achieve his goal.

The Washington March

The Washington March of August 1963 was a successful milestone in achieving the Civil Rights by showing a united demonstration from the Civil rights leaders. According to national history, it was the biggest peace gathering, followed by a series of speeches by different Civil Rights activists. It aimed to alter the Civil Rights Bill in order to decrease black unemployment and gain freedom. After King’s renown speech ‘I have a dream’, more than 200,000 people joined to support the movement, both blacks and whites. There was also a lot of pressure put upon King because he wanted to maintain his non-violent quota, but this idea was becoming more unpopular amongst supporters due to the slow change, as well as the fact that President Kennedy and Roy Wilkins was initially unsupportive. In the end, it was considered a great success amongst the federal government, it was well organized, peaceful, and showed a substantial amount of white support. This was the final push for President Kennedy to give more support for the Civil rights legislation reform, which he was already considering after the conflicts in Birmingham. However, there was still a large amount of resistance from the South.

Segregation in Birmingham, Alabama

In the spring of 1963, King tried to desegregate Birmingham, Alabama, where segregation was very rigid. It was a big city with around 350,000 inhabitants, 140,000 of which were black. King tried to desegregate by using sit-in demonstrators to demand desegregation. On top of that, they demanded an end to job discrimination by boycotting ‘whites only’ shops. Then King started using children as demonstrators. ‘Bull’ Connor, the police chief got frustrated and ordered fire hoses to be used against them. This led to great results; the Civil Rights Movement gained more support, many inhabitants of Birmingham started to move towards desegregation, the outside world showed more sympathy as it did not look good to use fire hoses on children. The most important result was that the high use of media caught the attention of the federal government, President Kennedy in particular. The government decided to take the Civil Rights Movement more seriously and started planning the Civil Rights Bill to take to Congress. During this protest, King got arrested for protesting against the treatment of African-Americans. While he was in jail, he wrote one of “the most important documents in modern history”, a letter to the clergymen in response to their local newspaper called ‘a call for unity’, where he justified his actions and his willingness to break laws as a response to criticism around the country. The whites seemed to be afraid that the movement was moving forwards too fast. In this letter, he addressed the fact that the suffering put upon the blacks made it difficult to move slower. He outlines 12 of his most prominent beliefs, uses biblical references and repeatedly mentions that all people should have equal rights, no matter what skin colour. He also uses emotive language to appeal to the audience and the media coverage let people see the injustice happening, making them very sympathetic. This letter reached President Kennedy and was an important milestone in the movement.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

The Civil Rights Act was signed off by President Johnson, which prohibited discrimination based upon race, religion, colour, sex and national origin. One factor that pushed for this act was the struggle that blacks had to put up with, especially considering their large population. Another factor was the ‘I have a dream’ speech, which gained widespread support with his moving words. Moreover, Johnson changed his views when appointed president and started believing that discrimination was morally wrong and had a vision for a ‘Great Society’ where he wanted to put ‘an end to poverty and racial injustice’ in America.

Selma March

Selma March, also known as ‘Bloody Sunday’ was a march headed to Montgomery on March 7th 1965, with 54 miles and 500-600 supporters. The situation in Selma was bad, everything was segregated, their white’s incomes were 4 times that of blacks and only 23 blacks were registered to vote, and faced with brutality when they tried to register. So, King decided to jail himself with hopes of publicising this fact. He wrote to New York Times with a key quote “this is Selma, Alabama. There are more Negroes in jail with me than there are on voting rolls.”, however, the media did not explode like King had hoped. Thereafter, King, Southern Christian Leadership conference (SCLC) and Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) organised the Selma March, which was a protest to publicise the need for a Voting Rights Act. It is known as the ‘Bloody Sunday’ because state troopers were waiting for them and attacked them with clubs and tear gas, which resulted in King calling off the SCLC to retreat and stay non-violent. The SNCC did not take this very well as they wanted to retaliate with violence. The significance of this is that President Johnson and Congress would not delivered the Voting Rights Act without the event of Selma, however, the act of King and trying to keep his conscious clean by retreating, left the black divisions worsening as they were now against each other. Despite the obstacles, King still managed to achieve the right for African American to vote.

1968

By this time, the Fair Housing Act was placed, prohibiting discrimination on renting or selling. King found it much harder to control the course of the movement and violence was becoming more apparent. King’s protest in Memphis for equal treatment with white dustmen turned violent, and he then promised to return and lead another peacefully, but was assassinated during the planning. After his death, there were riots all over the nation, King’s beliefs were ignored, 46 people died and 3000 injured. This proved to be a year that damaged progress made in the Movement.

Conclusion

To conclude, the Civil Rights Movement progressed a long way in just a few years. Segregation was gone from most areas; transport facilities were now integrated. Black people could register to vote. Racial mix in schools and housing areas were being suggested for the first time. Most importantly, equality was now accepted by the majority. However, some parts in the South were still segregated, economic and social problems still remain in both the North and South. I would say that during these years, King has shown tremendous achievements in his aims, and made progress towards it for as long as he lived. His peaceful mindset was what brought the nation closer as a whole. If he were not assassinated, his reign would have had an even bigger impact despite the growing violence, as he still had great support and many towns still wished for him to help with protests.

Reflection

This investigation enabled me to use a variety of different research techniques that allowed me to understand the challenges faced by historians when they do their own research. My primary source, specifically the ‘I have a dream’ speech, made me more aware of a source’s reliability. We must think about the circumstance that King was in when he wrote and voiced it, and think about how things functioned at the time, making me think about the reliability of the historical knowledge. I faced this challenge when examining the speech, as it feels biased, especially when King was overpowered by his emotions and strayed from the original speech halfway through, potentially making it more sympathetic and saying what the audience wanted to hear, so we do not and will never know the original story, thus misguiding the historian’s accuracy of their knowledge.

There was a substantial amount of research that went into the different events during the Civil Rights Movement, which both helps and challenges a historian as they have to decipher which events are true. Some facts seem more reliable than others and this challenged me when finding out which facts were the least biased. I used a range of different sources and based them on each other to confirm the reliability to create an accurate account of how far King achieved his aims. This was difficult because it is not as straight forward as math or science where there is one definite answer, but rather years of different accounts, constantly being interpreted by different people, trying not to deviate from the actual account of events.

However, the historical knowledge of the events in the Civil Rights Movement between these years seem to be quite accurate because there were multiple sources that stated the same thing, meaning that the possible interpretations are not very far from the true events.

Bibliography

Books

1. Erlich-Møller, Bianca. Black Voices. Gyldendal, 2016
2. Fairclough, Adam. Better Day Coming: Blacks and Equality, 1890-2000. Penguin, 2002.
3. Paterson, David, et al. Civil Rights in the USA, 1863-1980. Heinemann, 2001.
4. Sanders, Vivienne. Civil Rights in the USA 1945-68. Hodder Education, 2008.
5. Sanders, Vivienne. Race relations in the USA 1863-1980. Hodder Education, 2006.
6. Wright, Kai. The African-American experience. Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2009.

Websites

1. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.].” Edited by Ali B, Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.], University of Pennsylvania www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html. Accessed 27. Jan 2019
2. Bass, Jonathan. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Encyclopedia of Alabama, Samford University, 2007, www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1389. Accessed 27. Jan 2019

The traditional image of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States is one that spans over a decade and has its roots in the deep south, in places like Montgomery and Memphis. However, in lieu of new information, a theory has developed that widens the movement’s scope both chronologically and geographically. First coined by Jacqueline Dowd Hall, many Historians have embraced the idea of a Long Civil Rights Movement. This thesis argues that all post-war civil rights movements developed over an extended period. It also breaks away from the traditional view that the civil rights movements predominantly reside in the 1960s and 1970s. The theory also looks beyond the geography of the deep south (e.g. Montgomery and Selma) and perpetuates the idea of a nationwide civil rights movement. This theory also allows for a deeper insight into activism, supporting the existence of grassroots movements by allowing for more than one narrative.

The existence of a long civil rights movement allows for flexible parameters regarding its timeframe. Some even believe there were efforts regarding civil rights as far back as the late 1800s. A wall of resistance did not just appear in the 1960s, there were in fact widespread anti-racism movements during the 1930s and 1940s. Although these were not fully developed, they aimed to overthrow segregation. These could be referred to as ‘organized local political activism’. Korstad and Lichenstein place the beginning of the movement in the early 1940s. Black workers joined Unions(these had a membership of around ½ a million) and the NAACP, whose membership rose from 50,000 to 450,000. According to Berman, McCoy, and Ruetten, a similar movement emerged during the late 1940s. These were challenges by white liberals against white supremacy and marked the second world war and the Truman years as important periods of change. It provided new opportunities to ask for reform.

Although the thesis regards the movement as long and continuous, there were still phases within its narrative. The classical phase, named by Bayard Rustin, begins with the Brown Vs Board of Education case in 1954 and ends with the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. There were increased efforts to get rid of segregation and the emergence of non-violent action through bus boycotts in Montgomery(1955), Louisiana(1953), and Florida(1956). Grassroots groups in areas, like Mississippi, took direct, non-violent action. The MFDP taught people how power worked at different levels, how to lobby and protest and how to build organizations. They also set up Freedom schools that encouraged political thinking in young people, and federal groups that encouraged lobbying. Something that historians often gloss over is the effect of the Cold War on the movement. Anti-communist feelings destroyed the old left, made liberals go on the defensive, and allowed conservatives to thrive. McCarthyism suppressed any movement that looked vaguely communist and got rid of various civil rights conferences. However, it also helped the civil rights movement. During this period, there was a decline in rights and greater civil rights activity – riots over the Vietnam War, student rebellion, and black militancy. Fear of communism made way for the civil rights movements as the sole protest movement of the period. Then came the 1960s and 70s, the so-called movement of movements, where movements were largely nationalized. Despite these phases forming a bigger picture, the movement still heavily relies on the literature of the 50s and 60s.

The thesis of the Long Civil Rights Movement better reflects the reality of African American struggles. There is often a disconnect between the true extent of civil rights movements and what people believe them to be. The existence of such a movement considers the idea of a never-ending struggle for freedom, the movement was merely an unfinished piece of work, one which was far from being over yet. Limiting the extent of civil rights to just the classical phase of the movement leads to an underestimation of the progress made by activists and the sheer number of obstacles African Americans needed to overcome. We should look at the fight for Civil Rights as a continuous struggle, rather than at specific points in time. It is typically easier to compress the moment into a few key points or phases and figures like Martin Luther King Jr. The narrative of the civil rights movement relies on public memory, images of the movement often only appear around the time of Martin Luther King Junior day or Black History Month. His I have a dream speech remains to be a powerful image of civil rights and has become his one-defined action in the movement. His other actions have fallen into the background. The commitment Martin Luther King Jr made to civil rights should not be reduced to mere speech. This thesis presents this tokenization and allows lesser-known movements to come to light. Intersectionality is an important part of the long civil rights movement, movements were inspired by the actions of civil rights activists. For example, the Black Power movement is typically described in a negative light. The activists involved in the movement were frequently assumed to be thugs and suppressed by the corrupt FBI, police, and the US state. There was some distinction between the Black Power movement and the civil rights movement, both largely had the same goals but achieved them by different means, and the black power movement also was less well known. The movement challenged the existing rhetoric of sexism, violence, crime, and anger and encouraged more African Americans to engage in politics. It aimed to have black elected officials and a high voting turnout. Black nationalist groups were respectful towards other minority groups, built multi-racial alliances, and had white investors. However, they were not race-neutral and promoted both control of their own community and black liberation. The long civil rights movement showcases this multiplicity of movements.

The Long Civil Rights moment is also a result of increased interest in African American rights. It is reflective of a time of greater awareness. White academics are no longer complicit with the racist narrative that underpins much of the literature documenting African American struggle. In the past, academics often veered away from difficult issues: FBI corruption, decolonization, anti-imperialistic values, and pan-Africanism. Historiography often featured negative representations of African Americans. Even the work of historians, who attempted to show sympathy toward Black suffering, frequently had problematic undertones. On a societal level, as well as the resistance to change from white elites, there has always been a group of color-blind conservatives who supported but didn’t truly understand the civil rights movement and frequently undermined the complexities and dynamics of it. These people acknowledged the existence of racism but failed to acknowledge the problems that still remained. They instead focused on racial reconstruction rather than the granting of rights. The historiography of today now aims to take racism in older texts into context when writing new theses. This is regularly referred to as the civil rights movement of scholarship. Academics wrote with a greater sense of respectability, using more sensitive language and changing the approach to difficult issues. Anti-racist ideas have only come to the forefront in lieu of new information. Work has been done to ensure that both dramatic movements and everyday struggles were documented as activism. In recent years, there has been increased exposure of unsung heroes of the civil rights movement, as part of an expansion of key figures. There has also been greater compassion towards Black suffering through the campaigns triggered by the deaths of Black citizens at the hands of white policemen. This compassion has led to literature aiming to grant justice for racial trauma. This literature tends to vilify the white population as monsters or provide white audiences with questions that provoke self-reflection. The Long Civil rights movement plays into this narrative of repair.

In conclusion, many Historians support the idea of a long civil rights movement because it reflects the progress in both academia and society as a whole. It also shows the progress that has been made in race relations. We have gone from a time of widespread racism to one where academics write and discuss race and racial issues in a more sensitive manner through changes to the language used and general changes in attitudes and approaches. Wider society no longer has laws of segregation and attitudes of inferiority and negativity towards African Americans, although still existent, have significantly lessened. Furthermore, the thesis allows for the creation of a bigger picture of the civil rights movement, one that reflects the African American struggle and the recognition of both everyday and large-scale activism. By ignoring the work done by activists outside the classical phase of the 1950s and 60s, you limit the greater effect that the civil rights movement had and the high number of obstacles there were to overcome. The true effects of the civil rights movements could be seen in the everyday actions of the smaller movements, which intersected with the overall aims of the larger movement.

Many minority groups, including Aboriginals an, have struggled in finding their of these rights in the past, and continue to do so today. The late 1800s to the late 1900s was an extremely difficult time for Indigenous Australians and was is one of the darkest periods of Australian history. Many Indigenous children during this time were forced out of their homes and taken from their families due to the implication of multiple new barbaric government procedures; these children are known as the stolen generations. The removal of these children was due to the policy of Assimilation, which is based on the idea of black inferiority and white superiority. These horrific events neglected all basic human decencies towards Indigenous people and signified a need for change in not only Australian society, but also around the world. In the U.S, African American people were also facing extreme discrimination, and were heavily affected in the southern states where new government laws were put in place to segregate the black and white population. After the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948, which outlined that everyone was born free and equal, people of colour in the U.S began to revolt against their oppression, beginning the wave of events from the late 1950s to the early 1960s that became known as the U.S civil rights movement. The movement inspired minority groups around the world, including Indigenous Australians, to seek change and equity in their representation in society. In relation to equality, the benefits of the U.S civil rights movement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are extensive, although discrimination and racism are still present in Australian society, and therefore there is still work needed for equality and inclusion to exist for all.

The U.S civil rights movement was an important driving factor in generating freedom for African Americans and is what ultimately led to the recognition of minority groups around the world as equals in society. In the southern states of the U.S, segregation of the races had been legally enforced since the American Civil War ended in 1865. The laws enforced, known as “Jim Crow laws”, were established to keep black and white people separate, causing the already discriminated African American minority to be completely disregarded by the white majority. There were specific toilets, bathrooms and even designated seats on public transport for African American people that prevented them from having any form of relation with white Americans. The inequity of these laws led to outrage among African American people, but after the formation of the Human Declaration of Human Rights, these people were given a new sense of freedom of speech and opinion and granted them with the ability to take action. The U.S Freedom Riders were a group of activists that consisted of seven African Americans and six white Americans, who boarded public buses from Washington to the southern states to test the legitimacy of the abolishment of segregation laws. The members would sit together on public transport, eat in restaurants together, and ignore segregation signs when using toilets and drinking fountains. As defiant as they were, the riders were not exempt from violence, facing much protest from racist white Americans, often resulting in serious injury. This aggression, if nothing else, was motivation for many other Freedom Riders to join the campaign in 1961. The actions of these ordinary people helped to make leaders such as Dr Martin Luther King seen by the media and public eye, which consequently is what secured enough attention to the movement that King was able to lead his march in August 1963 which consisted of over 250 000 people into Washington, where he gave his infamous “I have a dream” speech. On 2 July 1964, the U.S Congress approved the Civil Rights Act, which outlawed discrimination based on race or gender, a ground-breaking achievement for the movement and the people involved. These individuals were significant in providing a stance for African American people and acted as a turning point for race equality in the U.S, but divergence still existed withing the citizens of America.

Frederick Douglass began a Bible study for the African Americans who couldn’t read and didn’t have access to the Bible on the plantation. However, it only lasted for so long until the slave owners found out and demanded against their practices. which in reality was going against the freedom of religion because most of the slaves were unable to read the Bible for themselves they depended on what the white slave owners claimed that was in the Bible to base their faith off of. Many of instances slave owners would take words and verses out of context in the bible in order to try to justify the inequality of slavery, as well as making the abusive and cruel punishments seem to be a necessary and justified process. Once again it is clear to see that the slave owners withheld information about the Bible from the slaves in order to make them believe that what they were doing was correct. The reality is that if the slaves were able to decipher the Bible as easily as the white folk the African Americans would be less tolerant of the abuse and pain they were put through.

Many slaveholders turned a blind eye to slaves because they believed them to be equal to them because of their skin color and where they were from. This ignorance was fueled by the entitlement of the white settlers that they are at the top of the food chain. In many cases, slaveholders did not take care of their slaves as they would their family they provided it only the most necessary elements of survival for the slaves which were shelter, food, very little clothing, and water. Slaves were not taught to be people so they were treated as such The white saw them as a tool that made them a few extra bucks.

Slavery took the greatest toll on the slaves because they had to work in every condition whether it be rain or shine hot or cold they were required to work. Slaves were very ill and weak when it came to their bodies. Physically however slaves are very strong and kept in shape because of all the work but most of all the slaves had scars from being whipped by a cow skin many slaveholders believed in whipping as a precaution or to prevent a mistake from being made. Unfortunately, many slaves grew numb to the abuse from a slaveholder as a witness. Meaning that if a slave was being punished cruelly the witness would turn their head and go about their business because they knew that no matter what they did their “help” would only hurt more than just walking away. Slaves were paralyzed in fear of the harm that could be brought to them. If this wasn’t the case slaves would have stood up for themselves more often than recorded. Mr. Douglas himself was traumatized as a child when he witnessed his aunt tied up so much so that she could only touch the floor with her toes and then beaten insanely by their master until the master himself was tired of beating Douglass’s aunt.

Frederick Douglass is a product of the use of knowledge as power seeing as he was able to break the so-called barriers when he learned how to read. Frederick was Somewhat fortunate in his life for the opportunities he was given for example he was a house slave at times so he did not have to work in such harsh conditions he was allowed freedom to go pick things up in the nearby town while he was at a plantation. Frederick Douglass took advantage of every opportunity presented to become smarter and refined. Frederick Douglass went on to be one of the most impactful civil rights activists in the era and many were changed because of him and his story and it all began with his ability to conceptualize literature. Freedom requires a series of overcoming obstacles that are difficult to beat.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” (Martin Luther King Jr.) What this means is that if you saw something wrong and you didn’t speak up, the problem wouldn’t be solved and the conflict would continue. Just like today’s Black Lives Matter Movement. There was a problem, people spoke up, and the problem was resolved. It’s that simple. Martin Luther King Jr. was a famous civil rights advocate who gave the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in Washington D.C. He was all for peace and equality for both Blacks and Whites. On the other hand, Malcolm X was the complete opposite. He was for Black Power, and Black Power only, with no Whites being involved. Martin Luther King’s passive-resistance movement started when he read Henry David Thoreau’s essay on civil disobedience. Its main focus was to achieve racial equality, respect, and peace, not only for Blacks but for everybody else as well. Malcolm X was the most influential advocate for what is now known as the Black Power Movement. The ideas behind Black Power were around as early as the 1940s. The movement started when an African-American labor activist called for a march to pressure President Franklin D. Roosevelt into outlawing racial discrimination. Their main focus was to stop discrimination against Blacks, and Blacks only, as they didn’t like Whites. I believe that nonviolent, peaceful protest is the best way to stop discrimination, which is why the Civil Rights Movement was successful.

Martin Luther King grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and witnessed segregation and racism on a daily basis. This is what really sparked his need to speak out against the problem. As stated in the article ‘Nonviolence’, King was fascinated by the idea of refusing to cooperate with an evil system. In the years following the bus boycott, King became increasingly involved with nonviolence. As mentioned in the introduction, Martin Luther King was a very famous man. But it wasn’t always like that. During the Civil Rights Movement, King was imprisoned several times due to speaking out against the discrimination he was facing. This didn’t make him any less determined to speak his mind against things that were wrong. Actually, this made him even more determined. He was also monitored by the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). King often reflected on his understanding of nonviolence.

The main objective of the passive-resistance movement was to gain equal rights for everyone. This includes Whites, Muslims, Blacks, and everyone in between! During this time, people protested for social, legal, political, and cultural protection. King himself said: “The choice today is no longer between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence”. King was both ‘morally and practically’ committed to nonviolence. He began to advocate nonviolence not just in the U.S., but in other countries as well. This relates very heavily to the Black Lives Matter protests.

As a result of the Civil Rights Movement, relationships between Blacks and Whites improved drastically. If it weren’t for the Civil Rights Movement, I wouldn’t have met many of my friends. Black people probably wouldn’t be allowed to buy phones, tablets, or any sort of electronic device. Their homes would still be very low quality, and there’d be a lot more violence involving the use of improved technology. Black people would probably be blamed for 9/11. Life would be very different from the ones we are living now, that’s for sure. One can only imagine how scary it’d be for both sides. There would be more crime. A second civil war might have broken out by now. Thankfully, life isn’t like that. Although there’s still a bit of conflict between Blacks and Whites, it’s nothing compared to what it would be if the Civil Rights Movement hadn’t happened.

To sum up, I think that the Civil Rights Movement was a success and was one of the best things to ever happen to the U.S. As I explained earlier, the origins of the passive resistance movement are Martin Luther King’s reading of that essay by Henry David Thoreau. The focus of said movement is to achieve equality for everyone. Last but not least, if it weren’t for the Civil Rights Movement, life would be very, very different. So the next time you get into a conversation about civil rights, just remember how different life would be without it.

Located on the bridge leading to G-Building next to the Eastfield College Library, this display is significant to understanding the Civil Rights Movement that happened during the years 1954 to 1968 and Martin Luther King’s involvement in it. Through its use of images and quotes, the viewer can begin to understand what each important historical event meant for the African American community and also how it helped them gain better rights. Not only does the viewer learn about this aspect of African American lives, but they also manage to understand how Martin Luther King helped shape the movement into a nonviolent campaign through his use of inspirational speeches. One of his most prominent speeches that helped influence the movement was his “I Have a Dream” speech. This speech was important in defining this movement because it allowed the people to connect with King’s idea of having a dream of a future free of segregation.

Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929, and after graduating high school and attending college he started becoming more involved in civil rights and began advocating for racial equality (Biography.com). “Always a strong worker for civil rights for members of his race, King was, by this time, a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the leading organization of its kind in the nation” (Nobel Peace Prize). His involvement in this chapter helped include him in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This boycott involved one of the greatest feats of nonviolent demonstration the African American community had exhibited at that time and according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama it was 13 months of continuous harassment towards the black race for refusing to use the Montgomery Busses, but this was not the only thing that MLK did to help the Civil Rights Movement. He involved himself in many other protests by encouraging children and adults to continue to use nonviolent methods of protest and by often organizing these events.

On August 28, 1963, about a quarter-million people participated in the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom gathering near the Lincoln Memorial (NAACP). Martin Luther King was invited by the march’s planner A. Phillip Randolph, to “breathe new life into the march” and “to capitalize on King’s appeal and harness the organizing power of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People” (History.com 2009). King agreed to be the last speaker and, although it was expected he would have the least amount of people attending, he had obtained a large crowd. His speech was supposed to be 4 minutes long but it ended up extending to 16 minutes and though it has become known as the “I Have a Dream” speech, the famous line wasn’t actually part of King’s planned remarks that day. He was actually prompted to speak about this topic by gospel star Mahalia Jackson, who called out to him to “Tell ’em about the ‘Dream,’ Martin, tell ’em about the ‘Dream’!” (Kakutani 2013). The people who were attending the march reacted with a positive attitude to what Martin Luther King believed his dream to be, they called out, “Amen,” and, “Preach, Dr. King, preach,” offering, in the words of his adviser Clarence B. Jones, “every version of the encouragements you would hear in a Baptist church multiplied by tens of thousands” (Kakutani 2013).

Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech impacted the lives of many African-American families and their views on how the country should really look. It not only impacted the people who were present during his speech but it also impacted the people who were watching this speech from home and the future generations that would watch it. Journalist Michiko Kakutani explains the impact of MLK’s speech perfectly by saying that “fifty years later, it is a speech that can still move people to tears. Fifty years later, its most famous lines are recited by schoolchildren and sampled by musicians. Fifty years later, the four words “I have a dream” have become shorthand for Dr. King’s commitment to freedom, social justice, and nonviolence, inspiring activists all over the world.”

This display is something that all Eastfield students and the community should visit, because not only does it explain the importance of the Civil Rights Movement and MLK’s involvement but it also provides its viewers a summary of what the Civil Rights Movement looked to the people living during this time. It provides a place for students to learn more about why this movement was so important while also allowing the students to come to their own conclusions about why the movement’s use of nonviolent protest was beneficial to the outcome of it.

Malcolm X was a radical leader in the Black Civil Rights Movement, while Emmeline Pankhurst was a militant suffragette leader in obtaining the voting right for women. Although both of them have played important roles and made significant contributions to the two movements respectively, we firmly believe that Emmeline Pankhurst was a more effective leader than Malcolm X. Our essay will mainly focus on their differences and will illustrate our argument from four perspectives, including ideology, media influence, gaining publicity, and transforming people’s idea.

As leaders, they shared something in common. In terms of their attitude, they both were radical and militant which were influenced by their background. For Malcolm X, according to what we have learned in class, he was a former salve and led a hard life in the North which made him hold a grudge against the White people. Besides he was an Islam which also influenced his behaviors. While, Emmeline Pankhurst was a well-educated and middle-class woman and realized that women are capable to vote as men. However, the suffragists made little noticeable progress for a long time which forced her to resort to a more radical way to help women gain suffrage.

Despite the similarity mentioned above, the differences shadow their effectiveness in these movements.

In terms of ideology, Malcolm X’s ideology was great shaped by his religion. Affected by Islamic doctrine, Malcolm X believed that Black people were superior to the White and he claimed that the Black should be given a particular space in America or sent back to Africa in his early period. Sanders argued that he did not expect integration with the White, which was unpractical and unrealistic because it is still a “White-dominated society” (Sanders, 2016, p. 130). Although his belief changed from extreme racist theology to “unite everyone of African descent and to promote black political, social and economic independence” later (Sanders, 2016, p. 131), he was assassinated the next year; as a consequence, he did not contribute a lot. Emmeline Pankhurst believed that women were as capable as men to vote. According to what we have learned, she wanted to pursue the political and economic equality of both genders which was a trend at that time. Women were increasingly educated and enlightened; as a result, women regarded suffrage as the symbol to attain personhood fully. An acceptable belief that represented the tide of history was a prerequisite for an effective movement. So Emmeline Pankhurst was more effective in her guiding ideology.

In terms of media influence, Pankhurst was more effective. According to the article “Emmeline Pankhurst- Suffragette” published on BBC’s site, the actions that the Suffragettes took and the bad treatment they suffered brought their cause to the media which helped them to increase support (Emmeline Pankhurst-Suffragette, 2019). Media played a significant role in the movement and she made full use of it to advertise their cause. Although many people objected to their militant actions, she succeeded in making women suffrage a hit through media and other means. However, Sanders claimed that Malcolm X gained “national and international attention” through his “inspirational speeches and sermons” and his criticism of non-violence. Besides, he himself attracted much attention after a television programme, The Hate That Hate Produced (Sanders, 2016, p.131). Preaching was his strongest weapon and his using of media was not that much. Media played an important role in both two movements, but Emmeline Pankhurst used it as a tool to gain support to women’s voting right, while Malcolm X used it to spread his “separatism”.

Emmeline Pankhurst was more effective in gaining widespread publicity than Malcolm X. Millicent Fawcett, leader of the NUWSS, argued in 1906 that what the Suffragettes had achieved during these months were more than what suffragists had done in 12 years to help women gain suffrage (Fawcett, 1906). Stewart argued that the Suffragettes opened plenty of shops, “selling a wide range of merchandise in their distinctive colors to advertise their cause” (Stewart, 2014, p. 243).The publicity meant that ordinary people increasingly carefully considered the question that whether women should have suffrage. Sanders argued that Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam encouraged ghetto-dwellers because of “its self-confidence and emphasis on racial pride and economic self-help” belief (Sanders, 2016, p. 130). But their audience was ghetto-dwellers in the North and Midwest particularly. And his belief made a sharp contrast with Martin Luther King’s which was effectively and positively practiced in the South. Moreover, their conflicts were not dealt with properly. So Emmeline Pankhurst gained more publicity positively.

The Suffragettes were more effective in transforming people’s idea into positive to this petition. In their review of the Suffragettes (Grant et al., 2011, p. 309), Emmeline Pankhurst shifted suffragettes’ concentration on the WWⅠ, and people were impressed by the contributions made by brave and wise women which helped to change contemporary people’s attitudes towards women’s ability. As for Malcom X, many followed him and took immediate and violent actions to fight for their rights. According to what we have learned, his audience only limited to the poor black people who could do little to change their current situation. And for white people who had power, they did not accept his preaching and considered it heresy. His ideas greatly contradicted with Christianity and some traditional believes of white people; as a consequence, they seldom supported him.

In conclusion, Emmeline Pankhurst was more effective in her guiding idea, using media, gaining public attention, and shifting people’s attitudes. Compared with Malcolm X’s ideology, Pankhurst’s idea was more acceptable and realistic because the pursuit of political equality became the trend. As for media influence, Malcolm X failed to make full use of them to spread his concern to the South to gain more supporters. In terms of gaining publicity, Pankhurst was more effective because the Suffragettes opened shops to advertise their cause apart from delivering speeches. For transforming people’s attitudes, Pankhurst succeeded in shifting people’s attitudes towards women through suffragettes’ contributions in WWI. There was no denying that Malcom X was “a potentially great leader” (King, 1965). However, he was less effective in the four aspects mentioned above.

References

1. Fawcett, M. (1906) in source material from Anna
2. Grant, R. G., Kay, A., Kerrigan, M. and Parker, P. (2011) History of Britain and Ireland. New York: DK Publishing.
3. King, M. L. (1965) “The Nightmare of Violence”. New York Amsterdam News.
4. Emmeline Pankhurst-Suffragette (2019) Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zd8fv9q/articles/zh7kdxs (Accessed: 1 December 2019).
5. Sanders, V. (2016) Civil Rights and Race Relations in the USA 1850-2009 for Edexcel. London: Hodder Education.
6. Stewart, L. (2014) Diversity in Leadership. Australia: ANU Press. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt13wwvj5.15 (Accessed: 1 December 2019).

The Historical Context of the Women’s Rights Movement

The women’s rights movement was a movement that took place in the 1960s and was overlooked by many. This was because there were so many other things going on during this time. Vietnam, anti-war protests, and the civil rights movement are just a few of the many other things that occurred during this very chaotic and hectic time period. While the women’s rights movement was disregarded for the most part, it was still a very important step for The United States.

The women’s rights movement was originally focused on dismantling workplace inequality. This included things such as the denial of access to better jobs and salary inequity, which are known as anti-discrimination laws. Other branches of women’s rights sought to gain equality for women on both a political and personal level. While the women’s rights movement began in the 1960s, it still continues today. This is because men and women are still not entirely equal.

Many people wonder why the women’s rights movement is still occurring today. They assume that everything that needed to be done for this movement would have been done over 50 years ago when the movement started. With this said, it can be argued that both good and bad things came out of this very long-lasting movement.

Progress and Controversies: The Dual Sides of the Women’s Movement

There are many arguments about the women’s rights movement. The biggest probably was the controversy between what was positive and what was negative. While there were many positives, nothing came for free. In other words, these positive things were accompanied by negative things. Some of the many positives for women included that they could now have jobs outside of their homes, and they could finally vote and work alongside men. They were no longer required to stay home and tend to the house, cleaning, and caring for the children.

Women were finally seen as actual human beings rather than as an accessory to men and their families. They were allowed to have an education rather than being considered to not need one because they were only permitted to stay at home. They were also granted the freedom to own and run businesses without their husband’s consent. These were all great steps towards the goal for women, but were they really enough?

Persisting Inequalities: The Wage Gap and Gender Discrimination

While women are now able to work alongside men, they are still not treated the same as men are. There are still several discriminations against women. For starters, men are more likely to be hired than women, but setting this aside, even if a woman is hired over a man, she is treated very differently. Women are paid much less than men, which is a huge problem. This is one of the main reasons why, today, there are still thousands of men and women marching in order for women to have the rights that they deserve. It is proven that for the same exact job, a man is paid more than a woman.

A woman is only paid 79 cents, while a man is paid a full dollar. This is even less for women of color or races other than white. For example, black women are only paid 54 cents when a man is paid a full dollar. This difference in pay for men and women adds up over time. For example, if a white man made $1,000, a white woman would only earn $790. That means that they are getting paid over $200 less for the same exact job. A white man’s average annual income is about $90,761, and a white woman’s average annual income is only about $50,756. This is a major difference. This problem was supposed to be fixed by the Equal Rights Amendment, but it was never able to do its job.

The Equal Rights Amendment: The Unfulfilled Promise of Gender Equality

Some issues today that women are fighting to fix include topics such as abortion, abuse, and much more. There is a lot of controversy about whether or not women should be permitted to have abortions. This is because many see it as killing a person. With this said, many of the opinions that people have concerning abortions have to do with religious thoughts, which is yet another huge issue. This is because it is well known that religion is not supposed to be mixed with politics, hence the church and state law.

Alongside abortions, another huge issue has to do with abuse. This can be of any kind, physical, mental, sexual, etc. Women of today are working very hard to prevent so much abuse towards women. One of the biggest steps for this issue is that many women have stepped forward to confront their abusers. This is a step in the right direction, but it is still not nearly enough.

In 1972, the Equal Rights Amendment aimed to provide the legal equality of the sexes as well as prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex. It was passed through Congress very quickly and then sent to the states to vote. Many of the states jumped on the bandwagon and decided to have the Amendment ratified. This was because there was a lot of negative publicity that arose around the Amendment once it became known across the country. The long seven-year period that it took to get the Equal Rights Amendment ratified went by without the Amendment ever being passed.

I believe that if the Equal Rights Amendment was to be passed, then the country may be a more fair and equal place today. There may not be nearly as many issues surrounding the rights of women if the Amendment were to be passed. All of the issues that are still argued and protested today could have been avoided if different steps had been taken years ago. This is because ground rules would have been set through the Equal Rights Amendment, making it impossible for men and women to be treated drastically differently.

Men and women would have all of the same rights be treated equally, be paid equally, and have equal chances at obtaining jobs and other things. The Equal Rights Amendment of 1972 could have been a really helpful amendment for The United States. It is a shame that it was never able to be implemented and enforced. The country could be a much different place today if this Amendment was put into place.

References:

1. Fantz, A., Karimi, F., & McLaughlin, E. (2016). “Orlando nightclub shooting: 49 killed, shooter pledged ISIS allegiance” Source: CNN, www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/orlando-nightclub-shooting/index.html
2. OpenStax. (2016). “U.S. Constitution and Federalism.” Source: OpenStax, openstax.org/details/books/american-government-2e
3. Equal Pay Act of 1963. Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, www.eeoc.gov/statutes/equal-pay-act-1963
4. “Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) | National Archives.” Source: National Archives, www.archives.gov/historical-docs/era
5. “Understanding the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).” Source: National Women’s History Museum, www.womenshistory.org/resources/general/understanding-equal-rights-amendment-era

The Evolution of the Civil Rights Movement:

Many people debate whether America gives its citizens hope for the future, especially those who are minorities and those discriminated against. There are many civil rights that people are entitled to, but there has been much discrimination over the History of the United States. Much of this discrimination has been to minorities of ethnicity, religion, and those who are gay or disabled. Women have also had to endure much discrimination over the History of the country. However, America gives all of its citizens hope for the future, especially today, because we continue to strive for a better tomorrow.

LGBTQ+ Rights: A Century of Progress:

Gay rights have been a point of contention in the United States, which has grown significantly bigger over the past century. There are many things that fall under this umbrella, such as LGBTQ; L being lesbian meaning women who like other women. G being gay means men that like other men. B being bisexual, someone who likes both men and women. T being transexual or someone who goes from being one gender to another.

It seems hard to imagine, but it was less than 100 years ago, in 1924, that the first gay rights organization was founded, known as the Society for Human Rights. This had an underground name so that way people would not expect it to be a gay rights organization because, at the time, it would not have been accepted by the general public like it is today. However, it was not all good over that because, in 1952, the American Psychiatric Association listed homosexuality as a sociopathic personality disorder.

It’s hard to imagine that still 30 years after they founded the first gay rights organization, homosexuals can still be called sociopathic. In fact, it got even worse a year later. In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an executive order banning any gay people from working in the federal government. This must have been devastating, and it would be hard to imagine this happening today. However, there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

In 1975 there was a federal gay rights bill to address discrimination based on sexual orientation. While this was good, a dark day was still on its way. That day was February 28th, 1993. On that day, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was passed. This was disguised as a step forward, and in some ways, it allowed people who were gay to serve in the military. However, it also meant if you were openly gay, you would get kicked out. At the time, this may have seemed like a huge improvement. However, today, it’s almost unthinkable, and the worst thing was it didn’t get repealed until 2011, which meant it was still around only seven years ago.

The good news is in 2003, the largest court in Massachusetts said that banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. This was very divisive at the time, even among state officials, as Governor Mitt Romney said he had “3000 years of history on his side.” However, this did little to stop it from being legalized. May 18th, 2004, was the first day of legalized gay marriage anywhere in the United States, and a little over ten years later, on June 26th, 2015, the banning of gay marriage was deemed unconstitutional at a national level by the Supreme Court and is now legalized in all 50 states. The country has come a very long way in less than 100 years.

Historical Struggles and Triumphs of Racial and Gender Equality:

Another group of people that are discriminated against are those of a different race. This has been true for people of all races throughout History, but especially the blacks. This is apparent with slavery, not being able to vote, and other basic freedoms that were denied to black people. One such example was the Dred Scott decision of 1857 which said that all black people, free or slave, are “Subordinate and inferior beings.”

However, there was a bright day on the first day of the new year, January 1st, 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the height of the Civil War, effectively giving the rebelling states three months to rejoin the union or their slaves would be freed and allowed to fight in the northern army. While this technically didn’t free any slaves right away because the South was not under President Lincoln’s control, it still made there a beacon of hope for the slaves in the South, especially if the North was to win the war as they eventually did.

Then around three years later, the 13th Amendment passed, and slavery was officially abolished from all of the United States. Within the next five years, the 14th and 15th Amendments were passed in 1868 and 1870, respectively. The 14th granted equal protection under the law, and the 15th gave blacks the right to vote, including former slaves. The 15th Amendment said, “The right of citizens in the United States to vote shall not be denied by the United States or by any state on race, color or previous condition of servitude.

There was what should have been a step forward in 1875 with the Civil Rights Act, which said white business owners had to have all facilities open to black people. However, the government really did not enforce it for 100 years, and black people still were not allowed in most places. It’s hard to believe that even with a federal law being passed, people did not enforce this law. Over time, groups began to form that fought for the right of black Americans, such as the NAACP in 1909. This group, The NAACP, continues to advocate for people of color to this day by representing and hiring lawyers to help represent blacks in cases for those who cannot afford them.

Halfway through the 20th century, civil rights Supreme Court cases started to come up. One of the more important ones was Brown vs. The Board of Education which was a battle to try to let a black girl attend an all-white school in an attempt at desegregation. This was big because, eventually, the girl was able to attend the all-white school. Another big event was when a black woman named Rosa Parks tried to sit in the white section of a bus in Alabama in 1955.

A year later, in 1956, there was a Supreme Court case that ruled in favor of Rosa Parks, saying that Alabama’s racial discrimination laws for buses were unconstitutional. This all led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which, while not enforced right away, was enforced more quickly and effectively than the first Civil Rights Act. This was a huge victory. President Lyndon B. Johnson said, “This Civil Rights Act is a challenge to all of us to go to work in our communities and our states.”

Another marginalized group over the years has been women. One example of this came in 1777 when a law was passed that nationwide women could not vote, and it would be 92 years later, in 1869, before the first women’s suffrage law was passed in the United States. This law was passed in Wyoming, and even that was not statewide as that would be passed in 1890 in the same state.

Over the course of the next 30 years, more and more states slowly began to give women the right the vote, and in 1920, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the 19th Amendment that “The rights of citizens of the United States shall not be denied or abridged by any state on account of sex.” Many women celebrated this accomplishment, one of whom was Susan B. Anthony when she said, “No self-respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her.”

Women, however, were still not completely equal, as they did not get equal pay in a lot of instances. This was until Congress passed the equal pay act and was signed into effect by President John F. Kennedy. Over time the United States has continued to push forward for women’s rights.

Rights for the Disabled and Religious Minorities:

Another forgotten group that has been discriminated against and has had a hard time getting recognition is people with various disabilities. These people have been forgotten about over time and continue to be ignored to this day. However, there have been some slight pushes to move forward for people with disabilities.

The first big event in helping disabled people was when the Amer School for The Deaf was founded in 1817. This was a huge step forward that allowed people with hearing disabilities to function as productive members of society. Then another huge event happened in 1832 when very similarly, the Perkins School for The Blind admitted its first two students. Then in 1869, the first wheelchair patent was registered, which was huge, especially for former military veterans who lost their legs in combat. Then, in 1933, a disabled president who was in a wheelchair, FDR, was sworn into the presidency. However, it was kept hidden from the public, and he was very rarely photographed in the wheelchair, and FDR tried to keep it a secret from the public.

However, a lot of people still did know, so this was still a great step forward. In 1964, when the previously-mentioned Civil Rights Act was passed, it bypassed people with disabilities and did not do anything to help them progress or to help them be productive members of society. However, another huge step forward was in 1962 when Eunice Kennedy-Shriver organized a summer camp for children with disabilities and was a huge advocate for people with disabilities, leading to the first Special Olympics being hosted in Chicago in 1968. This gave people with disabilities the chance to compete in healthy sporting events in a supportive environment. The motto of Special Olympics was “Let me win, but if I can, let me be brave in the attempt.”

Then in 2004 Chicago continued to be a center for disability rights when they hosted the first disability pride parade. This was finally disabled people taking pride in who they were and not having to be ashamed. Disabled people have come from pretty much being forgotten to having numerous laws and help come their way in just the last 20 years.

One other group that gets discriminated against is those of minority religions. The big group of this is the post-9/11 Muslims. There have been many hate crimes committed against Muslims. However, one of the biggest issues with post-9/11 Muslims came when President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13769, or Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States. This was a ban on Muslims that has been fought about to this day and is currently going through the Supreme Court. Trump even described the order as “A total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what’s going on.” Religious discrimination against Muslims is a long way from going away. However, the country continues to move forward every day.

Some people would argue and say that America does not give hope for the future, especially to minority groups such as people of different races, sexual orientations, religions, and those who are a woman or disabled. These people would say that these groups of people have to face discrimination on a daily basis and are not treated fairly.

People say that people who are of a different sexual orientation are treated unfairly. However, many people who are of these sexual orientations disagree and believe they are given hope for the future. This is because same-sex marriage has been legalized in the United States for years now and shows no signs of becoming illegal again. In fact, only one county in the United States still refuses to grant same-sex marriage.

In fact, 67% of Americans say they support gay marriage Madhani, Aamer. “Poll: Approval of Same-Sex Marriage in the U.S. Reaches New High.” And the majority are for it in 44 of the 50 states according to NBC News. The six states that oppose are all above 40% support, and only one of those states say they are against it than for it, and that is in Alabama, where still 41% are for it. Every single day more and more Americans are becoming accepting of gay marriage, and the percentage of people for it is rising.

Some people would also say that people of a different race are not given hope for the future. However, most poor black Americans are more optimistic than poor or even middle-class white Americans, according to the BBC. There have also been so many different organizations designed to help black people.

A lot of Americans believe women don’t have hope for the future either. However, America continues to pass laws for women, and women continue to be to gain more and more rights, including being allowed to join the military and several women in Congress. Women continue to move forward every single day.

Disabled people also have hope for the future because there are so many organizations to help them, even that are government funded, and there continue to be laws put into place that help them be productive and functional members of society. These programs range from helping them live normal lives, getting homes and jobs, and helping them financially.

Last but not least religious discrimination is irrefutable because up to 9/10 Muslims feel proud to be American, according to recent polls.
So, in the end, America does give all of its’ citizens hope for the future. Whether you are a minority or not, America gives you hope for the future by continuing to fight discrimination every single day.

References:

1. “Race Discrimination: U.S. Supreme Court Cases.” Findlaw. civilrights.findlaw.com/discrimination/race-discrimination-u-s-supreme-court-cases.html.
2. “History.” A&E Television Networks, LLC. https://www.history.com/.
3. “Khan Academy.” Khan Academy, Inc. https://www.khanacademy.org/.
4. “Detailed Timeline.” National Women’s History Project. www.nwhp.org/resources/womens-rights-movement/detailed-timeline/.
5. “History Timeline.” Youth Organizing! Disabled & Proud. http://www.yodisabledproud.org/organize/docs/PRIDE/5_High_School/Unit_3_High/3_1h-History_Timeline.pdf.
6. “LGBT Rights Milestones Fast Facts.” CNN. Cable News Network, April 1st, 2018. www.cnn.com/2015/06/19/us/lgbt-rights-milestones-fast-facts/index.html.
7. Suarez. “Looking Back at the Legalization of Gay Marriage in Mass.” The Boston Globe, June 26th, 2015. www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/06/26/looking-back-legalization-gay-marriage-mass/uhCeyrSeJtWty9tSUde1PI/story.html.

The Controversy Surrounding the LGBTQ Community and the Civil Rights Movement

There is a lot of controversy in the LGBTQ community. Some people support it. Some people don’t, just like interracial couples. The case of Loving vs. Virginia is a case that changed the Constitution for interracial couples. The case of Obergefell V. Hodges is another case that changed civil rights. There are so many things that have happened in the news with the LGBTQ community. A few years ago, it was the pulse shooting in the club. Then during that same time of the Pulse shooting, it was the “lives matter movement.” That started a whole other issue with this country.

Key Moments in LGBTQ History: Obergefell vs. Hodges and the Pulse Nightclub Tragedy

The LGBTQ community, over the past several years, has had a lot of controversies. In 2015 there was the case of Obergefell vs. Hodges, which had to do with same-sex marriage. The court basically ruled that love is love when it comes to marriage. This case helped raise the ban on same-sex marriage in the thirteen states that still had the ban.

In 2016, there was a shooting in Orlando, Florida, at the Pulse nightclub. Pulse was a Gay nightclub; one night, a shooting went in and shot and killed forty- nine people in the club. Making this the biggest terrorist attack since 9/11. The shooter pledged to be part of ISIS on the phone to dispatch. Having the Constitution is essential to the United States; we have the right to be treated equally no matter where we come from or who we are. The First Amendment gives us freedom of expression, being who we want to be, and freedom of speech to what we feel.

Loving vs. Virginia: An Emblematic Case of the Civil Rights Movement

Another iconic case was the case of Loving vs. Virginia. This case changed the Constitution when it came to marriage. In this case, Mildred and Richard Loving were sentenced to jail for being married. They had a set sentence of twenty- five years unless they pleaded guilty to the charge. Then it would be one year, and they could not return to the state of Virginia for twenty- five years. The movie “Loving Story,” explains how the whole case played out. In the end, they took their trial to the Supreme Court and got their kids involved. Since the Loving in the movie went back to Virginia before the twenty- five years were up, they got rearrested, and that’s how the case got to the Supreme Court (‘The Loving Story’). This case changed the Constitution for marriage when it came to interracial marriages. The civil rights movement has changed so much in the past centuries.

Religious Views, Marriage Equality, and Growing Support

The controversy between both same-sex marriage and marriage equality is nearly the same. It comes down to religious views on both sides. Some people, because of their religious views, don’t support same-sex marriage because God created men and women, and only men and women are supposed to get married, not ones of the same- sex. Marriage equality is how people view and what people believe. For example, some people were raised to marry ones of their own race and not another race.

Since 2015, there has been a reverse on the protected right of same-sex marriage. Ever since the case of Obergefell vs. Hodges, every state lifted the ban on same-sex marriage. Altogether, it comes down to what a person believes and how they grew up. Today, so many people have become more supportive of the LGBTQ community and have become more supportive of marriage equality. At the end of the day, love is love.

References:

1. Guides: A Brief History of Civil Rights in the United States: Obergefell v. Hodges Source: https://guides.loc.gov/civil-rights-primary-sources/obergefell-v-hodges
2. Fantz, A., Karimi, F., & McLaughlin, E. C. (2016). “Orlando shooting: 49 killed, shooter pledged ISIS allegiance.” CNN. Source: https://www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/orlando-shooting-what-happened/index.html
3. OpenStax. (2016). “The First Amendment.” U.S. History. Source: https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/14-1-the-first-amendment
4. “Loving v. Virginia.” Oyez. Source: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1966/395
5. “The Loving Story.” HBO. Source: https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-loving-story