From Struggles to Triumphs: The Evolution of the Civil Rights Movement (1950s-2010s) - Paper Sample

During this period between the 1950s and 2010s, many groups were formed to pursue equality and freedom. One of these groups was the civil rights movement which started to fight for Black Americans' social justice. The movement's primary purpose was to ensure Black Americans were treated equally under the law like the whites (Ware 1088). Even if the Civil War had abolished slavery, Black people were still discriminated against due to their skin color, and they faced a lot of prejudice and violence. As a result, Black Americans and some white Americans formed various groups to fight for equality from the 1950s to the 2010s. Even if some groups were more successful than others, they all faced multiple challenges and setbacks in fighting for social and legal equality and freedom.

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Despite slavery being abolished, the progress in achieving equality for African Americans in the 1950s was slow. The Civil Rights Act of 1957 allowed all Americans to vote (Hall 1250). However, Black citizens could not enjoy their right to vote in most of the southern states. African Americans were required to take a literacy test that was difficult to pass to gain the right to vote. These incidents increased racial tension tensions in the southern states. To minimize these tensions and show support for the civil rights movement, the Eisenhower government directed Congress to adhere to the new civil rights laws.

Along with these developments, some southern states still required residents to pay poll taxes to participate in state elections. African Americans did not acknowledge the slow progress of the Civil Rights Act and became more frustrated. As a result, they formed new groups such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) (Spring 118). These groups were formed to challenge the leading civil rights organization that existed at that time. These new groups were more direct-action-oriented and used demonstrations to conduct their campaigns. As a result, most groups adopted these strategies, including the 1955-1956 Montgomery bus boycott. The boycott was effective and resulted in the desegregation of public transport in Montgomery.

Therefore, through campaigns, many groups gained momentum in the struggle for social and legal equality. As a result of these actions to pursue freedom and equality, President Johnson passed the Civil Acts of 1964, which significantly changed American society (Hall 1234). The law was against discrimination based on sex, originality, religion, ethnicity, and race. Hence, African Americans could enjoy equal employment opportunities just as whites. During this period, groups formed strides towards equality and freedom to ensure all Americans were treated equally and received equal opportunities.

With that said, some groups formed during this period were more successful than others. The reason is that some groups faced more resistance than others. Some people did not hold the same views as those of the groups. For instance, despite the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, many southern states remained resistant to the Act's policies (K'Meyer 17). Whites in these states wanted to maintain the area's political power structure by excluding African Americans. As a result, it was difficult for SCLC to be successful in the region, and the group focused its attention on other areas.

Moreover, some groups had well-outlined and specific purposes, and this made them more successful. Not all Black Americans in the civil rights movement were prepared for the slow change to achieve social and legal equality. These African Americans called for immediate action instead of using demonstrations. They formed groups that called for more stringent civil rights laws forcing the whites to accept their demands. For instance, the Black Panthers group was willing to use all force necessary and violence to accomplish their goals. These African Americans fought for Black Power and the reduction of white dominance (Ware 1093). Therefore, despite the similarities among the groups, they achieved different results based on their purposes.

To this end, in fighting for social and legal equality and freedom, these groups faced various challenges. First, they met resistance since whites wanted to maintain their political and economic dominance. During the late 1960s, most of the groups in the struggle for equality were faced with large-scale public opposition. Resistance was not just from the southern states but across the country. As a result, the attempts to end discrimination and racism were unpopular in the cities.

Even if some campaigns were effective in some regions, they had little impact in areas where they were not replicated. Also, some of the demonstrations resulted in violence against the group leaders and ordinary people. For instance, Rosa Parks, who initiated the bus boycott in Montgomery, received death threats (Parks 292). Other leaders were assassinated or killed in the process. Therefore, for the past years, African American groups and movements have faced many challenges related to discrimination and racism. As a result, the progress of these groups remains uneven, slow, and frustrating.

Apart from experiencing these challenges, these groups also faced various setbacks. The main setback was the assassination of civil rights leaders. The civil rights movement resulted in consequences for some groups in the late 1960s. Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam leader at that time, was assassinated while conducting a rally in 1965. In 1968, Martin Luther King Jr was also assassinated for his efforts to fight for equality in America (Ware 1094). All these events resulted in violence, which civil rights movement groups attempted to avoid on most occasions.

Despite all these efforts to ensure equality among all Americans, some problems still exist. First, American segregation in the past remains in most parts of the United States of America (Hall 1261). The reason is that many African Americans still reside in black neighborhoods. Secondly, most young African Americans attend schools that are primarily composed of students of color. Additionally, due to persistent racism, many African Americans cannot access high-paying jobs. As a result, today, most of these people have been trapped in poor neighborhoods. While the Civil Rights Act was passed to create equal opportunities for all Americans, Blacks are still treated differently and associated with crime and violence.

Conclusion

In conclusion, despite these challenges and setbacks, the civil rights movement between the 1950s and 2010s has achieved notable victories. The movement led to the reduction of segregation and racial discrimination in America. However, the movement and groups' goal to achieve social and legal equality has not been accomplished. African Americans still remain incarcerated and are often victims of police brutality. Poverty is still dominant in black communities, and they cannot sufficiently access social services due to inequalities. As a result, more grassroots movements are required to advance hope for black communities and complete the fight for equality.

Works Cited

Hall, Jacquelyn Dowd. "The long civil rights movement and the political uses of the past." The Best American History Essays 2007. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2007. 1234-1262.

K'Meyer, Tracy. Civil Rights in the Gateway to the south: Louisville, Kentucky, 1945-1980. University Press of Kentucky, 2009.

Parks, Virginia. "Rosa Parks redux: Racial mobility projects on the journey to work." Annals of the American Association of Geographers 106.2 (2016): 292-299.

Spring, Joel. Deculturalization and the struggle for equality: A brief history of the education of dominated cultures in the United States. Routledge, 2016.

Ware, Leland. "Civil rights and the 1960s: A decade of unparalleled progress." Md. L. Rev. 72 (2012): 1087-1095.