Nathaniel Green

Social Movements

Dr. Hare

2/8/16

The Civil Rights struggle of the 1960s was born of centuries of systemic oppression in

government and culture that black Americans could no longer endure. In the United States

African Americans were not duly represented in local, state and federal government because of

unfair voting laws, practices and collusion within political parties. What were identified as black

problems were not represented in the media and culture. The most persistent and pervasive of the

offenses that African Americans were expected to endure was the practice of segregation.

Segregation was a barrier to progress in the social, economic and political arenas. This practice

made it incredibly difficult for black people to succeed in the United States. It would be an

extremely important victory for the Civil Rights movement to tear down the barrier of

segregation, but it would not be the final battle. As the struggle continued for equality and Civil

Rights some of these problems would be addressed, but the true nature of the opposition would

be revealed in the violence that was perpetrated against the leaders and activists many of whom

wanted nothing more than freedom and equality.

The goals of the Civil Rights movement began as a desire for desegregation. The

supporters and activists like Rosa Parks, wanted simply to be treated as equal under the law.

They wanted access to schools, public services and commercial services to be equal not separate.

But as opposition increased, the cry for freedom and equality escalated as well. It would be

revealed how deeply racism and policies of inequality had impacted society and government.

Voting laws would have to be changed, black people would have to fight against groups within

the society and the political powers themselves, not only for the laws to change, but even for the

ability to freely cast a vote. It became clear to Civil Rights activists that political power and

participation within the process of lawmaking would be needed, African Americans needed

representation. Equality was not only a struggle for black people, not just a problem of Civil

Rights, but Human Rights. Malcolm X, before his assassination expressed a desire to shift the

discussion to equality as an issue of Human Rights. A system that relies on oppression and

control of any group, cannot be said to be free at any level. The ruling class is enslaved by the

enslavement of others and oppressed by the oppression, the responses of those that rule are

determined by the actions of those that are ruled. Individuals and groups in a society depend on

each other, when political, economic and social power is managed irresponsibly, then conflict

will occur. The results of these conflicts may not only improve the lives of individuals in a

society, but they can determine the nature and escalation of future conflicts.

The outcome of the Civil Rights struggle of the 1960s was a major shift in the course of

the United States. Amidst the social and political upheaval Civil Rights became a major political

agenda. President Lyndon Johnson spoke on the topic and ensured that black people would be

allowed voting rights. The resolve displayed by the President is proof of the efficacy of the Civil

Rights movement and the severity of the problem of inequality at this time. Acts of violence

were a signature of the opposition to the Civil Rights movement. Several leaders were killed,

threatened and attacked by a counterculture that rose to challenge activists in both the political

and official arena and outside of the political sphere. Malcolm X, a leader and speaker for the

Nation of Islam was murdered. Rev. James Leeb, an activist and advocate for Civil Rights was

murdered following the second march at the Edmund Pettis Bridge. The first march at the

Edmund Pettis Bridge, in Selma, AL was subject to an overwhelming display of force by State

and local leadership and became a rallying point for Civil Rights activists. Other incidents of

violence, both official and outlaw, such as the disappearance of three men in Meridian, the death

of Jimmy Jackson, the assassination of Medgar Evers, and the attack on James Meredith, drew

public outcry and garnered not only national media attention, but also highlighted the depth of

the problem. These incidents steeled the resolve of huge portions of the nation in addition to the

activists themselves and enabled the leadership, much of whom were committed to non-violence,

to overcome the opposition and gain tangible and enduring freedom step by step. One major step

in the direction of freedom came in the form of a policy that was enacted by the democratic

convention to bar any delegate that practiced discrimination. Voting rights were granted and the

acquisition of political power became an option for African Americans. The Civil Rights

movement, through a series of actions by courageous and dedicated activists, became a cohesive

and outspoken alliance of social organizations during the 1960s. This alliance gained media

support and attention, made political allies and advocates and forged a path that would lead not

only to an equal future, but to a more equitable one.

There were several prominent groups that formed this, at times, tenuous alliance of social

organizations. The most influential of these organizations was probably, SCLC, the Southern

Christian Leadership Conference. The influence of SCLC was due in large part to the

charismatic and outspoken Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was a Nobel Peace Prize

recipient, a promoter of non-violence, a prominent leader within SCLC, a gifted speaker and

a dedicated leader of the Civil Rights movement. Much of the movement’s guidance was

under the unofficial tutelage of Dr. King. The SCLC held meetings and discussions in

churches and organized rallies, marches and protests during the struggle for Civil Rights.

Representing the SCLC, leaders would reach out to other activist groups, like the Student

Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Nation of Islam, to promote the agenda of non-

violent protest. The emphasis on non-violence was a point of contention among these groups.

The Nation of Islam promoted and celebrated Black Pride and self-reliance among black

communities. To realize this goal they built churches and schools across the country and

encouraged black business owners to work towards economic independence. But due in large

part to the efforts of Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam carried a more radicalized message and

did not embrace non-violence as a policy. Dissension within the Nation of Islam that resulted

from controversial statements by Malcolm X would cause him to separate from the Nation of

Islam and form the Organization for Afro-American Unity. The Organization for Afro-

American Unity sought to promote Black nationalism and to change the discussion of

equality into a discussion of Human Rights. To accomplish this Malcolm X and the

Organization for Afro-American Unity garnered international support and attention to the

fight for Civil Rights in the United States. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating

Committee, SNCC, strived for voting rights particularly in the state of Alabama. SNCC

canvassed neighborhoods, organized and led rallies and marches, and were met with

persistent official resistance during this struggle for voting rights. SNCC members formed

the Black Panther Party as a political and social group for black voters and candidates. The

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP, drew in many

lawyers, scholars and educated activists and supporters. The NAACP organized boycotts and

arranged for speakers. They were also involved in court cases and provided for legal

channels to be followed in the pursuit of Civil Rights. Medgar Evers, a leader within the

NAACP was murdered following his public support of James Meredith’s efforts to integrate

Mississippi University. The assassination of Medgar Evers became a rally point for Civil

Rights leaders and shone a national spotlight on the complexity of the struggle for Civil

Rights.

Social conditions and the climate of tension between not only the Civil Rights activists

and the segregationists, but also between the Civil Rights groups themselves, added to the

complexity of the struggle for Civil Rights. Segregationists, individuals and groups that

protested and opposed the Civil Rights movement, inherited a political system and culture

that had been built with the policy of institutional racism at its core. The legacy of

segregation and the efforts of those that intended to maintain that legacy were heavily

entrenched in all sections of society, political on all levels, economic, academic, and cultural.

This systematic racism created a resolute and massive barrier for the Civil Rights activists to

overcome. African American members of society were disadvantaged economically, many

lived in ghettos were opportunities were scarce. They were disadvantaged by the long

standing policy of segregation on all levels and each level had a cumulative effect that

created a barrier to success, happiness and equality. The outrage that many individuals must

have felt is understandable in the context of the vast injustice. This outrage, combined with a

desire to change the circumstances of the people that are affected is a powerful and pervasive

entity in a society. The contention between the leaders of SNCC, which supported a

militaristic stance, and the Nation of Islam, with their ideal of Black Pride, on one side and

the leaders of SCLC, with their policy of forbearance and adherence to non-violence was a

significant factor in the pursuit of Civil Rights. The outrage of an oppressed group can be a

powerful motivator for effective social change, but without a focus on peace and a desire to

ease suffering instead of displace it, then the power of the collective emotions of a population

can be a devastating and dangerous force. The condition that benefitted the Civil Rights

movement the most was the unconditional commitment of certain individuals to create a non-

violent resolution.

With non-violence at the core of the movement, Civil Rights leaders and activists

effectively leveraged sit-ins, boycotts, and marches. Protest rallies were held. Buses were

boycotted in Montgomery. Stores were boycotted in Jackson. Marches were held in Selma

and Marion. When the opposition, Governor Wallace of Alabama rallied State Police to

break up protesters in Selma, or members of the Whit Citizen’s Council punished individuals

and communities that supported integration, the Civil Rights activists continued to march and

speak, bravely confronting violence with words of peace and harmony. When secretive

counter-movement groups ambushed and assassinated members of the Civil Rights groups,

like James Meredith, and Medgar Evers and Malcolm X, leaders publicly mourned the loss

and ploddingly, doggedly, pursued the dream of a free and prosperous future in a system that

did not include racism at its heart. The strategy of peace and the promotion of non-violence

against an oppressive and violent system is the purest and most beautiful expression of

human nature that can be witnessed. The confluence of events and response, the honesty and

morality of the Civil Rights leaders, the courage and bravery of the activists that participated

concluded not in a perfect future, but in a better one. Our society is not always an equitable

system, but now it seems to be much more equal.