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Home , African Americans, Spingarn Medal

The

By: Hasaan White

Table of Contents ​

Introduction……………………………………………………………….Page 3

Martin Luther King Jr…………………………………………………….Page 4

Rosa Parks………………………………………………………………..Page 8

Segregation……………………………………………………………….Page 16

The Bus ……………………………………………………….....Page 21

The March on ……………………………………………….Page 25

Conclusion………………………………………………………………..Page 27

Bibliography………………………………………………………...... Page 29

Image Credits………………………………………………………...... Page 30

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Introduction

The civil rights movement was an organized effort by African to end racial and gain equal rights under the law. It was one of the most important events in the history of our country. It was an inspiration to not only African people but also to people all around the world. Ultimately, the civil rights movement won the their freedom and ended segregation in the .The civil rights movement was by definition, a new beginning for the African Americans and how they live their everyday lives.

Each and every component of this movement from the bus boycott to the March on Washington and many others made a huge impact on today's society from the perspective of the African Americans.

I chose this topic for my expert project because it inspired me to learn more about my people and the sacrifices they made. Throughout the process of this project there times I felt like giving up. However, I persevered and worked hard. Because of that I was able to learn more about my topic and my roots that date back hundreds of years. African Americans as people have been through so much and have endured many hardships as a race and community. They were

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subjected to dreadful circumstances such as , cruel experiences like segregation and multiple other horrible events and situations.

With this project, I pay homage to my ancestors, their lifelong struggles, and their influence on the liberties that I have inherited. Without their will to push forward, stay strong and fight for what they believe in, I would not be here today.

The civil rights movement inspired African Americans to do great things! It was more than just an act, it was a decades-long struggle that began in the late and ended in the late . The civil rights movement was mostly nonviolent and progressed through various stages. Following the timeline, which mostly took place in the 1950s and 1960s, this paper will highlight important figures, pivotal moments and key events of the civil rights movement.

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Chapter 1: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr was born on 15, 1929 in , .

Martin was named after his father Michael King. But his father changed their names to Martin Luther King Sr. and Jr. when Martin was about five years old.

Martin lived with his mother Alberta and his father Martin Sr. who was a pastor, along with his grandfather A.D. Williams, who was also a pastor. Martin also lived with his older sister, Christine and his little brother, A.D.

Martin had always been a smart child and by the time he was 14 he had skipped the 9th and 12th grade. When Martin turned 15 years old, he entered

Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. At Martin became an admirer of Benjamin E. Mays, Morehouse president and well known scholar of religion. Under Mays’ influence, Martin decided to become a minister like his ​ ​ father and grandfather.

Martin was ordained as a minister just before he graduated from Morehouse in 1948. Soon after, Martin entered Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester,

Pennsylvania to earn a divinity degree. Martin then went on to graduate school at

Boston University, where he earned a Ph.D. in Theology in 1955. After graduating he stayed in for a couple of weeks and eventually returned to Montgomery.

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While in Boston, Martin met his future wife Coretta

Scott. Martin and Coretta immediately fell in love and

were married in 1953. Martin had four children,

Yolanda, Dexter, Martin and Bernice. In 1954, Martin

became a pastor at Dexter Avenue church in

Montgomery, .

Soon after, Martin decided to get involved with civil rights and wanted to fight for his rights peacefully. Martin’s first civil rights act was the bus boycott.

The leaders of the protest asked Martin to become President, Martin was the perfect man for the job. Before the protest he gave a speech and some words of wisdom. Letting them know what was to come from them standing up for their rights. Martin knew it would be a difficult challenge but he was up for it.

Martin's contribution to the bus boycott earned him national fame and identified him as a symbol of African Americans’ new effort to fight against racial injustice. In 1957 Martin was awarded the for his civil rights

achievements. The medal was awarded to amazing

African Americans by the National Association for

the Advancement of People (NAACP).

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Soon after, Martin founded the Southern Christan Leadership Conference

(SCLC). With this new business opportunity his goal was to expand the non violent struggle against racial injustice. Martin moved from Montgomery, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia to focus on the SCLC’s work. Soon After, President Kennedy proposed strong laws to protect United States citizens. The ​ ​ conditions for African Americans were better compared to the past, but it still was not enough.

Martin felt that President John F. Kennedy’s civil rights efforts were not doing enough to promote the civil rights movement. In early 1963, Martin and his associates launched a massive protest in Washington, D.C. That protest was called

the March on Washington. The goal of the

march was to highlight African American’s

unemployment and to persuade congress to

pass president Kennedy’s laws that

addressed civil rights. The most memorable moment of the march was Martin’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Martin lifted his people, inspired them with his words, and showed them his idea of peace. The march was a huge success and has been credited with helping congress pass the laws which lead to the end of segregation in public places and banned employment

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discrimination. Later that year, Martin was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Martin

helped change how African Americans are

viewed and changed the way African

Americans think about themselves. He

helped bring attention to the problem of

racial inequality in the United States. He fought for his people while bringing all people together. He will forever be remembered.

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Chapter 2:

Rosa Louise Mccauley was born in Tuskegee, Alabama on February 4,

1913. Her father James was a carpenter and her mother Leona was a teacher. Rosa

Parks had a rough upbringing as a child. When Rosa was two and a half, her parents divorced. Rosa and her little brother Sylvester moved to Pine Level,

Alabama and were raised by their grandparents on their farm.

Growing up Rosa was not always safe, her neighbors were part of the Ku ​ ​ Klux Klan, A group dedicated to

shunning the African American race

because of the color of their skin.

Rosa was very outgoing and

adventurous growing up. Rosa loved to explore the creeks and woods. Rosa was a hardworking, will minded girl and was always thinking of ways to make ends meet and help her family. For extra money, Rosa sold eggs around the neighborhood.

When Rosa turned nine she began to pity the Europeans who disrespected her. Rosa would always have an optimistic outlook on things. She wanted to forgive, not hate. She loved school and loved to learn and was ready to take

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everyday head on. Rosa had faith that God would protect her and provide her with everything she needed. In 1924, when Rosa turned eleven, her mother sent her to

Montgomery, Alabama so she could go to a better school. The program was started to help young girls get a better education.

There were roughly three hundred students who attended and all the teachers were Caucasian. Students came from all over the world, people of all ages and races. The head of the school, Alice White was both strict and loving and expected her students to work hard and stay disciplined. Rosa admired her. Rosa refused to set low goals for herself or settle for less because she was black. She knew she would be set to a higher standard because of the color of her skin and she would not let that stop her from achieving her goals. She worked extremely hard and it paid off tremendously.

In 1928, the school closed down. Miss White moved back to but stayed in touch with Rosa. Rosa transferred to another school in the middle of the year. Rosa wanted to be a teacher like her mother.

Soon after she transferred, her grandmother became ill. Rosa was sixteen at the time and knew her mother could not take care of her grandmother alone. So she dropped out of school and moved back to Pine Level to help take care of her grandmother. Rosa was not happy to drop out but, she knew it was the best thing to

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do. After Rosa's grandmother died, her mother got sick. Rosa found ways to earn money to help provide for her family. She cleaned houses for Caucasians. But at times it still was not enough. So she would often stand on the street selling fruit.

She worked extremely hard to provide for her family.

Soon after dropping out of school she met her future husband, Raymond

Parks. Rosa was eighteen at the time, and when she met Raymond she knew he was the one. Rosa was impressed by how intelligent he was. Rosa's friend introduced them and it was love at first sight. Raymond had not really had much schooling but he loved to learn. Raymond worked for the NAACP(National

Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Like Rosa, Raymond had

also suffered from trauma. Raymond’s mother

passed away when he was about thirteen.

Raymond and Rosa were so alike that it was

certain that they were going to be together.

Raymond proposed to Rosa on their second

date.They got married in December of 1932. Soon

after, they left Pine Level to start over in

Montgomery, Alabama.

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In 1934, Rosa decided to go back to school and with a lot of hard work and dedication, she became the first in her family to earn a degree. After Rosa graduated, she finally found a job as a secretary at Maxwell Field Air Force Base.

Maxwell was integrated because segregation was forbidden on the air force base.

Rosa felt comfortable at work where everyone was equal, but as soon as she left work she returned to the harsh reality of . Everyday as she rode the bus home from work, Rosa was forced to sit in the back of the bus. She knew this was unjust and unfair. She wanted to do something about it.

Raymond was tired of his job at the NAACP and quit. Soon after, Rosa joined the NAACP. Rosa was excited to work for them and was ready to take on any challenge. Rosa worked for the NAACP as their secretary for the next twelve years. Rosa was a great secretary. She raised awareness about hateful crimes like and beatings. She also helped find lawyers for people who were wrongly

accused of a crime.

Rosa was doing meaningful work

with the NAACP. One of her

biggest projects was earning the

right to vote. Rosa decided it was time for a change, starting with herself. And after a lot of hard work and

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perseverance, Rosa voted in 1945. It was a long and difficult fight to earn the right to vote, Rosa felt it should not have been. World War II had just ended and Rosa's brother Sylvester, had just come home. He moved to because he could not take the in Montgomery. He asked Rosa to come live with him and she refused, for good reason. There were multiple race riots in Detroit and there were many other dangers as well. Even though there was a lot less racism, they did not want to there because of all the . Life did not get any easier for Rosa.

Raymond barely worked because he was often ill, and by this time her mother lived with them too. Rosa cleaned houses and got another job sewing at a tailors shop. But Rosa continued to work for the NAACP. Even though Rosa did not have any children of her own, she loved children. She often encouraged children to go to the library and learn. Rosa was a great person. She had a huge heart and a burning desire to change the unfair rules. The public buses were still on Rosa's mind. The rules for riding the bus were complicated. There were thirty six seats on each bus.

There were three sections on the bus. The front door was for the white people and the middle section was for both races and the back was for the . Rosa decided to sit at the front of the bus. Once she sat down she was immediately told to move, but she refused and stood her ground and stayed where she was.

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Eventually the police arrived and told her to leave the bus or she would be arrested.

Finally she got off the bus even though she knew it was not right.

In 1954, Rosa met a woman that would change her life forever. That woman's name was Durr. She was raised on the principle that white was superior to black. But after spending time with black people, Virginia realized everyone was equal. Rosa and Virginia met in a prayer group. Virginia described

Rosa as quiet but brave. As they grew closer they realized they had a lot in common. Rosa wanted to become more actively involved with civil rights. In July of 1955, and with Virginia’s help she participated in a ten day workshop that taught people to fight for equal rights. The workshop took place in Monteagle,

Tennessee. Students came from all different places. People of all ages and races.

Rosa took classes on voting rights and desegregation. Rosa felt like she was in a whole new world, it was the first time she felt was treated equally. Rosa was never really a people person, so she was shy at first. But after spending time with all these people she opened up about her life and experiences. The workshop experience helped Rosa to become more social.

Upon returning from the workshop, Rosa was given an assignment to help the community progress forward. The assignment was to figure out how to make changes in the area they live in. Rosa couldn't think of anything at the time. After

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the workshop, Rosa had changed. She just wanted to keep working for equality and was determined to complete her goal.

Around the same time, things were not going so well at Rosa's job at a department store, mostly because Rosa was forced to endure racism and hate daily.

She had to be polite to the customers, even if they were not polite to her. She was determined to change that. This experience dealing with so much racism made

Rosa more determined to help change unfair rules. She continued to work for the

NAACP, where she met many other activists like Martin Luther King, Jr. and many more.

At this point, Rosa was still not over the current state of the buses. They were still segregated and Rosa was going to do something about it. On December

1, 1955, Rosa left work a little before 5 o'clock. She walked to the court square where she proceeded to catch the Avenue bus. Once she approached her seat she realized the person driving the bus was the same person who had kicked her off the bus before. His name was Jim Blake. Rosa said nothing and sat at the back of the bus. Soon the bus filled up and a white man came on to the bus looking for a seat. When there were no seats left the bus driver proceeded to ask Rosa to move. Rosa refused and said no. He then threatened to call the police and told Rosa she would be arrested. At that moment, Rosa thought about adversity and all the

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racism and discrimination she had witnessed that led up to this moment and she was not going anywhere. She decided to take a stand and refused to move from her seat. The police arrived within a few minutes. She was not hurt or put in cuffs. It was almost as if they did not care whatsoever. She was still taken to the police station and was booked, fingerprinted and then sent to the county jail. Rosa was allowed to make one phone call, so she called her mother who contacted her husband to come and get her. They were unable to pay bail so Edgar Nixon, one of the members of the NAACP, paid bail and she was released! This courageous act was the beginning of the bus boycott. Rosa did not only stand up for herself, but she was standing up for all that had been mistreated because of their race.

She inspired many other people to stand up for their rights and what they believe in. The bus boycott was the first protest against segregation and sparked the civil rights movement.

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Chapter 3: Segregation

Racial segregation in its modern form started in the late 1800s. But slavery existed in the United States for more than 200 hundred years. Slavery ended in

1865 at the conclusion of the Civil War. But it was the beginning of segregation and even with being free, black people were far from being viewed as equals compared to white people.

The system of segregation separated blacks and whites into two different groups. There were different types of segregation. In each place they had different rules. In the south there were a specific set of rules that determined what the blacks could and could not do. These rules were called the laws. ​ ​ The name Jim Crow was introduced by a stage show in the 1800s in which a white actor in black face makeup sang a song about a silly little black man named

Jim Crow. According to the , basically anyone with colored skin

will be given less than they deserve. These

rules were put in place to degrade African

Americans. For example, black people could

not drink from the same water fountains or

use the same restrooms as white people.

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African Americans were not allowed to go into certain restaurants. Those are just some of the things that African Americans were limited to because of these outrageous rules. African Americans commonly worked jobs that were low income, such as a janitor or garbage collector. Those kinds of roles were often portrayed on tv and in movies by black people which made it appear that they could only get these kinds of jobs in real life. Even professional sports leagues were segregated. Major league teams were all white until joined The Dodgers in 1947. These rules did not apply everywhere. For instance, the north was a lot more developed, and since there was no need for slaves in the north, rules like segregation and Jim Crow Laws did not always apply to that part of the country.

Along with these inhumane and biased rules, were

also callous and unjust punishments. When

African Amerians disobeyed the rules, there were

often fatal consequences such as lynchings. A

was a public hanging that could be

imposed for any offense, even an imaginary one.

There were also beatings where police would just sick their dogs on innocent children and beat them with sticks and threaten them with guns and other weapons.

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These painful and immoral experiences unfortunately happened on a regular basis.

In 1955, fourteen year old Emmet Till was beaten to death for supposedly

whistling at a white woman. That was just

one of the examples of these horrific

beatings. Segregation was widely accepted

in the south and Jim Crow Laws spread

rapidly all across the south. Sadly, these unjust rules were also supported by a series of Supreme Court decisions.

The most influential case was held by Plessy v. Ferguson. In that case the court supported the idea that the facilities for whites and blacks can be separate but not equal. After that ruling, there was mass migration of African Americans from the south to the center of the north. In 1910, about ten percent of African

Americans lived outside the south. Today more than half of the African American population lives outside of the south. As a result of this migration, African ​ ​ Americans gained increasing prominence in national politics and a fairer hearing federal courts.

The turning point was reached in 1954, in the case of Brown v. Board of ​ Education of Topeka, in which the Supreme Court ruled against segregation in ​

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public schools. The court stated, “In the field of public education the doctrine of

‘Separate and not Equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” In 1969, the court ordered the public school districts to desegregate. In the beginning of 1973, the Supreme Court desegregated public schools in northern cities. By the end of the 1900s segregation had again increased in public schools.

White residents moved from central cities to the to avoid segregation. This type of segregation was known as segregation. It was not supported by ​ ​ law, but was in practice as expressed to social customs. In the 1960s the attention shifted to de facto segregation, which increased despite desegregation efforts. De ​ ​ ​ facto segregation continued to separate African Americans and Caucasions in ​ everyday life.

Throughout history there have been many crucial events that hightlighted racial discrimination and lead to the end of slavery and segregation. The efforts to eliminate segregation benefited Americans. This group which includes African Americans accounts for 25% of all African Americas. As a result, middle class African Americans were afforded better education and often developed the skills to succeed, despite segregation. Throughout the last couple of decades many important people stood up for their rights to freedom so that we all could live better lives, improving with each new generation. Although we, as

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African Americans are still discriminated against, things have gotten better. I believe things will continue to get better.

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Chapter 4: The Bus Boycott

The was a protest against the segregated bus system in Montgomery. The protest took place from December 5, 1955 to

December 20, 1956. The bus boycott led to the end of segregated buses all over the

United States. It also raised awareness about racism and inequality, which incited the civil rights movement and made a huge impact on desegregation. This freedom did not come easy. During that time, it was extremely hard for people to get around without the bus, but they chose to take a stand for equality and it was worth it.

The rules for the buses were complex, with many different parts, but easy to

follow. The front rows were for

whites only and they rarely ever

sat in the back. The blacks were

required to sit in the back, but if

there was no more space in the

front they were forced to move to make room for the whites. This was extremely unfair and unjust. Rosa Parks was brave enough to do something about it.

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Rosa was not the first to take a stand against bus

segregation, it was fifteen year old Claudette Colvin a few

months before Rosa Parks. However, since Claudette was

younger she didn't get as much publicity as Rosa. Thus, it

was Rosa’s stand that made a difference and was extremely crucial to desegregation. Her courageous act became an important act in history.

On December 1,1955, Rosa Parks, civil rights activist and civil rights icon, refused to give up her seat and was arrested. The black community was outraged.

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So they boycotted the buses. This boycott lasted for a year so people had to find different ways to move around the city. Some chose riding bikes or walking in groups. This continued for the rest of the year. Due to the boycott, the buses were not making enough money without the help of the black riders. The city wasn't

making as much money

from the buses once the

boycott began. Most of the

people who rode the buses

were black so the city was

almost forced to give the

protesters what they wanted, which was the freedom to sit wherever they wanted to sit on the bus. This led up to the rules being changed.

On December 5, 1955 thousands of people attended a meeting in

Montgomery to discuss the segregated buses. After that meeting they were forced to change the laws. Finally, on December 20, 1956 the bus boycott ended. This particular protest was part of the beginning of desegregation. It was a symbol of hope and left a huge mark in the history of our country. The positive consequences of this struggle can be seen today.

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Chapter 5: The March on Washington

The March on Washington was a protest against segregation in the United

States. The main focus was to fight for high paying jobs for blacks. The march took place on ,1963 and at the time it was the largest protest ever held in

D.C. The march attracted a crowd of more than 250,000 people of all races. It was

held in the nation’s capital of

Washington, DC and the home

of the Lincoln Memorial, built

in honor of president Lincoln

who freed the slaves. This

protest led to real changes in our laws and how African Americans live their lives. We can now ride the buses and sit wherever we choose to sit. Along with the freedom to ride the buses and sit wherever we choose, it also led to the end of the segregation in other places. The peaceful protest that showed that people were willing to go to great lengths for their rights. This act demonstrated the emotional strength of African Americans.

But it also showed the solidarity of black and , two groups that historically had been mostly divided. The March on Washington played an

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important role ensuring that African Americans got their due place in this society and paved the way for prosperity and growth for a race that had been previously marginalized in this country.

After the bus boycott in Alabama, blacks were

one step closer to equality in the United States.

The bus boycott inspired Martin Luther King Jr.,

to take a huge leap in the field of civil rights and

change the laws for the better. Martin and A.

Phillip Randolph organized the march on

Washington together. The purpose of the march was to advocate for jobs and the rights of African

Americans. The march was mainly focused on the unemployment of blacks but it was also to address the practice of racial discrimination.

The march started at the Washington Monument. The marchers then proceeded to walk towards the Lincoln Memorial. There were a number of musical performances, acts of poetry and speeches. The most memorable was Martin's “I

Have A Dream” speech. Martin was a strong and effective leader and was the perfect man for the job. Without Martin there may not have been such a massive

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protest and perhaps not as many would be interested in the problems of black people? Martin appealed to people all over the world, drawing attention to the important problem of racial inequality in the United States. At the march, Martin

Luther King, Jr. stood before an interracial crowd in front of the Lincoln Memorial, and gave his historic speech in which he called for an end to racism.

This was an inspiration to all. The march became known as one of the most significant events in the civil rights movement. This movement changed perceptions regarding race and equality, which ultimately led to the Civil Rights

Act of 1964. The Civil Rights Act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, employment and education. Because of this movement, a country which once did not even grant African Americans the right to vote, elected its first

African American president on November 4th, 2008.

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Conclusion

The civil rights movement was an important part in history that impacted

African Americans in the United States. This movement helped establish the foundation for the equality of my people. Our story of how we had to fight for our freedom is especially meaningful to me as an African American and member of this community.

It was astonishing how strong African Americans were, given the fact that they had to endure so much and suffering because of the color of their skin. I was eager to learn as much as I could about the remarkable events in history that made up this movement.

I have learned so much from completing my expert project in these past months. Perseverance, determination, empathy, , and dedication are words that come to mind in thinking about what this experience has taught me and the skills I have gained. I know that the things that I have learned will be useful in my future ahead and the skills obtained will be used throughout life as I get older. I am glad I had the chance to do this project and have this invaluable experience.

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“There is not black America and white America and

Latino America and Asian America, this is the United

States of America.”

--Barack Hussein Obama

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Works Cited

Krull, Kathleen. What Was the March on Washington . 2013. Grosset and Dunlap, ​ ​ 2013.

McDonough, Yona Zeldis. Who Was Rosa Parks?Grosset & Dunlap, 2010. ​ ​ Stuart Henderson,. 21 Jan. 2019. ​ “Encyclopedia Britannica.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/. ​ ​ Accessed 10 Apr. 2020.

World Book. https://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Login?ed=wb. Accessed ​ january-1-16T15:17:04Z.

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Images Cited

The Journal of blacks in Higher Education; https://www.jbhe.com/2018/07/counties-where-lynchings-occurred-have-higher-m ortality-rates-today-for-blacks-and-whites/

History; https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/rosa-parks ​

Facing south; ttps://www.facingsouth.org/2016/08/living-legacy-emmett-tills-casket

Encyclopedia Britannica; https://www.britannica.com/topic/racial-segregation ​

Pinterest; https://www.pinterest.com/pin/189854940514379519/ ​

11 alive; https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/outreach/why-guy/why-march-on-was hington-important-moment-civil-rights-movement/85-6cb4546d-b93d-459b-98cf-a 6ecbb0cd6a9

Wesleyan; https://www.wesleyan.edu/mlk/posters/rosaparks.html ​

Newsweek; https://www.newsweek.com/martin-luther-king-jr-i-have-dream-speech-full-text-vi deo-1482623 sutori;https://www.sutori.com/story/dr-martin-luther-king--vbpd5z34DQ5avU7gW ​ dbm7bEs

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