The Civil Rights Movement By: Hasaan White
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The Civil Rights Movement By: Hasaan White Table of Contents Introduction……………………………………………………………….Page 3 Martin Luther King Jr…………………………………………………….Page 4 Rosa Parks………………………………………………………………..Page 8 Segregation……………………………………………………………….Page 16 The Bus Boycott……………………………………………………….....Page 21 The March on Washington……………………………………………….Page 25 Conclusion………………………………………………………………..Page 27 Bibliography………………………………………………………...........Page 29 Image Credits………………………………………………………..........Page 30 1 Introduction The civil rights movement was an organized effort by African Americans to end racial discrimination 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 American people but also to people all around the world. Ultimately, the civil rights movement won the African Americans their freedom and ended segregation in the United States.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 were 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 2 subjected to dreadful circumstances such as slavery, 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 1940s and ended in the late 1960s. 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. 3 Chapter 1: Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Morehouse College Martin became an admirer of Benjamin E. Mays, Morehouse president and well known black 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 Boston for a couple of weeks and eventually returned to Montgomery. 4 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, Alabama. 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 Spingarn Medal for his civil rights achievements. The medal was awarded to amazing African Americans by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). 5 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 the rights of all 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 6 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. 7 Chapter 2: Rosa Parks 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 8 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 Massachusetts 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 9 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.