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Organizations of the Civil Rights Movement by Thoughtco.Com, Adapted by Newsela Staff on 06.07.19 Word Count 569 Level 1040L Organizations of the civil rights movement By ThoughtCo.com, adapted by Newsela staff on 06.07.19 Word Count 569 Level 1040L Band of CORE demonstrators cross the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan in New York City, July 17, 1965, during a protest march to police headquarters. The group was protesting the fatal shooting of a black man by a rookie patrolman in Brooklyn’s Bedford Stuyvesant section July 15. Photo by Dave Pickoff for AP. The modern civil rights movement began with the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955, and lasted until the late 1960s. It was led by several organizations, which worked together to create change in U.S. society. Four of the most important organizations are listed below. National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People (NAACP) The oldest, largest and most well-known U.S. civil rights organization is the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The Association works to ensure "political, educational, social, and economic equality for all." It seeks to end "racial hatred and racial discrimination." The NAACP was founded in 1909. It was established in response to a wave of mobs killing black people, and an anti-black race riot in Illinois the year before. Its founders included several descendants of prominent 19th-century antislavery crusaders. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. During the civil rights movement, the NAACP helped to integrate public schools in the South. Most significantly, its lawyers won the key 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education. As a result of that victory, segregation was outlawed in all U.S. public schools. In 1955, a local chapter secretary of the NAACP named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her actions set the stage for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. During the boycott, African-Americans refused to ride Montgomery city buses as a protest against segregated seating. The success of the boycott led to the development of a national civil rights movement. The NAACP played a key role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Congress Of Racial Equality (CORE) The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) also played an important role in the civil rights movement. CORE was established in Chicago in 1942. Its founders were James Farmer Jr., George Jouser, James R. Robinson, Bernice Fisher, Homer Jack and Joe Guinn. Membership was open to "anyone who believes that 'all people are created equal' and willing to work towards the ultimate goal of true equality throughout the world." CORE developed and participated in various national campaigns. Among them were the March on Washington and the Freedom Rides. Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was closely associated with Martin Luther King Jr. It was established in 1957 following the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Unlike the NAACP, the SCLC did not recruit individual members. Instead, it worked with local organizations and churches to build its membership. The SCLC sponsored various campaigns and marches. Among them were the Albany Movement in Georgia, and the Selma Voting Rights March and the Birmingham Campaign in Alabama. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) In April 1960, SCLC official Ella Baker met with a group of student activists at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. King wanted the students to work with the SCLC. Baker, however, urged them to create their own independent organization. Baker won the students over, and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was established. Student James Lawson wrote a mission statement for the new organization: "We affirm the philosophical or religious ideals of nonviolence as the foundation of our purpose, the presupposition of our faith, and the manner of our action. Nonviolence, as it grows from Judaic- Christian traditions, seeks a social order of justice permeated by love." That same year, Marion Barry was elected as the SNCC's first chairman. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. Quiz 1 Read the paragraph from the section "Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)." In April 1960, SCLC official Ella Baker met with a group of student activists at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. King wanted the students to work with the SCLC. Baker, however, urged them to create their own independent organization. Baker won the students over, and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was established. What conclusion is BEST supported by the paragraph above? (A) King tried to recruit each of the student activists individually to work with the SCLC. (B) Baker liked the idea of student activists creating an organization of their own. (C) King thought the student activists would fail if they tried to form their own organization. (D) Baker wanted the student activists to create a new organization so she could leave the SCLC. 2 Read the following statement. One way that civil rights organizations tried to create change in U.S. society was though the legislative process. Which sentence from the article provides the BEST support for the above statement? (A) It was led by several organizations, which worked together to create change in U.S. society. (B) During the boycott, African-Americans refused to ride Montgomery city buses as a protest against segregated seating. (C) The NAACP played a key role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (D) The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) also played an important role in the civil rights movement. 3 What is the MAIN reason the author includes the section “Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)"? (A) to show that some civil rights organizations were founded by more than one person (B) to explain that some civil rights organizations included people of different races (C) to describe one of the civil rights organizations that was a leader in the civil rights movement (D) to show how difficult it was for one civil rights organization to work toward equality 4 The author includes information about the NAACP first. What is a reason why the author chose to provide information about CORE next? (A) The NAACP was the largest civil rights organization, and CORE was the second largest. (B) CORE was an important civil rights organization that was established after the NAACP. (C) The NAACP sent an official to recruit for their organization, but she helped start CORE instead. (D) CORE was influenced by the NAACP to extend membership to anyone who was interested in equality. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com..
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