Black Lives Matter vs. The Civil Rights Movement
By Kylin Sadler
The Black Lives Matter and the Civil Rights Movement are often compared by their similarities in messages, tactics, goals, and influence (Kirshner-Breen 1). The goal of these movements is complete racial equality for African-Americans. Racial discrimination has and continues to be a huge problem facing the citizens of the United States. Civil Rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Alicia Garza have used their freedom of speech to promote diversity and equal rights. Overall, the Civil Rights Movement and Black Lives Matter can be compared because of their arching theme of racial inequality (Kirshner-Breen 1).
The Civil Rights Movement was a social movement that occurred
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from the mid-1950’s to the late 1960’s (Kirshner-Breen 1). The goal was to end racial segregation and discrimination among African-American people (Kirshner-Breen 1). The Civil Rights Movement began with a divide between a non-violent and violent approach. This movement consisted of smaller organizations such as the Black Panther Party, a violent movement, and the Black Power Movement. Since this group could not create news coverage on their own, they relied on strategies such as marches, sit-ins, and speeches to spread their message nationally. Even though the Civil Rights Movement is known for fighting for African-Americans, they also worked to secure basic rights and privileges for all U.S citizens (Loken 1). The Black Lives Matter Movement is a modern-day Civil Rights movement.
It works to accomplish the goals set by the Civil Rights Movement. The Black Lives Matter Movement has captured the attention of the national media (Kirshner Breen 1). This movement was created in the summer of 2013 through the hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter, after George Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of an unarmed black teen, Trayvon Martin (Kirshner-Breen 1). Unlike the Civil Rights movement, Black Lives Matter has become an international organization. Finally, this movement campaigns against violence toward African-American men and women. (Kirshner-Breen …show more content…
1) During the time of these movements, many abolitionists and civil rights activists have played a huge role.
One of the most well-known leaders of the Civil Rights Movement is Martin Luther King Jr. Some even say, he was the most influential man to fight for the rights of black people (Beckner 98). For many years, King led boycotts, sit-ins and marches designated to end racial issues. He used his freedom of speech to promote his ideas of racial change. Next, Alicia Garza, one of the forces behind Black Lives Matter, has become a powerful voice in the media (Our Co-Founders 1). Garza is a writer, public speaker, and freedom dreamer (Our Co-Founders 1). She once said, “In order to truly understand how devastating and widespread this type of violence is in Black America, we must view this epidemic through of a lens of race, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity.” (Co-Founders 1) She explained that there is not only racial profiling, but also gender and sexuality profiling
too. Both the Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter Movements gained enough support from the public eye to influence politicians and reform policies (Kirshner-Breen 1). The abundant attention even caused President Kennedy to pass a Civil Rights Bill, including African-Americans in all public facilities. These organizations were not only created to make a change, but also to inform others about racism in America. The differences in technology allowed each movement to spread news in different ways. The Civil Rights Movement relied on in-person meetings, word of mouth, and traditional media channels (Kirshner-Breen 1). The Black Lives Matter movement used the media as a key instrument in its success (Kirshner-Breen 1). Social Media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have allowed Black Lives Matter to spread their message virtually. They also shared similar strategies such as marches, protests, and boycotts (Kirshner-Breen 1). The Civil Rights Movement used protests and marches to gain national attention; Black Lives Matter uses these activities as a reaction to racial injustice (Kirshner-Breen 1). Protests from both movements have been met with police violence every step of the way (Kirshner-Breen 1). In conclusion, discrimination has always been a huge part of American History. These movements have worked and are working to bring this issue to light in America and create change.
The 20th century was a definitive time period for the Black civil rights movement. An era where the status quo was blatant hatred and oppression of African Americans, a time when a black son would watch his father suffer the indignity of being called a “boy” by a young white kid and say nothing in reply but “yes sir”. Where a Black person can be whipped or lynched for anything as little as not getting off the sidewalk when approaching a white person, for looking into their eyes, or worse, “for committing the unpardonable crime of attempting to vote.” In the midst of the racial crises and fight for social equality were Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. who despite their difference in philosophies were “icons of social justice movement both in the United States and around the world” .
Historians offer different perceptions of the significance of Martin Luther King and the 1963 March on Washington. Without examining this event within its historical context the media publicity and iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech can easily overshadow progress that was already underway in America. It was insisted by prominent civil rights activist Ella Baker, ‘the movement made Martin rather than Martin making the movement.’ What is important not to overlook is the significant change that took place in the United States during the previous 100 years. Such that, many influential figures in support of racial equality opposed the March. The Civil Rights Act proposed by President Kennedy in 1963 was already in the legislative process. Furthermore the Federal Government was now reasserting power over the entire of the United States by enforcing a policy of desegregation. It is important to note that these changes all took place less than one hundred years after the Thirteenth Amendment in 1965 abolished slavery, and the Fourteenth amendment in 1968 acknowledged the rights of former slaves to be acknowledged as U.S citizens. With this level of progress Kennedy was against the March going ahead due to the argument that it was limited in what it could achieve. Today, King’s 1963 Speech is viewed as one of the most iconic speeches in history. However, was it a key turning point in African Americans achieving racial equality? Federal endorsement would suggest yes after decades of southern states being able to subvert the Federal law designed to break down segregation. This support built upon the corner stones of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth amendments in the nineteenth century. Therefore looking at the national status of black Americans fro...
The common perspective of the civil rights movement is often seen from one angle: and that is the African American civil rights movement towards racial equality. And though this movement had significant historical context in American history, the pursuits of other minorities such as the Asian American civil rights movement are often undermined and overlooked. Yet, the Asian American movement surpassed the efforts of the African American movement despite the social and cultural obstacles faced with integrating into a new society. Through intrinsic cultural unity and the influences of the African American civil rights movement, the Asian American civil rights movement achieved more success than the African American civil rights movement by identifying with a common goal and creating organizations to combat racial discrimination and government hypocrisy.
On The Duty of Civil Disobedience, written by Henry David Thoreau, explains that civil disobedience is the act of standing for your beliefs even though they are against the law. Thoreau goes on to say that the government (because it is ruled by the majority) is not always right for everyone especially the individual and the minority. Over the course of American history, there have been many different groups formed for the purpose of civil disobedience. The two that I am going to focus on are the activists of the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panthers of the Black Liberation Movement. The Civil Rights Movement began in 1954 with the case of Brown vs. the Board of Education. It was basically lead by Martin Luther King Jr. whose teachings were of peaceful protesting and boycotting in order to achieve the goals of integration and equality for Black Americans (Small). The Black Liberation Movement started a few years later in 1960 and was later taken over and popularized by the Black Panthers in 1966. The basis of this movement was not just black equality but also black independence by any and every means necessary. The Panthers wanted blacks to be in control of their own neighborhoods (Acoli). These two protest movements had similar but at the same time very different platforms. The difference their effectiveness was caused by the difference in the techniques.
The Black Lives Matter Movement was started as a hash tag after the death of Travon Marten. Its founders Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, and Alicia Garza helped it grow into a movement. Unlike the Black Panther Party of the 1960s this group is not calling for the black community to pick up arms. However, like the Black Panther Party of the 1960’s the media has shown members of this group standing toe to toe with
People are marching in the streets, some holding signs, reading slogans that help defend the rights of the discriminated. This happened in both the African American Civil Rights Movement and in the Women’s Liberation movement. Two movements, one cause; to get equal rights. In the African American’s case, they were discriminated against due to their race. They were oppressed by the Jim Crow laws that were molding a unequal lifestyle for the blacks. Women’s Liberation, however, was about women who were forced to stay at home, because that is where people thought they belonged. Women were also granted unfair wages as compared to men. African Americans and Women were both fighting to get equal rights, which creates similarities and differences
African Americans were becoming dissatisfied with Martin Luther King, Jr.’s approach to the Civil Rights Movement. Some African Americans argue “that turning the cheek” was no longer an option for them. Others believed that Martin Luther King, Jr. was a dreamer and a farce and sleeping with the archenemy. The FBI had wage a campaign against King;” the FBI went so far as to send King a tape recording of one of his supposed tryst and a letter encouraging him to take his own life” (Martin Luther King, Jr We Remember (Wolfson, A & Moynihan, D.P. (2003). Page
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were two of the most important people. in black history. With their struggle to make America view black. people as equals, their speeches were inspirational and always made. their message clear and clear.
The civil rights movement in the 1950s-1960s was a struggle for social justice for African Americans to gain equal rights. One activist who became the most recognizable spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement was Martin Luther King Jr, a christian man dedicated to the ideas of nonviolence and civil disobedience. Although the Civil war had officially abolished slavery, blacks were still treated as less than human for many years after. Martin Luther King Jr has positively impacted the world with his peaceful protest approach to gaining social justice; but with the increase of hate crimes being committed, I believe individuals today need to pick up where King left
Before the Civil Rights Movement, which took place from 1955-1968, African-Americans had a difficult time establishing an identity and their rights. However, for many African-Americans, the Civil Rights Movement developed a purpose for one’s life and progressed African-Americans’ status and rights in society. Although some people may argue that the Civil Rights Movement was not productive and only caused conflict and havoc, due to the majority of African-Americans still employed in low-level jobs and many towns affected by the Civil Rights Movement being torn apart and degraded, those effects were only temporary and tangible to others. The Movement had a much more profound effect of giving one a purpose or “spark” in life, which later led to African-Americans demanding more rights and equal status in society.
The African-American civil rights movement essentially transformed the government we know of today. It set up a model that other groups could use as advancements, such as the 21st centuries movement on gay marriage. Every year on January 16th many undergraduates and workers get the day off in memorial for Martin Luther King Junior's birthday. Sometimes we get so enthusiastic about having a break from our daily jobs or school activities that we forget to recognize the work that people such as Mary Church Terrell, Oliver Brown and many other freedom fighters have done for us so that we could get to where we are today. As a country we have overcome a vast amount of troublesome times and it’s all due to the heroes such as Mary Church Terrell.
The fight for equality has been fought for many years throughout American History and fought by multiple ethnicities. For African Americans this fight was not only fought to gain equal civil rights but also to allow a change at achieving the American dream. While the United States was faced with the Civil Rights Movements a silent storm brewed and from this storm emerged a social movement that shook the ground of the Civil Right Movement, giving way to a new movement that brought with it new powers and new fears. The phrase “Black power” coined during the Civil Right Movement for some was a slogan of empowerment, while other looked at it as a threat and attempted to quell this Black Power Movement.
“Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a movement against police violence that is, as argued by BLM supporters, disproportionately and systematically directed at black people. The movement has highlighted incidents in which police have harassed and killed black men and women. BLM is considered one of the most visible and controversial civil rights movement of the last decades.” (Black Lives Matter. 2016) “Black Lives Matter is an American social activist organization devoted to stopping violence and injustice against African Americans. The group was founded in 2013 following the acquittal of In the sixties African Americans began a Civil Rights Movement that, to some, still continue today; hence, the Black Lives Matter movement. During the sixties, the
There are many problems in today’s world, one of which is the existence of racism. Obviously it has improved dramatically over time, however racism is still out there in our every day lives. The movement Black Lives Matter has spread nationwide attracting the attention of many different parties. Black Lives Matter has had a large impact on the whole country with many people taking different stances on it.
When a person thinks about Black Lives Matter, he or she may visualize African Americans fighting for justice and equality. The movement Black Lives Matter was created to bring awareness to systematic racism, police brutality and social injustice that African Americans face on a daily basis. In contrary, All Lives Matter downplays the fact that black people are looked down upon in society. All Lives Matter may seem like an innocent title, but it emphasizes that justice for black people is not necessary. Black Lives Matter is not a movement that believes all lives do not matter; nevertheless, it highlights the fact that black lives are taken for granted by the judicial system.