The Civil Rights Movement

1595 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Martin Luther King's leadership style

The Civil Rights Movement

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” This was a speech by Martin Luther King Jr. Even one hundred years after slavery was banned, African Americans were still being treated unfairly. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most famous leaders of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s. The Civil Rights movement was a movement of African Americans who felt that they were not being treated equally. There were also many other famous leaders and inspirations during the Civil Rights Movement. This movement was very important to the freedom of African Americans.

An influential leader of the Civil Rights Movement was Rosa Parks. Rosa parks was born on February 14, 1913. She was born as Rosa Louise McCauley to James McCauley, a carpenter and Leona McCauley, a teacher. She was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. After graduating from Alabama State Teachers’ college, she moved to Montgomery, Alabama with her husband, Raymond Parks. They joined the local NAACP to improve the lives of African Americans in the south. "I worked on numerous cases with the NAACP," Mrs. Parks recalled, "but we did not get the publicity. There were cases of flogging, peonage, murder, and rape. We didn't seem to have too many successes. It was more a matter of trying to challenge the powers that be, and to let it be known that we did not wish to continue being second-class citizens." On December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks, a seamstress from Montgomery, Alabama refused to give up her seat to a white person on the bus. She was arrested and fined for breaking the law. This incident led to the creation of the Montgomery I...

... middle of paper ...

...at discrimination was wrongful and would not be tolerated. It showed that the constitution actually could now mean that everyone is created equally. Not only did the Civil Rights movement stop discrimination for African Americans, it stopped it for Latinos and Asians also.

Works Cited

"American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. - I Have a Dream." American Rhetoric: The Power of Oratory in the United States. Web. 14 Mar. 2010. .

"Digital Documents and Photographs Project." The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum Homepage. Web. 14 Mar. 2010. .

"Rosa Parks Biography -- Academy of Achievement." Academy of Achievement Main Menu. Web. 14 Mar. 2010. .

Show More
Related

  • Maya Angelou, Martin Luther King and the civil Rights Movement

    1369 Words  | 3 Pages

    How would you feel if you were told you can’t sit in the front of the bus or you can’t dine in a certain restaurants because of the color of your skin? The civil rights movement was a movement that held massive numbers of nonviolent protest against racial segregation and discrimination in America especially the southern states during the 1950’s and 60’s. The struggle of African Americans to gain equal rights in America during this time was a major problem. The civil rights movement was not only about stopping racial segregation amongst African Americans but also to challenge the terrible economic, political, and cultural consequences of that time. But with the help of great leaders and organizations in the civil rights movement, help brake the pattern of African Americans being discriminated against and being segregated. Martin Luther King Jr. And Maya Angelou were great leaders who had a huge impact on the civil rights movement; even though Dr. King was in the field marching and protesting to fight against segregation and Angelou wrote poetry to inspire the movement and people aware of segregation, they both helped put an end to segregation here in America (American civil rights movement).

    Read More

  • The Freedom Riders

    1547 Words  | 4 Pages

    "Rosa Parks Biography - Facts, Birthday, Life Story - Biography.com." Famous Biographies & TV Shows - Biography.com. Web. 05 Jan. 2012. .

    Read More

  • The Movement that Revolutionized the Civil Rights: Black Panthers

    1327 Words  | 3 Pages

    Rosa Parks, was a Civil Rights activist who was best known for the incident on the Montgomery bus. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white male who demanded she seat herself in the ‘appropriate colored’ space located at the back of the bus for black men and women. Her defiance to the law that day became known to the world.

    Read More

  • Rosa Parks

    700 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Rosa Parks." Biography 5.12 (2001): 64. MAS Ultra - School Edition. Web. 22 May 2014.

    Read More

  • Rosa Parks

    1887 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout the African American civil rights movement opportunities were sought to spark a chance at improving conditions in the south. Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the Montgomery, Alabama bus was the fire to that spark. Rosa, standing up for herself something anyone person in today’s world would do, was arrested and put in jail. While Rosa was in jail she caught the eye of many people in the Civil Rights Movement, including the leaders. The Civil Rights leaders protested her arrest and hired lawyers to aid her in her trial. Although she was found guilty and was fined fourteen dollars for the cost of the court case, which lasted on thirty minutes, she wasn’t done yet. Rosa Parks has affected the society we live in today in many ways, she is the most influential person the black community has ever seen.

    Read More

  • The Civil Rights Movement

    885 Words  | 2 Pages

    The 1960’s were a time of freedom, deliverance, developing and molding for African-American people all over the United States. The Civil Rights Movement consisted of black people in the south fighting for equal rights. Although, years earlier by law Africans were considered free from slavery but that wasn’t enough they wanted to be treated equal as well. Many black people were fed up with the segregation laws such as giving up their seats on a public bus to a white woman, man, or child. They didn’t want separate bathrooms and water fountains and they wanted to be able to eat in a restaurant and sit wherever they wanted to and be served just like any other person.

    Read More

  • Rosa Parks Research Paper

    483 Words  | 1 Pages

    Rosa Parks was born February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. Rosa was a civil rights leader. The Congress called her "the first lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement." She stood up to a white man on a bus December 1, 1955. She was one of the many people who was trying to get black people treated fairly.

    Read More

  • How Did Rosa Parks Affect The Civil Rights Movement

    397 Words  | 1 Pages

    Rosa Parks born February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama U.S. Best known for her civil disobedience in December 1955, when she did not give up her seat to a white man on the bus. The bus driver called the police so she was arrested that day but was let out on bail that night and was fined $14. They were in Montgomery, Alabama when this case caused a Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public transportation was illegal. Starting the civil rights movement in the 1950’s and 1960’s .” Rev. Jesse Jackson told E.R shipp of The New York Times,”she sat down so that we can stand up paradoxically her imprisonment opened doors for our long journey to freedom” (Rosa Parks).

    Read More

  • How Did Rosa Parks Break A Law Unfair Or Unjust

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rosa Parks knew what racial inequality was at a young age. Rosa Louise Mccauley was born on February 4, 1913. She was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her parents were James and Leona Mccauley. They separated when Rosa Parks was two years old. When she was very young her mom moved her whole family to Pine-Level Alabama to live on their grandpa’s farm. Her brother Sylvester was born in 1915. One of the memories of Rosa Parks’ family was of her Grandpa sitting on a chair outside of the home to protect their farm from the KKK. The KKK would go to African American homes to kill them or burn down their homes. When she got older she went to the City’s Industrial School For Girls then in high school she attended Laboratory School For Secondary Education. Through all of her schooling she attended segregated schools. (Biography 1-2) (Parks 1-2)

    Read More

  • Rosa Parks Research Paper

    981 Words  | 2 Pages

    Known as Rosa Parks, the name of her husband, Rosa McCauley was born in Tuskegee, in Alabama, on February 4, 1913. Her mother was a teacher, and had to quit her job to take care of her children, while Rosa's father was working. Not many years after the birth of Rosa, James McCauley left, letting his whole family alone, trying to sort things out. At eleven, Rosa went to Montgomery Industrial School for Girls, with more than 200 other black girls, around her. There, she learnt sewing, cooking and taking care of a house. Rosa had to quit school 2 times, to take care of her grand mother, and then, her mother. Between these tough times and her first actions as a militant for the civil rights of black people, Rosa had jobs in sewing and cleaning

    Read More

  • Rosa Parks: The Biggest Roll Model

    248 Words  | 1 Pages

    Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. During Rosa’s childhood she faced a lot of racial discrimination. While she was young she spent most of her time at her grandfather’s farm. Rosa’s mother, Leona McCauley, was a teacher. She taught Rosa to read at a young age. While young Rosa attended a one room school in Pine Level, Alabama. At age 11 she attended an Industrial School for Girls. In the 11th grade she attended Alabama

    Read More

  • How Did Rosa Parks Show Courage

    746 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rosa Parks had a very difficult childhood. Her grandparents were former slaves, she always had to walk home from school, she was treated differently everywhere because of the color of her skin. Little by little her determination was building up until it gave her enough to step up for every colored person or non white person on a Montgomery bus on December 1, 1955.(biography.com) Using her self-determination, she fought against the racial segregation. Even though Rosa Parks wasn’t the first person to resist the segregation on the bus, the NAACP organizers believed that she was the best candidate for seeing through a court challenge after her arrest for civil disobedience.(biography.com) This was caused by her self-determination to help her and the others and change their lives for the rest of their

    Read More

  • The Civil Rights Movement

    916 Words  | 2 Pages

    Historically, the Civil Rights Movement was a time during the 1950’s and 60’s to eliminate segregation and gain equal rights. Looking back on all the events, and dynamic figures it produced, this description is very vague. In order to fully understand the Civil Rights Movement, you have to go back to its origin. Most people believe that Rosa Parks began the whole civil rights movement. She did in fact propel the Civil Rights Movement to unprecedented heights but, its origin began in 1954 with Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka. Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka was the cornerstone for change in American History as a whole. Even before our nation birthed the controversial ruling on May 17, 1954 that stated separate educational facilities were inherently unequal, there was Plessy vs. Ferguson in 1896 that argued by declaring that state laws establish separate public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. Some may argue that Plessy vs. Ferguson is in fact backdrop for the Civil Rights Movement, but I disagree. Plessy vs. Ferguson was ahead of it’s time so to speak. “Separate but equal” thinking remained the body of teachings in America until it was later reputed by Brown vs. Board of Education. In 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, and prompted The Montgomery Bus Boycott led by one of the most pivotal leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. After the gruesome death of Emmett Till in 1955 in which the main suspects were acquitted of beating, shooting, and throwing the fourteen year old African American boy in the Tallahatchie River, for “whistling at a white woman”, this country was well overdo for change.

    Read More

  • Rosa Parks Research Paper

    2173 Words  | 5 Pages

    Rosa Parks, young women with integrity humility was tired of African American being mistreated decided to be fearless and bold to make a difference. According to Brinkley (2000), “Rosa Parks believes that the strength of her ancestors and their dignity allowed her to be fearless in her actions”. However, exploring Rosa’s physical, cognitive, social-emotional, moral development and cultural diversity through development theories, will give a better understanding of her courage and determination to make a difference in African American culture.

    Read More

  • Why Is Rosa Parks Important

    558 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1980, the Detroit News and Detroit Public Schools gave Mrs. Parks Scholarship Foundation, honoring the 25th anniversary of her stand in Montgomery. She did a boycott and didn’t give out her seat. She did a protest that lasted a year and got the right to let African Americans seat anywhere they wanted. “I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people.” In 1992 Rosa published her first book called “Rosa Parks My Story.”

    Read More

More about The Civil Rights Movement

Open Document