The Fight For Racial Equality in 1963

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1963: The Hope That Stemmed From the Fight for Equality

There is a desire in every person's inner being to strive for equality.
The fight for equalization has existed throughout time. Jews, Negroes, women, and homosexuals are examples of those who have been inspired to fight for equal rights, for justice, and for freedom. The struggle for black equality was the event that turned the United States of America upside down. For over two centuries, Negroes have struggled to work their way up the ladder to ultimate parity. Methods for obtaining this equality differed over the years. Escaping slaves, underground railroads, court cases, demonstrations, sit-ins, and marches all played into the ever-complicating history of this struggle.
The intense hatred of whites for Negroes grew out of the Civil War. One of the reasons for the war was the issue of slavery. When the Confederates lost the war, their position in the political world was taken away. Any position held by someone connected with the Confederacy was given to a northern man. In many cases, the new man was a Negro. The Negroes did not have the opportunity for equality long. After a few years relations between the north and the south were restored, and the position was taken away from the Negroes and given back to white men. In the time that the Negroes occupied these positions, southern whites developed a deep hatred and animosity for Negroes. From that day forward the strain between blacks and whites grew.
Racial discrimination appeared to be eternally present. Hope looked slim as the years wore on, and little progress was made toward freedom. Tension came to a head in 1963 as Negroes grew tired of silent acceptance of racial discrimination. Demonstrations, sit-ins, peace talks, and marches graced the front pages of the newspapers in major cities in the south and in the north.
The hope of a future for African-American people in America was greatly affected by the struggles and persecution they endured during the year 1963.
The struggles started in the hearts of every black person alive. The feelings began with children as they were called "niggers", and as they were beat up upon by white children. The opportunity to fight back wasn't given, nor was it taught in Negro homes. As jobs were gained in the white...

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...uman beings as human beings. But to many of these people Negroes are not human beings" ("They fought a fight that won't go out" 36).

Works Cited

Behrens, Laurence, ed. "Fear and Hatred Grip Birmingham" The American
Experience : 274

"After Birmingham Riots -- trouble lingers on" US News and World Report 27
May 1963: 40-42.

"Arlington Receives a Murdered Hero" Life 28 June 1963: 34.

"Assasin kills a Negro leader" Life 21 June 1963: 28.

"What the African Negro Wants" US News and World Report 29 April 1963: 47-52.

"A Negro Revolt Brewing in the North" US News and World Report 10 June 1963:
35- 36.

"Tension Growing Over Race Issue" US News and World Report 20 May 1963: 37-39.

"The Negro's Future in the South" US News and World Report 3 June 1963: 60-
65.

"They Fight a Fire That Won't Go Out" Life 17 May 1963: 27-36.

"To Break Color Bars at School" Richmond Afro-American 11 May 1963.

"What Negroes in the North are Really After" US News and World Report 11 May
1963.

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