Dbq Civil Rights Movement

Before World War II, segregation was at its highest peak and African Americans were still treated unfairly because the word equality did not exist. However, after World War II grassroots activists fought for equality, freedom, fair employment, housing, equal opportunity, the right to vote, education, rights equal to whites, and many other things that had not been granted to African Americans before. People now had to worry on how to solve the issues society was facing instead of income issues as they did before the war. Grassroots activists formed in order to fight for African American Rights and thanks to their marches, protests, and constants talks the Civil Rights Movement was a success, and several public policies along with actions came
Martin Luther King founded an activist organization that was very important for the Civil Rights Movement. In 1957 he founded the SCLC. “ even more important were the direct actions against segregated public facilities… led by Reverend Martin Luther King and the civil rights group he founded in 1957”( Documents in U.S History Civil Rights, 244). One of those actions was taken by Rosa Parks who refused to give her seat at the back of a bus, and she was arrested. Immediately, activists began protesting and it was very successful because by the next year the city desegregated the public transportation system. This was a great example of how alliance amongst people and awareness can bring a major change. Similarly, another group of activists known as the Freedom Riders acted together in order to fight more. CORE sent the riders in buses to protests how the states had ignored the Supreme Court ruling that segregated buses and terminals were unconstitutional (Secondary Source on Civil Rights 1960s, 27). The people in the buses were attacked and many were injured by white people that attacked them with several objects, and even a smoke bomb was used. A second bus marched to Birmingham, just to have the same tragic end as the first one leaving a lot of people injured. To prevent more tragedies form happening, President Kennedy
This is due to the fact that awareness is what brought policy change. Unity and attention definitely helped too, but awareness was the most important constituent of grassroots activism, and it showed the African American people why a Civil Rights Bill was needed. A great example of why a Civil Rights Bill was needed can be found on the Birmingham segregation ordinances. The ordinances showed the darkest side of segregation by highlighting the specific set of rules each race had. Section 369. Says that white and dark people cannot be served in the same place. Section 597. Says that a “negro” and white colored person cannot play together. (Birmingham Segregation Ordinances, 1-2). These ordinances caused for many people to become aware of the inequality that was going on during the time and it sparked more marches, protests, and actions that raised attention to all of the issues going