Highlights of Civil Rights Movement

Introduction

The modern African American Civil Rights Movement continued for the period 1950-1960. The African American people did not have the social and civil rights as did the white people; this discrimination was made only due to their skin color. In 1950's, the black Americans got united to fights against the public systems and authorities which had taken those rights away.

Causes behind the Movement

The social and political discrimination of the Black American people mainly resulted in the economic exploitation of these people (Congress, House, Committee on Education and Labor, 1970). Although after the end of civil war in 1865, the black Americans were officially declared citizens and they got rights to vote as well; yet there was much prejudice against the black people. It was the racial discrimination due to which the black American people were not able to send their children to the same school, where the White American children were taught. The black people were not able to provide quality health services to their families, and in most of the states they were not even allowed to cast their votes. All these situations caused extreme depression and frustration in the black people, and they became able to recognize that only economic independence could provide them political and economical equality in the country. In short, it can be said that Black people were considered as second class citizens in America (Shawki, 2006).

Major Events of the Movement

If we look at the historic situation of American states, we come to know that the US cities practiced extreme inequality between the rights and facilities of white and black people; this discrimination is due to the black skin color and racial differences. Even the cities' buses were not exempted from the unequal rights for black and white people (Congress, ...