In the decade of 1954 to 1964, groups that sought non-violent solutions to the discrimination against blacks led the civil rights movement. By the second half of the 1960's, a growing militancy emerged amongst new groups, who believed there had been too little change, or the change had not been fast enough. Included in this group were the Black Panthers, the renamed Student Co-ordinating Committee and the Black Muslims.

The non-violent tactics used in the early 1960's brought slow and often incomplete change for the blacks. Blacks were still efficiently disenfranchised throughout the South until the Voting Act was passed in 1965. Even this only increased the Black Voter Registration from 58% in 1964 to 74% in 1972. Registration did not translate into election success. Less than 1% of all elected officials in 1970 were black. Black representation at federal level was also limited. Although the number of blacks in the House of Representatives increased from 5 to 9 between 1964 and 1970, no Black represented the South

The growth of violence, coupled with the frustrations of de facto discrimination and the slow rate of progress, created the opportunity for the emergence of militant activist groups. One such group was the Black Panthers. This group was formed in 1966 as the Black Panther Party for Self-defense. The party was founded by Bobby Searle and Huey Newton as a result of the Watts Riots in LA and the living conditions of blacks in urban ghettoes.

The Panthers adopted the policy of Black Power, calling for compensation for past wrongs, exemption from the draft and free social services for blacks living in ghettoes. At the local level, the Panthers organized various community projects, including health clinics and free breakfasts as well as organizing 'liberation schools'.

Change was also slow in education, despite the Supreme Court ruling in the Brown versus Board of Education and federal troops assisting blacks to enroll at Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1960, 33% of Blacks completed 4 years at high school, compared to 61% of whites. This compared to 52% and 74% respectively in 1970. When it came to studying at college for four years or more, the number of blacks increased from 4% to 6%. Whilst these

Some common words found in the essay are:
Rights Movement, Black Power, United America, Citizens Council, Rock Arkansas, Voter Registration, Black Muslims, Whites Blacks, Kennedy King, Riots LA, rights movement, civil rights, civil rights movement, facto discrimination, de facto discrimination, de facto, means bringing change, bringing change, adopted policy, violence means, violence means bringing, throughout 1960's, nationwide civil rights, nationwide civil, black panthers,
Approximate Word count = 812
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)