Civil Rights Movement
In order to understand what led to the Civil Rights Movement, we need to first understand what the blacks had been enduring. One could state that the civil rights movement actually started back in 1863 with the Emancipation of Proclamation abolishing slavery. During the First Reconstruction, 1865-1877, blacks tried to live a free life. The white plantation owner's of the South could not run their plantations without the slaves helping. So, they set up a system called share-cropping. Under this plan, blacks would borrow from the local merchants against their future crops. They would go into debt so much they were unable to pay. Thus, they were stuck on the plantations, working off their debt. This crop-lien system lasted until the 1960's. Also, in the South, blacks were still not allowed to vote. The people in South denied their right to vote by using "grandfather clauses" and literacy tests. Segregation still existed. There was also a lot of violence in the South against blacks. From 1910-1919, 57 lynchings a year took place. All of this background is important in understanding what the blacks went through during this time period. One of the most indispensable factors of beginning the Civil Rights Movement, in
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were two of the most prominent heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. They both wanted an end to racial discrimination, but they wanted to get to the end two different ways. They both were deeply religious men. Towards the end of their lives, they became closer. Each one criticized but highly respected the other. The Civil Rights Movement would not have been the same without the two of them. I am sure, looking back on all of the violence and blood shed now, everyone would have to agree that the end justified the means. Even though MLK Jr.'s fame and importance as a human rights leader who used non-violence grew, he was being challenged. The message of self-defense and black nationalism spread by Malcolm X was better received than King's ideas with the Northern urban Black population. Watts is a ghetto area in Las Angeles. The LA police pulled a black man over and beat him up. After the altercation, a riot followed. In this riot 4,000 people were arrested, and 1072 were injured. Within one day, civil rights leaders drove through the ghetto with bullhorns, telling people to remain calm and stay inside their houses. However, these people did not listen to them. They were no longer interested in the non-violent policies of MLK Jr. There was a new stage for the CRM. The people who were living in the northern urban areas had to deal with major class issues. Many of them lived in poverty. They faced police brutality on an everyday basis. They started to listen to Malcolm X. He had a rough life, and new what it was like to live in poverty. The urban blacks could identify with what he was talking about. Malcolm X converted to "The Black Muslims." He said that first and foremost he wanted blacks to have equality with whites. As apparent in his " Message to Grass Roots," he did not think that equality could be achieved in America. He felt that being non-violent was not going to get them any where. He wanted all blacks around the world to unite. He felt that the only solution to the race problem was to separate the races. He preached black pride, and that the white race was an enemy to all others and the only way to stop was to break free and form their own nation. After he made a pilgrimage to "Mecca," his views changed. His most important view was world brotherhood and human justice. He encouraged blacks to register to vote and become active in their communities. In April of 1963, the Children's Crusade took place in Birmingham. Bill Conner, the mayor, called in the fire department to use hoses on the children. On day 1, 900 students were arrested. On day 2, 250 students were arrested and dogs attacked the protestors. After one week, all of the jails were full, a total of 3,000 kids had been arrested. When
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Approximate Word count = 1887
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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