Research Paper on The Mid-Twentieth Century Civil Rights Movement

Introduction

The civil rights movement in the US emerged during the mid-twentieth century at a time when Americans of African descent were struggling for social justice. Black Americans eventually gained equal rights under the law because of the efforts of the civil rights organizations. While the US had initially abolished slavery during the Civil War era, it did not end racial discrimination primarily against Blacks. By the mid-twentieth century, however, Black Americans had experienced severe violence and prejudice. This situation compelled them, alongside a vast majority of the Whites, to mobilize and fight for equality. The struggles of the movement spanned for a decade, and it enabled the Blacks to gain equal rights as Whites. The outcome of the movement was the introduction of laws that prohibited racial segregation. Therefore, the civil rights organizations of the mid-twentieth century are essential because their efforts ended discrimination and segregation based on national origin, color, and race.

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The Development of the Civil Rights Movement

Racial discrimination and racial segregation, especially in the South, are two primary factors that led to the development of the American civil rights movement. The activities of these organizations gained momentum in the mid-1950s when the activists mobilized Americans to resist racial oppression and the institutions of slavery (Foner, 2012). The Black Panther Party of 1966 highlights critical issues that led to the development of the civil rights movement (Black Panther Party, 1966). The primary concerns were the freedom for all Americans and decent housing for everyone regardless of race. Other issues were police brutality against Black Americans and the need for education that reflects the true nature of American society (Black Panther Party, 1966). Civil movement activists believed that all men were created equal. So, there was a need for the Black Americans to claim unalienable rights that God had endowed upon them, besides the pursuit of happiness (Black Panther Party, 1966).

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. played leading roles in transforming the 20th-century civil rights movement. Citing references from the Bible, King told Americas that racial injustices like segregation were immoral (BlackPast, 2019). On December 5, 1995, King delivered the Montgomery Bus Boycott speech in a gathering of more than 5,000 people (BlackPast, 2019). King, among other leaders, organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott to protest against the segregation of the blacks in the transport system. The protest, however, let to the arrest of Mrs. Rosa Parks for failing to comply with the rules that required the Blacks to relinquish their seats. This protest strengthened the civil rights movement, especially in the Deep South.

How the Movement Transformed Overtime

Organized labor the Cold War are critical factors that transformed the civil rights movement. The cold war between the Soviet Union and the US, in particular, brought together political and social organizations that were sharply divided along with their ideologies (Foner, 2012). At that time, a vast majority of Americans and organizations were anti-communist crusaders. However, organizers of labor organizations were militant communists. Internal disputes between leaders of labor movements weakened organized labor that was committed to advancing equal rights among women. Initially, such organizations played leading roles in championing the rights of racial minorities in the workplace (Foner, 2012). Internal conflicts over the role of communists left many workers unable to respond to the economy's shifts. As a result, this phenomenon strengthened the civil rights movement because it attracted a vast majority of workers who were left vulnerable to social injustices like discrimination.

The Cold War caused a dramatic shift in the thoughts and tactics of the civil rights movement. More specifically, such groups started embracing nonviolent means of fighting for equality of all people within the country. The Cold War made organizers of the civil rights movement understand that there was a need to collaborate with organizations with similar ideologies. Organizations such as the Southern Conference for Human Welfare that was critical during the struggle supported the efforts of the movement (Foner, 2012). Such organizations believed that all citizens ought to unite because racial inequalities damaged the image of America abroad (Foner, 2012). In other words, inequality among Americans would have played into the hands of the Soviet Union, which at that time had terrible relations with the US.

Civil rights movement of the mid-20th century gradually transformed from radical to nonviolent groups overtime. The outcome of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, in particular, enabled the organizers of the movement to understand that nonviolent means of fighting racial injustices were better than radical approaches. Immediately after the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the right civil groups, under the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr., strategized to use nonradical methods to protest against racial segregation, among other issues. Besides boycotts, the movement used legislative lobbying, public education, and litigation to advance their concerns. Therefore, it is apparent that the development of civil rights organizations to a nonviolent movement is one of the most critical transformations that the group underwent. Such approaches seemed successful because it enabled the movement to achieve their goals.

Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement

The key figures that played leading roles in the leadership and the organization of civil rights groups were John Lewis, Martin Luther King, and Rosa Parks (Foner, 2012). However, King was the most notable leader of all the mid-20th century civil rights organizers. Besides the three leaders, Philip Randolph, Jim Lawson, and Charlotte Spears Bass had significant contribution in organizing the movement (Foner, 2012). The ideologies of Martin Luther revolutionized the leadership and also the tactics of the civil rights movement. King had a great deal of influence in civil rights organizations and even American societies as a whole. He believed that the only way that the movement could achieve their goals was through nonviolent protests. The ideology of using nonradical strategies distinguished King from other leaders, who seemed to embrace violent ways of protesting against critical issues that Americans were facing. The outcome was the passing of legislation against racial injustices.

Civil rights movement leaders like Rosa Parks, John Lewis, and Jim Lawson believed in the ideology of nonradical and the philosophy of self-defense. These activists believed that this tactic would enhance the success of civil rights groups in the United States because the strategy had worked in other parts of the world. The popularity of this ideology encouraged the leaders of the movement to practice pacifism in their struggle. The other leaders, in contrast, were reluctant to devote their lives to nonradical tactics. Their thought was based on the reasoning that nonviolent tactics were a threat to their lives

Conclusion

American civil rights movement that emerged in the mid-twentieth century played critical roles that ultimately led to the abolition of racial segregation. Montgomery Bus Boycott strengthened the movement, and it also marked a point where civil rights leaders embraced nonviolent actions in advocating for social change. Martin Luther King was against a philosophy of using radical measures. Instead, he encouraged other leaders to embrace nonviolent actions. Organized labor, the effects of the cold war, and the outcome of the Montgomery Bus Boycott dramatically transformed the civil rights movement in the United States.

References

Black Panther Party. (1966, October). Primary source: Black Panther Party Platform. Retrieved December 13, 2019, from https://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/111bppp.html/url/

BlackPast. (2019, September 21). Martin Luther King Jr., "The Montgomery Bus Boycott"

BlackPast (1955). Retrieved December 13, 2019, from https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/1955-martin-luther-king-jr-montgomery-bus-boycott/url/

Foner, E. (2012). Give Me Liberty! American History. New York, NY: W.W Norton & Company.