Civil Rights Movement

The African American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s fundamentally reshaped American society and politics. Black activists and their white allies fought in the courts and in the streets to force their country to live up to its professed ideals. The major events of the movement, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-56 and the March on Washington in 1963 have become embedded in American lore. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were direct results of civil rights activism. Behind these accomplishments were local people who often risked their jobs and their lives to force change in their communities.

The names below represent a vibrant cross section of the people who led and participated in the civil rights movement, as well as many who worked to stop it. You might begin by reading about famous national figures like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, then move to the lesser known but equally important local protestors like Fannie Lou Hamer, Fred Shuttlesworth, and Fred Hampton. What do we learn by contrasting the textbook story of the civil rights movement with the lived experiences of its participants? Learn about the Brown decision that outlawed separate-but-equal in schools through the lives of the activists, attorneys, and judges who made it possible. How did World War II and the Cold War shape the Brown decision and the movement as a whole? Think about the differences and similarities between the nonviolent civil rights movement and more militant Black Power activists. Consider how the era's major politicians advanced or blocked the goals of the movement. And, in the end, what did the civil rights movement fail to accomplish?

Activism during the New Deal, World War II, and the Cold War

The Brown decision

Leaders and Activists during the 1950s and 1960s

Presidents and Politicians

White Resistance

Overview Articles

Organizations

Racism, Crime, and Violence

Segregation and the Law

Race