civil rights movement

The Civil Rights Movement (1950s–1960s) – Notes

1. Overview

The Civil Rights Movement was a struggle by African Americans to achieve equal rights in the United States, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. The movement fought against racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement through protests, legal battles, and civil disobedience.

2. Key Events and Dates

A. Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

• Date: May 17, 1954

• What Happened? The Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).

• Key Person: Thurgood Marshall (NAACP lawyer, later Supreme Court Justice).

B. Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–1956)

• Date: December 5, 1955 – December 20, 1956

• What Happened? After Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat, African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama, boycotted the bus system for over a year.

• Key People:

  • Rosa Parks: Catalyst of the boycott.

  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Leader of the boycott and rising figure in the movement.

C. Little Rock Nine (1957)

• Date: September 4, 1957

• What Happened? Nine Black students attempted to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. They faced violent resistance, and President Eisenhower had to send federal troops to protect them.

• Key People:

  • Daisy Bates: Civil rights activist who helped organize the students.

  • President Dwight D. Eisenhower: Sent federal troops to enforce integration.

D. Sit-in Movement (1960)

• Date: February 1, 1960

• What Happened? Four Black college students in Greensboro, North Carolina, staged a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter, inspiring sit-ins across the country.

• Key People:

  • Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC): Formed to organize student activism.

E. Freedom Rides (1961)

• Date: May 4, 1961

• What Happened? Interracial groups rode buses through the South to challenge segregation in bus terminals. Riders were attacked, and some were arrested.

• Key People:

  • James Farmer: Leader of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), organizer of the rides.

  • John Lewis: Future Congressman and Freedom Rider.

F. James Meredith and the Integration of the University of Mississippi (1962)

• Date: September 30, 1962

• What Happened? James Meredith, a Black student, attempted to enroll at the University of Mississippi. A violent riot broke out, leading President Kennedy to send federal marshals.

• Key People:

  • James Meredith: First Black student to integrate the university.

  • President John F. Kennedy: Sent federal troops to ensure Meredith’s safety.

G. Birmingham Campaign (1963)

• Date: April – May 1963

• What Happened? Protesters, led by Martin Luther King Jr., faced police violence, including fire hoses and police dogs. King was arrested and wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail.

• Key People:

  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Leader of the protest.

  • Bull Connor: Birmingham’s Commissioner of Public Safety, ordered violence against protestors.

H. March on Washington (1963)

• Date: August 28, 1963

• What Happened? Over 250,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C., demanding civil rights and economic equality.

• Key People:

  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

  • Bayard Rustin: Chief organizer of the march.

I. Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Date: July 2, 1964

• What Happened? This law banned segregation in public places and discrimination in employment.

• Key People:

  • President Lyndon B. Johnson: Signed the act into law.

  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Helped push for the law’s passage.

J. Selma to Montgomery Marches (1965)

• Date: March 7, 1965 (Bloody Sunday), March 9 and March 21–25, 1965

• What Happened? Marchers demanding voting rights were brutally attacked on Bloody Sunday. A later march, led by King, successfully reached Montgomery.

• Key People:

  • John Lewis: Attacked during Bloody Sunday.

  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Led the final successful march.

K. Voting Rights Act of 1965

• Date: August 6, 1965

• What Happened? Banned literacy tests and other barriers to Black voting rights.

• Key People:

  • President Lyndon B. Johnson: Signed the act.

3. Key Figures of the Civil Rights Movement

A. Martin Luther King Jr.

• Leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Birmingham Campaign, March on Washington, and Selma marches.

• Advocated for nonviolent resistance.

B. Rosa Parks

• Refused to give up her bus seat, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

C. Malcolm X

• Leader of the Nation of Islam, later promoted Black empowerment and self-defense.

D. Thurgood Marshall

• Lawyer for Brown v. Board of Education, first Black Supreme Court Justice.

E. John Lewis

• Leader in SNCC, Freedom Rider, march organizer, later a Congressman.

F. James Farmer

• Leader of CORE, organized Freedom Rides.

G. Bayard Rustin

• Organized the March on Washington, advocated nonviolence.

H. Medgar Evers

• NAACP leader assassinated in 1963 for fighting segregation in Mississippi.

I. President Lyndon B. Johnson

• Signed the Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965).

J. President John F. Kennedy

• Supported civil rights legislation and sent troops to enforce desegregation.

4. Impact of the Civil Rights Movement

• Legal Successes: Ended segregation, secured voting rights.

• Cultural Influence: Inspired other movements (women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights).

• Continued Struggles: Institutional racism and inequality persist, but civil rights laws laid the foundation for future progress.