Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s

Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s

Introduction

The civil rights movement of the 1960s successfully altered the position of the nation. The campaign addressed the challenges of segregation in sectors of transportation, accommodation, education, voting, employment opportunities, and drafting to the war of African- Americans (Martin Luther King Jr., 1963). The agendas of the movement prevailed in fighting these forms of racial discrimination. For instance, the U.S. Army and the National Guard were used to enforce integration of all races in institutions of education (P. Scott Corbett, John M. Lund 2014). The movement saw the enactment of numerous legislation and the pronouncement of judicial decisions in favor of the integration of people of color and as against white segregationists (Steven F Lawson, 1991). The Twenty Fourth Amendment of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, for instance, were ratified and enacted to prohibit the imposition of poll taxes and ban states and governments from adopting regulations that excluded persons from voting based on their race, respectively (Steve F Lawson, 1991). The application of such laws saw a dramatic increase in registered African-American voters (P. Scott Corbett, John M. Lund 2014). The decision in Brown v Board of Education declared that racial segregation in schools was prohibited (John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, n.d). The civil rights movement had its fair share of successes and failures. Most of its failures arose from the resistance from the white populace who rejected equal rights for people of color. However, the movement, despite its shortcomings, had one major win. The demonstrations and even violence towards the black community drew tremendous amounts of attention to the situation in America. Some of the events were fictionalized and made into movies that were watched by the masses; thus, international awareness of the plight of African Americans was created. (Steve F Lawson, 1991)

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made significant changes in the station of African and Latin American communities. Employment segregation based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin was banned (Civil Rights Act 1964). The Act functioned to outlaw discrimination based on race in public accommodation facilities such that one couldn’t be discriminated in workplaces or areas of public nature. The Act also served to ban discrimination in public schools and provided for the denial of federal funding for schools that segregated non-white students. The Civil Rights Act (the Fair Housing Act) of 1968 declared it illegal for a person to be discriminated in housing matters based on their race, religion, color, religion, sex, national origin. The segregation couldn’t happen in housing matters related to the sale renting or financing of houses (Georgetown Law Library, 7/02/2020). The Civil Rights Act of 1957 created the division for civil rights in the judicial arm. It vested power on officials of federal governments to charge and prosecute the person who infringes another person’s right of the vote based on race, color, religion, national origin, and sex (Civil Rights Act of 1957). Also, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was instrumental in bettering the system of education in America.  Among the improvements, the Act guaranteed is increased funding for public schools that integrated all races while denying the aforementioned funds to schools that discriminated against non-white students. Lastly, the Higher Education Act provided scholarships to students from low-income backgrounds. Low-interest loans were also granted to such students. These were loans that would be used to pay off tuition fees. These education-related Acts were passed in a bid to eradicate poverty by making education accessible to all people (P. Scott Corbett, John M. Lund 2014).

Tactics used by the civil rights activists would apply in solving today’s racial and ethnic matters. The activists’ movement utilized an array of methods to advocate for equal rights for the communities of non-white Americans. Among these were peaceful demonstrations, boycotts, and freedom rides. They were enacting of legislation and judicial decisions. The student front of the movement also participated in sleep-ins, teach-ins, read-ins, pray-ins. Tactics like the freedom rides which were undertaken by both black and white students served to fight against Jim Crow’s seat formation and regulations. The sleep-ins, pray-ins, and read-ins in public institutions were an effort to have discrimination of black folk in areas of public nature outlawed. Besides, some black groups, disillusioned and angered by the great injustices that the black population was faced with, took to violent means. The peaceful means of demonstrations, boycotts would be applicable in today’s world. This means there is a right that is enshrined in the First Amendment. The state recognizes the right to join peaceful protests when one’s rights have been violated as vital to any democracy (ACLU, n.d). Enacting legislation and using the court to address issues of race and ethnicity is not only applicable but also very effective in today’s situation. This means to enhance the legitimacy of claims and ensures enforcement since people are more conscious of their rights. The only approach that would be utterly unacceptable is the use of violence. Resorting to militant action is highly discouraged and frowned upon the current times.

The ideas of the 1960 civil rights movement were to end segregation in education, to make education accessible to the poor, to provide medical care to the vulnerable, to equalize employment. These problems still exist despite the progress made by the nation. However, goals like attaining equal rights to vote would be irrelevant since every person of age is allowed to vote in America today.

The civil rights movement would still have an impact on diversity in current times. This is due to empirical evidence that shows that African American children, despite having access to schools, are more likely to be suspended than any other group. The harsh disciplinary action taken upon such students pushes them out of the education system and into criminal organizations.  There is also an apparent disparity in the courses offered in schools, which affects the competence of students for the job market, with students of color having a disadvantage.  The case of Fisher v University of Texas is evidence that a civil rights movement is still relevant and necessary. The ruling in the case as mentioned above-required admission policies to be amended to comply with integration policies. Students of non-white communities from low-income homes lag behind the white students in high school graduations and completion of college. This difference courses a subsequent gap in opportunity eligibility and achievement. These differences stem from systemic inequality in resources.

Conclusion

Because of the above realities in America today, a civil rights movement would have the effect of further equalizing the plane for all races, thus enhancing diversity (David Jones and Andrene Jones-Castro, 2016).

References

Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 438 (1955), Retrieved from

https://www.histoery.com

Fisher v the University of Texas, 570 U.S. 297 (2013), Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com

Civil Rights Act 1964, Retrieved from https://www.history.com

Civil Rights Act of 1957, Retrieved from https://www.crdl.udg.edu

Martin Luther King, 1963, I Have a Dream Retrieved from https://www.archives.gov

1. Scott Corbett, John M. Lund 2014 U.S. History Retrieved from https://openstax.org/books/is-history/pages/1-1-the-americas

Steven f Lawson 1991, freedom then freedom now. The historiography of the civil rights

movement, the American historical review 96(2), 456-471 Retrieved from     https://scholar.google.com

John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, n.d ‘Civil Rights Movement’ Retrieved from

https://www.jfklibrary.org

Georgetown law library, 7/02/2020, ‘Civil Rights Acts 1964, 1968 a Brief History of Civil Rights

in U.S. Retrieved from https://guides.II.georgetown.ed

ACLU, n.d Rights of Protesters, Retrieved from https://www.aclu.org

David Jones and Andrene Jones-Castro, 2016 Editorial; Education is the Civil Right Retrieved

from https://www.nbcnews.com