Long civil rights movement facts for kids
The "Long Civil Rights Movement" is a way of looking at the Civil Rights Movement that suggests it lasted much longer than most people usually think. A historian named Jacquelyn Dowd Hall first shared this idea. She wrote about it in 2005 in a history journal. Since then, many scholars who study civil rights have paid close attention to this argument.
The Long Civil Rights Movement argues that the fight for equal rights for Black Americans began much earlier and continued much longer. People often think the Civil Rights Movement started with the Brown v. Board of Education court case in 1954. This case was a big moment because it made segregation in public schools illegal. The movement is also often linked to leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and important laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
However, the Long Civil Rights Movement suggests the fight started in the 1930s. It also argues that it continues even today, through movements like Black Lives Matter.
When Did the Movement Really Start?
Some historians believe the civil rights movement began as early as the end of slavery. Others think it continued through Barack Obama's time as president and is still going on. Most agree that the "Long Civil Rights Movement" really picked up speed in the 1930s. This was during the New Deal Era, a time of big social changes in the United States.
Before the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954, many campaigns and protests fought against segregation. Even after the court case made segregation illegal, it took about 15 years for the whole country to fully follow the new rule. As schools started to mix students of different races, some people tried to bring back segregation within the school system.
Challenges After the 1960s
Even after the Civil Rights Act was passed and the main movement seemed to slow down, Black people still faced unfair treatment. In the 1970s and 1980s, they often struggled to find affordable homes. They also faced resistance when trying to live in neighborhoods that were mostly white. Getting fair job opportunities and fighting for equal rights in workplaces were also big challenges. These problems were common across the entire nation, not just in the South.
In the 1980s, Black people faced difficulties finding good jobs. They also experienced unfair increases in who was sent to jail. Gerrymandering was a tactic used to draw voting district lines in a way that made it harder for Black people to vote. Some people also used the term "underclass" to describe Black Americans. This showed that some still thought of them as less important than white people.
After the major Civil Rights events of the 1960s, some people started to focus on Martin Luther King Jr.'s strong views against the Vietnam War. They sometimes ignored his main goals of equality. During this time, some people even claimed that racism was no longer a big problem. While the Civil Rights Movement made huge steps toward equal rights, not everyone accepted these changes.
In the 1970s, a movement called New Right Conservatism grew stronger, especially during Ronald Reagan's presidency. This led to more separation between races in neighborhoods and other parts of society. People sometimes refused to sell homes to Black people or allow them into certain communities. This was the opposite of bringing people together; it aimed to keep different races apart.
Government's Role and Continuing Fight
At first, the Civil Rights Movement made progress with help from private groups and government money. The government even pushed for changes to help poor people. While the government's help was good, when they pulled back, many people went back to their old ways. Many parts of the U.S., especially the South, continued to support Jim Crow laws. These laws enforced segregation and discrimination.
In the South, politicians also formed groups that opposed civil rights. This made it hard for Black people to have a voice in government. The South wanted to protect its economy, which often relied on cheap labor, even if it went against new laws and constitutional rights.
The Long Civil Rights Movement argues that the fight for equality is still ongoing. The Black Lives Matter Movement today is a modern example of this continuing effort. This movement calls it a "never-ending fight for freedom." They continue to work for equal political, social, and economic rights.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "The racial issue we confront in America is not a sectional but a national problem." The Long Civil Rights Movement shows that this fight for equality has lasted for over a century. It also shows that it is a fight that affects the entire nation, not just the South.
