Civil Rights Movement
Definition
The Civil Rights Movement was a struggle for social justice that took place mainly during the 1950s and 1960s for Black Americans to gain equal rights under the law in the United States.
Analogy
Think of the Civil Rights Movement like a marathon. It's not just one race, but many races over time, with different runners (activists) taking part. Some parts of the course are uphill (challenging laws and societal norms), some are downhill (achieving victories), but all require endurance and determination.
Related terms
Brown v. Board of Education: This was a landmark Supreme Court case in 1954 where segregation in public schools was ruled unconstitutional, marking a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement.
Nonviolent Resistance: A strategy used by civil rights activists to achieve their goals through peaceful means such as sit-ins, boycotts, and marches. Martin Luther King Jr. is famous for advocating this approach.
Civil Rights Act of 1964: This significant legislation outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin - it ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools and workplaces.
"Civil Rights Movement" appears in:
Study guides (2)
Practice Questions (20+)
- What was the significant achievement of the Civil Rights Movement in the mid-1960s?
- What was the main difference between the tactics of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and activists before then?
- Which of the following was a key strategy of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s?
- A movement contributing to the rise of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s that was inspired by World War II was the....
- Which of the following was a significant factor in the rise of the civil rights movement?
- Which case helped the civil rights movement gain momentum?
- Which theme links the Great Awakening in the mid-1700s, Women's Suffrage Movement in late-1800s, and Civil Rights Movement in mid-1900s?
- How are the First Great Awakening (1730s-1740s), Second Great Awakening (1800s), and Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968) interconnected?
- Which principle persisted throughout the American Revolution, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights Movement?
- How did both the Enlightenment period in Europe influence colonial society culture in America as well as Civil Rights Movement impact modern society?
- How does women's suffrage movement at turn of the century relate to Civil Rights Movement in mid-20th century?
- What was one of the major achievements of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States between 1945 to 1980?
- Which statement best describes one achievement of the civil rights movement during Period 8 (1945-1980)?
- Which event had a significant impact on the onset of the Civil Rights Movement?
- What similar behavior can be found in both the Progressive Era (1890-1920) and Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968)?
- Which event had a profound effect on the civil rights movement in the mid-20th century?
- How did the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s influence American identity?
- What societal shift is seen both during the Second Great Awakening at the beginning of the 19th century and the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century?
- If Dred Scott decision was not passed, how could that affect the civil rights movement?
- Which event from a previous era most closely mirrors the social upheaval experienced during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s?
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