Causes of the Movement and what Participants were attempting to Achieve
The civil rights movement occurs as one of the most pertinent events in the history of the United States. The primary cause of the civil rights movement was the unequal treatment of the blacks. Precisely, the blacks had limited rights compared to the whites who enjoyed a wider array of rights. In a nutshell, the main factor that prompted the emergence of the civil rights movement was the discrimination of blacks in terms of job allocation, and resource allocation. The civil rights movement were established with the primary intent of fighting public authorities and social systems that denied certain rights to the blacks. While it may be through that the civil rights movement was supported by blacks alone, it is of the essence to note that whites supported the civil sights campaigns in a number of ways. Overall, participants of the civil rights movement sought to assure that equal rights accorded to the white be granted to the blacks.
Events
The civil rights movement was coupled with different events, which had an implication on the cause of the movement.
Selma to Montgomery March
One of the major events that took place during the civil rights movement is the Selma to Montgomery March. Happening in the 7th of March, 1965, this event did not materialize in that police attacked protesters; hence, preventing the event from taking place. A battle ensued between the protesters and the police resulting in a bloody fight. The participants were determined to go ahead with their March amidst police presence. This event had a significant influence on the civil rights movement. This event attracted hundreds of civil rights sympathizers, amongst them whites, who came forward to support the participants. In the end, the participants were given a court permission to carry on with the protest. After this event, the Congress passed a voting Act: Voting Rights Act, which allowed blacks to exercise their voting right. This analysis depicts the manner in which this event played a crucial role in enhancing the causes advocated for by the civil rights movement.
Birmingham and the March on Washington
Taking place in the year 1963, the Birmingham and the March on Washington occurs as the other major event that took place during the civil rights movement period. This event utilized the protest strategy whereby a major protest campaign was launched in Birmingham, Alabama. This event comprised of highly publicized battles between police and nonviolent protesters comprising of school going children. This event impacted on the course of the civil rights movement in that it prompted the then President; John F. Kennedy to pass a new civil rights legislation, which was part of the causes advocated by the civil rights movement participants. Worth noting is the fact that this event led to the August 28 March on Washington, which was another major event in the civil rights movements. The August 28 March on Washington attracted various participants and this enhance the cause of the civil rights movement.
Montgomery Bus Boycott
This event was escalated by an incident that occurred in a Montgomery bus whereby a black woman; Rosa Parks defied a custom that required blacks to give seats in the front of the buses for the white. Rosa Parks refused to seat at the back of the bus as it was required of the blacks and this resulted in her being imprisoned. As a result of Park’s imprisonment, black resorted to boycott of the Montgomery buses, a boycott that lasted for more than a year. This event marked the determination of the blacks to attain equal privileges with the rights. In conclusion, all the events that occurred during the civil rights period played an influential role in enhancing the success of the civil rights movement.
