Paper 3 Due Date Sunday, April 24, By 11:55 Pm In Blackboard
Paper 3 Due Date Sunday April 24 By 1155 Pm In Blackboardif You
Choose one of the following mid-to-late-twentieth century social movements: the Civil Rights movement; the Women’s movement; the Anti-Vietnam War movement; the Gay and Lesbian Rights movement; the Black Power movement; or the Conservative Movement. After choosing a movement to focus on, answer the following question: What were the primary goals (2 or 3) of the movement, and what strategies did this movement use in attempting to implement these goals? For this Paper, you should use evidence from the assigned readings, including chapters from the Fraser book ("Lives Changed" and "The New Politics of the Late 1960s"), chapters 11 and 12 of "Going to the Source" ("Speaking of Equality" and "Writing on the Ivy Walls"), Simon Hall's “Patriotism, Protest, and the 1960s” in American Patriotism, American Protest, Steven F. Lawson's “The Long Origins of the Civil Rights Movement” in Freedom Rights, Alison Lefkovitz’s “Men in the House: Race, Welfare, and the Regulation of Men’s Sexuality in the United States”, and Premilla Nadasen’s “From Widow to ‘Welfare Queen’: Welfare and the Politics of Race” in Black Women, Gender + Families. You must ground your analysis in the text with historical details and quotes, and use Chicago Style footnotes to cite sources. The paper should be 900-1100 words long, double-spaced, in 12-point font, using the funnel style for your introduction, and avoid “floating quotations.” The tone should be objective, avoiding first or second person, and traditional scholarly sources only; websites and answers.com are not permitted.
Paper For Above instruction
The mid-to-late twentieth century was a tumultuous period characterized by significant social movements that redefined American society and politics. Among these, the Civil Rights Movement stands out for its profound impact on racial equality and social justice. This paper explores the primary goals of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, examining the strategies employed to achieve legal, social, and political equality for African Americans, grounded in scholarly sources and historical evidence.
The central goals of the Civil Rights Movement were to end racial segregation, secure voting rights, and achieve economic and social equality for African Americans. These objectives sought to dismantle the systemic racial inequalities rooted in segregationist laws and discriminatory practices. The NAACP’s legal strategies, exemplified by the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, aimed to challenge discriminatory laws through the judicial system, leading to the Supreme Court's ruling that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This legal approach was complemented by direct action campaigns, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which employed economic pressure and mass mobilization to challenge segregationist policies directly.
Strategies employed by the movement were multifaceted, combining legal challenges, grassroots activism, and political lobbying. The Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-1956 exemplifies strategic mass protest, mobilizing African Americans to refuse to use segregated buses, thereby crippling the transit system financially and drawing national attention to segregation. The sit-in movement, beginning with Greensboro in 1960, expanded the tactics of nonviolent direct action, challenging segregated public spaces through peaceful disobedience. On the legislative front, grassroots organizations and national leaders lobbied for comprehensive civil rights legislation, culminating in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These legislative successes reflected a strategy of sustained political pressure combined with grassroots activism, as detailed by Steven F. Lawson in his analysis of the movement's origins and evolution.
The importance of grassroots activism, including the role of organizations like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), cannot be overstated. These groups organized voter registration drives, economic boycotts, and community protests, emphasizing nonviolent resistance inspired by leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. Their efforts aimed to create a cultural shift alongside legal change, targeting institutional racism and discriminatory practices comprehensively.
The movement’s strategies also extended into the cultural realm, fostering a new sense of racial pride and defiance that challenged the narrative of inferiority. The integration of cultural expression, such as the use of music, art, and public speeches, bolstered community resilience and drew broader support. As Hall discusses, patriotism and protest intersected during this period, revealing the complex relationship between national identity and racial justice efforts. These cultural strategies were vital in maintaining momentum and increasing public awareness, ultimately pressuring policymakers to enact reforms.
Despite significant achievements, the movement faced formidable opposition, including violent reprisals, legislative resistance, and internal divisions. Yet, the strategies of legal challenges, grassroots activism, and cultural assertion proved pivotal in shifting public opinion and dismantling formal segregation laws. The success of the Civil Rights Movement demonstrates the effectiveness of combining legal action with direct activism and cultural affirmation to pursue social change. The movement’s legacy underscores the importance of multifaceted strategies in achieving marginalized communities’ rights, shaping subsequent social justice efforts in the United States.
References
- Hall, Simon. “Patriotism, Protest, and the 1960s.” In American Patriotism, American Protest, 9-25. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2011.
- Lawson, Steven F. “The Long Origins of the Civil Rights Movement.” In Freedom Rights, 61-79. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 2006.
- Fraser, John. “Lives Changed” and “The New Politics of the Late 1960s.” In Revel.
- “Going to the Source.” Chapters 11 and 12, “Speaking of Equality” and “Writing on the Ivy Walls”.
- Additional scholarly sources from academic journal articles, books, and primary documents relevant to the Civil Rights Movement’s goals and strategies.