EOTO Reaction: Civil Rights Era - Positives and Negatives

    The Civil Rights Movement has become a defining era in U.S history. During this time, there was both incredible progress made, but a sea of struggle as well. Today, I'd like to tell you about some of the progress and challenges that was taught by students.

    I'd first like to talk about the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 - 1956 , which was sparked by Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat. The boycott mobilized African Americans on an unparalleled scale. Buses were replaced with over 200 person carpool networks, and as a result, the city of Montgomery eventually lost about 70% of its transportation revenue. Ultimately, the Supreme Court validated the ruling that segregated buses were unconstitutional, which also reinforce the precedent set by Brown v. Board of Education. 

    The Freedom Rides of 1961 challenged Jim Crow laws by testing Boynton v. Virginia. During this period, multiracial riders would deliberately violate Jim crows laws while enduring violence from white communities. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) played a major part in this by providing rides that ended with mandated desegregation.

    Despite this progress and success, there was also a fair amount of challenge during the movement. ON September 15th, 1963, the 16th Street Baptist church bombing occurred. This event was a horrific reminder of the violence activists faced. The attack by the Ku Klux Klan unfortunately killed four young girls and injured 23 others. This church was a hub for civil rights leaders, and became a symbol for the ongoing struggle against racial hatred.

    Furthermore, the murders of three civil rights workers - James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman - in 1964 further illustrated the risks and struggles of activism. These three men were active in organizing boycotts and increasing black voter registration. Unfortunately, it seems this made them a target for the KKK. They were first pronounced missing on June 21, 1964 near Philadelphia. Sadly, their bodies were found on August 4th after months of FBI investigation and searches.

    The discovery of their bodies drew significant media attention to the civil rights movement, and further highlighted the violence that activist in the South faced. As a result of this attention, President Lyndon B. Johnson was pushed for the Civil Rights Act of 1964.