African-American civil rights movement from 1954 to 1968

1. Introduction:

Since the first ship that carried African slave arrived the east coast of America in the 1600s,

the dark age of African-American started to run down its clock. In both violent and peaceful

way, African-American and their supporter have kept changing their social position, trying to

reach their goal-equality. With centuries of effort and thousands and millions of victims,

African-American finally got to their turning point. This turning point is commonly known as

African-American civil rights movement. Unlike many other movements, this movement was

mostly peaceful; Soft power is the main theme of this movement.

2.History of enslaved African-American

The racial discrimination to African-American is the by-product of the race-based

slavery system. Different than common cognition, the race-based slavery didnt emerge in

America until this idea appears in the Caribbean. Before that time, colonists treat Africans

captives as servants with a contract, release after a period of time. After the race-based

slavery replaces the old servant system, colonies in America started to legalized the slavery.

Due to many reasons like the social position of African and depopulation of native race,

society degraded African into slavery. Unlike many racists view, these reasons are nurture

over nature, instead of nature over nurture, such as less clever than European within DNA. As

Australian human rights commission says: There are no biological differences between

people. No race is superior or inferior to another. Were all the same. After the adoption of

the race-based system in mid 1600s, Slaves, most of them are African, start to spread all over

British colonies in North America. During 17th and 18th centuries, Slavery were mainly

served as lucrative crop grower in Southern coast; while on the northern colonies, where

slavery werent as important as in Southern coast, Colonists were willing to put an end on the

slavery system. The establishment of new countries brought nearly no change on the social
status of black slaves. Meanwhile, because of the high demand on cotton from England and

overuse of land, Southern coast shift its main crop from tobacco to cotton, and slaves change

from tobacco grower to cotton grower. The history of African Slave have a big effect on

future racism, or even can be consider as the origin of racism. All European colonist at that

time knews they are better than those slaves, which mainly are one race; therefore, the feeling

of superiority toward African race start to grow, and this idea start to spread all over

American colony.

3.Big events those change African-Americans social status before 1950s Civil right

movement

There are many other big events that improved Blacks social status. The first one is

the establishment of the United States of America, this is a big event in American and even

human history, but didnt create a big impact to the slavery system, it is the start of the end of

slavery system in the United states. In the constitution of the United States of America, one

principles about human right wrote: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment

of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of

the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for

a redress of grievances. Although it did talk about human right, but not specific to African-

American. Meanwhile, another principle about right to property in the constitution of the

United States of America is nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just

compensation. In the issue of African-American slavery system, this two principle have

conflict. States in North thinks the first principle are more important than second principle,

while States in South believe right to property is the most important principle. Therefore, the

Establishment of the United state of America only freed Black slaves in Northern States who

already got enough right even before the establishment of the new-born country, the social
status of Slaves in Southern States still remain the same. The biggest Change of African-

American before Civil right happened are the American civil war, the fight between Northern

and Southern States, industrialized states and agricultural states, machine-based economy and

planter-based economy, also the fight between worker-based economy and slave-based

economy. This war are the explosion of hard power, both state action and physical force take

a big part in the winning of this war, and the first huge war after industrialization. After this

civil war, no law in any states shall permit legal right to the slavery system.

4. The arrival of African-American civil rights movement from 1954 to 1968

Start by the famous apartheid policy, which people in power said separate but

equal. The imbalance of power between African-American and White American started to be

not accepted by African-American. After hundreds of years of consensus, African-American

started the movement for their right, African-American civil rights movement. The trigger is a

famous lawsuit, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, this time, the Black woman, Brown,

winned. The social conflict start to emerge more clear and bigger, several march had

conducted in many states, especially in Southern states where the discrimination toward

African-American was significantly larger than Northern States. Leaders of this movement,

included Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Andrew Goodman and others,

risked or even sacrifices themself in this movement. Martin Luther King, Jr. is the best

example of true human right fighter. Not long after his persuasive speech, I have a dream,

he got shot by assassins. What can be seen in this event? Hard power was using in that

movement, not by activist, but the conservatives and racists.

5. The social movement process of African-American civil rights movement from 1954

to 1968

The emergence of the social movement in this event started by few lawsuit that sue racists for

disobey the constitution of the United states. African-American winned this time. Not long
after, many African-American who cant stand the apartheid policy started to gather up,

leaders and plan started to emerge in these groups. Then, these group took action, the most

famous example is sit in restaurants which didnt prohibit African-American to enter. One

Action after another, the idea of equal and ban the apartheid rule gained more and more

supporters in both white and black. People joined and supported this social movement started

to rocketing, more and more strategic and formal action started to take place, such as the

March of Washington from the Washington Monument to Lincoln Memorial. Government

started to contact and had debate about apartheid policy, and many government officials

include the brother of John F. Kennedy are taking a role in the supporter side of this

movement. Everything seems like to be on track, but the conservatives and racists began their

sucker punch, they assassinate the brother of John F. Kennedy and Martin Lurther King, Jr.

Although the violent started to be used more and more on conservatives and racists hand, the

goal of this social movement still get achieved. The official racial discrimination turned to

personal, and the privilege (at least on paper) disappear at the same time.

6.Conclusion

Civil right movement is a big step of protest the right of African-American, and it also

have a big impact on human right issue around the world. On the other hand, it is one of the

movement in the rarest type - peaceful social movement but create huge impact to the world.

Although African-American was treated unfairly and have no advantages at the beginning,

they didnt give up. Even though they know the road in front of are full of blood, they still

keep march on. When the sunlight emerge in their sight, they keep marched on, with millions

of sacrificer, the sunlight start to shine on all of them. Even enemies knife stab in their body,

they still keep march on with peace. This civil right movement is the invisible monument of

human right, and a perfect social movement.