Civil+Rights

Civil Rights

Segregation** and racial hatred were occurring in America during this time period, so many people were fighting against it in a **civil rights movement**. Blacks and whites were segregated everywhere- in schools, on the bus, in sports, and in all other public recreational facilities. People like **Martin Luther Ling Jr**., **Jackie Robinson**, **Branch Rickey**, and **Melba Pattillo Beals** were there to make a difference. Of course many other people were involved, those were just a few.

The most important civil rights leader of all time is Martin Luther King Jr. He was a man with confidence, and a man with enough influence to have an effect on the world. Martin Luther King Jr. led the **bus boycott**, which discontinued segregation on buses. He helped fight in a lot of protests, and was thrown in jail. He supported his fellow black people through thick and thin, and didn't let them give up. His **"I have a dream..."** speech empowered many. He was a real hero in the civil rights movement. Sadly, he was assassinated in Memphis.

Another hero was **Jackie Robinson**. He was the first black player to join a white major-league team in baseball. His manager was Branch Rickey, the Dodger's coach, who had the idea of **integration** in baseball. Because of Branch Rickey all the people, not just whites, could fully enjoy the game. Jackie Robinson was known for his tough stamina. He was abused by most of Americans. He was spit on, kicked, punched, and abused in every possible way. He got death threats many times, but he didn't give up, and managed to change the world.

Melba Pattillo Beals also experienced a lot of trauma. She was one of the nine black students who attended Melba experienced a lot of abuse from her fellow students. She was treated like garbage, and didn't deserve it in the least. She later wrote a book called **//Warriors Don't Cry//** about her school experience. Civil rights was an adventure; one that would take a lot of strength, bravery, and patience. But, with the help of some amazing people, laws were changed, and citizens were treated equally- for the most part, anyways. Also, the **Brown v. Board of Education** was a very important aspect of integration in schools. Linda Brown, a black student, had a good, white school nearby but she was forced to walk a long route a black school farther away that didn't offer as good of an educations. Her father, Reverend Oliver Brown, brought that case to the court. There were other cases as well like Briggs v. Clarendon County and Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County. These cases were all appealed to the supreme court and together were referred to Brown v. Board of Education. On May 17th, 1954 schools were no longer separated. But, southern states were not cooperating and closed because they didn't want black students attending their schools. Finally, after a long time the schools reopened and blacks could attend school. Everything was solved, right? No, black students were being treated worse than ever.
 * Little Rock's Central High School**. Attending a previously white school was extremely agonizing.


 * Rosa Parks** was another hero who helped diminish segregation. She was riding the bus one day, and refused to give her seat up to a white man. Because Rosa Parks was sticking up for her rights, she got arrested and that angered many black people in Montgomery, Alabama. She inspired them to start a bus boycott, which did eventually get rid of segregation on buses. Led by Martin Luther King Jr., the boycott lasted for months- blacks would not ride the city buses. The blacks carpooled, walked, bicycled to avoid the buses. Some even got arrested just because they wouldn't go on the bus. The city finally gave up, and 13 months after Rosa Parks was arrested The Supreme Court ruled segregation on buses illegal.

and lead the **Farm Workers Association**. Chavez wanted to help the poor farmers who were mistreated and abused by the farm owners. Like MLK Jr., and Gandhi, Chavez believed so they could demand fair treatment and wages, but that was difficult to do given that farmers were spread out everywhere; not grouped together like factory workers. Like many others, Chavez helped make a difference.
 * Cesar Chavez** also helped with the civil rights movement. Chavez was an American with Mexican heritage
 * nonviolence** was the key to success. Chavez wanted to create **unions** among the farm owners