The history of civil rights advocacy in the United States is long and complicated. It is simple to understand how African Americans’ struggle for civil rights started when they were brought to the country as slaves. African-Americans have been the target of hate crimes and other forms of violence for decades. According to Yell (2022), a new generation of black leaders has developed due to their work in education, politics, and peaceful resistance in Brown v. Board of Education. The essay analyses the history of Brown v. Board of Education on how it advocated for civil rights in the United States by identifying its cause, the course it took its consequences, and surrounding evidence.
It was not until the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education that the United States Supreme Court ruled segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Schools and other public places were desegregated as a consequence of this decision. After Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama, a boycott of the city’s bus system started in 1955. This was described to be the main drive behind the case.
The bus was ultimately implemented after a boycott that lasted almost a year. Nine black high school students attempted to join an all-white school in Little Rock, Arkansas, during the school integration drive of 1957 (Yell, 2022). In the face of fierce opposition from white rioters, the U.S. Army intervened and allowed them to attend the school. As a result, the civil rights movement became more vital in the 1960s.
In the 1960s, the civil rights movement became more powerful. In 1961, black and white activists known as Freedom Riders bussed across the southern states to protest interstate transportation discrimination. Their efforts still assisted in desegregating interstate travel, despite the fierce opposition. In 1963, as part of the March on Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. He underlined the need to eliminate racism and racial discrimination in the United States.
On the other hand, these programs excluded African-Americans, further exacerbating their condition. Despite several setbacks, the fight for civil rights eventually led to significant progress and improvement of the situation regarding African-Americans. The Brown v. Board decision, the integration of Little Rock Central High School, the Montgomery bus boycott, and civil rights legislation are the evidence that contributed to the United States’ road toward equality for everyone.
Reference
Yell, M. (2022). Brown v. Board of Education and the Development of special education. Intervention in School and Clinic, 57(3), 198-200.