Important Leaders during the Civil Rights Movement
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The leaders of the African-American community, including many ministers formed the Montgomery Improvement Association to organize the boycott. They elected the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, 26-year-old Martin Luther King, Jr., to lead the group. An ordained minister since 1948, King had just earned a PH.D. degree in theology from Boston University.
In 1964 he won a noble peace prize. Yet there was a side of King unknown to most people- his inner battle to overcome hatred of the white bigots. As a youth, he had once vowed “to hate all white people.” As leader of the civil rights movement, King said all Americans had to be freed: “Negroes from the bonds of segregation and shame, whites from the bonds of bigotry and fear.”
On August 29, 1963, more then 250,000 people- including about 75,000 whites- converged on the nation's capital. They assembled on the grassy lawn of the Washington lawn of the Washington Monument and marched to the Lincoln Memorial. There people listened to speakers demand the immediate passage of the civil rights bill. When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., appeared, the crowd exploded in applause. In his now famous speech, "I Have a Dream," he appealed for peace and racial harmony.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The leaders of the African-American community, including many ministers formed the Montgomery Improvement Association to organize the boycott. They elected the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, 26-year-old Martin Luther King, Jr., to lead the group. An ordained minister since 1948, King had just earned a PH.D. degree in theology from Boston University.
In 1964 he won a noble peace prize. Yet there was a side of King unknown to most people- his inner battle to overcome hatred of the white bigots. As a youth, he had once vowed “to hate all white people.” As leader of the civil rights movement, King said all Americans had to be freed: “Negroes from the bonds of segregation and shame, whites from the bonds of bigotry and fear.”
On August 29, 1963, more then 250,000 people- including about 75,000 whites- converged on the nation's capital. They assembled on the grassy lawn of the Washington lawn of the Washington Monument and marched to the Lincoln Memorial. There people listened to speakers demand the immediate passage of the civil rights bill. When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., appeared, the crowd exploded in applause. In his now famous speech, "I Have a Dream," he appealed for peace and racial harmony.
Shirley Chisholm
African American women such as Shirley Chisholm exemplified the advances won in the civil rights movement. In 1968, Chisholm became the first African-American woman in the United States House of Representatives.
Shirley Chisholm left teaching for good to run for New York State Assembly representing a district in New York City. While she was there and the Civil Rights movement was in full swing, she supported programs to establish public day-care centers and provide unemployment insurance to domestic workers. Activists all across the nation were working for equal rights, and Shirley Chisholm was one of the voices for the movement. She won and was elected into the assembly in 1964
In 1972, Chisholm gained national prominence by running for the Democratic presidential nomination. Despite the fact that she never won more than 10% of the vote in the primaries, she controlled 152 delegates at the Democratic convention of Miami.
Shirley Chisholm was always passionate about how she felt women, especially black women, should be treated in the workforce. For years black women were taking stereotypical jobs as maids and nannies. Shirley believed that black women needed to be given a chance to try different things and be given equal rights. She inspired women to believe that they had a place in the world and deserved better then what they were being given.
African American women such as Shirley Chisholm exemplified the advances won in the civil rights movement. In 1968, Chisholm became the first African-American woman in the United States House of Representatives.
Shirley Chisholm left teaching for good to run for New York State Assembly representing a district in New York City. While she was there and the Civil Rights movement was in full swing, she supported programs to establish public day-care centers and provide unemployment insurance to domestic workers. Activists all across the nation were working for equal rights, and Shirley Chisholm was one of the voices for the movement. She won and was elected into the assembly in 1964
In 1972, Chisholm gained national prominence by running for the Democratic presidential nomination. Despite the fact that she never won more than 10% of the vote in the primaries, she controlled 152 delegates at the Democratic convention of Miami.
Shirley Chisholm was always passionate about how she felt women, especially black women, should be treated in the workforce. For years black women were taking stereotypical jobs as maids and nannies. Shirley believed that black women needed to be given a chance to try different things and be given equal rights. She inspired women to believe that they had a place in the world and deserved better then what they were being given.
Rosa Parks
Long before December 1955, Rosa Parks had protested segregation through everyday acts. She refused to use drinking fountains labeled "Colored Only." When possible, she even shunned segregated elevators and climbed stairs instead.
A seamstress and an NAACP officer, took a seat in the front row of the “colored” section of a Montgomery bus. As the bus filled up, the driver ordered Parks and three other African-American passengers to empty the row they were occupying so that a white man could sit down without having to sit next to any African Americans. “It was time for someone to stand up—or in my case, sit down,” recalled Parks. "I refused to move."
As Parks stared out the window, the bus driver said, "If you don't stand up, I'm going to call the police and have you arrested." The soft-spoken Parks replied, "You may do that."
News of Parks arrest spread rapidly. Martin Luther King Jr. was asked to lead the Montgomery bus boycott and delivered a passionate and eloquent speech which brought people to their feet and filled audience with a sense of mission. This inspired a whole community to fight for Parks cause and fight segregation. African Americans filed a lawsuit and for 381 days they refused to fight the buses in Montgomery.
Lauren R.
Long before December 1955, Rosa Parks had protested segregation through everyday acts. She refused to use drinking fountains labeled "Colored Only." When possible, she even shunned segregated elevators and climbed stairs instead.
A seamstress and an NAACP officer, took a seat in the front row of the “colored” section of a Montgomery bus. As the bus filled up, the driver ordered Parks and three other African-American passengers to empty the row they were occupying so that a white man could sit down without having to sit next to any African Americans. “It was time for someone to stand up—or in my case, sit down,” recalled Parks. "I refused to move."
As Parks stared out the window, the bus driver said, "If you don't stand up, I'm going to call the police and have you arrested." The soft-spoken Parks replied, "You may do that."
News of Parks arrest spread rapidly. Martin Luther King Jr. was asked to lead the Montgomery bus boycott and delivered a passionate and eloquent speech which brought people to their feet and filled audience with a sense of mission. This inspired a whole community to fight for Parks cause and fight segregation. African Americans filed a lawsuit and for 381 days they refused to fight the buses in Montgomery.
Lauren R.