As the presidency of the first black President of the United States to take office starts its third year has public attention turned away from race to politics? We have just completed our investigation into the phenomenon of the American Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. Think for a moment and share your thoughts. What connections have you made from this study? What has it made you think about history, politics or people?
30 comments:
Studying the US CR movement made me reconsider my perceptions of MLK as previously I knew very little apart from the 'saintly' "I have a drea" version without the history of mistakes etc he made.
I've also realised how much the CR movement has influenced other campaigns e.g. the sit-ins which some people still use today.
Society must truly have changed a lot for Obama to have got into power as the 1950s/60s society was filled with hypocritical and open racists who'd never have let him get the Presidency. That, or it just goes to show how powerful the black vote was and why even the racist Presidents wanted it.
Hannah Strachan
By learning about the CR movement, it has made me come to the realisation that the media had a great deal to do with the progress made by the Black Americans, and other minor groups. The attention they attracted was unbelievable, as their actions influenced others to follow.
The CR movement, brought about tactics that initially made an advancement towards equality, for example, non-violent protesting in the form of sit-ins, which is occasionally used nowadays.
Particular leaders; MLK or Malcolm X for example were indeed strong-willed and brought about change that slightly improved Black Americans state of living and influenced others to carry on the campaign even after their deaths.
For President Obama, to become the first Black President is beyond belief a phenomenan; thus showing the true progress Black Americans have made and how far they have come from being subjected to daily abuse and being looked down upon from their white counterparts.
Almas Kazi x
By learning about the CR movement, it has made me come to the realisation that the media had a great deal to do with the progress made by the Black Americans, and other minor groups. The attention they attracted was unbelievable, as their actions influenced others to follow.
The CR movement, brought about tactics that initially made an advancement towards equality, for example, non-violent protesting in the form of sit-ins, which is occasionally used nowadays.
Particular leaders; MLK or Malcolm X for example were indeed strong-willed and brought about change that slightly improved Black Americans state of living and influenced others to carry on the campaign even after their deaths.
For President Obama, to become the first Black President is beyond belief a phenomenan; thus showing the true progress Black Americans have made and how far they have come from being subjected to daily abuse and being looked down upon from their white counterparts.
Almas Kazi x
By learning about the CR movement, it has made me come to the realisation that the media had a great deal to do with the progress made by the Black Americans, and other minor groups. The attention they attracted was unbelievable, as their actions influenced others to follow.
The CR movement, brought about tactics that initially made an advancement towards equality, for example, non-violent protesting in the form of sit-ins, which is occasionally used nowadays.
Particular leaders; MLK or Malcolm X for example were indeed strong-willed and brought about change that slightly improved Black Americans state of living and influenced others to carry on the campaign even after their deaths.
For President Obama, to become the first Black President is beyond belief a phenomenan; thus showing the true progress Black Americans have made and how far they have come from being subjected to daily abuse and being looked down upon from their white counterparts.
Almas Kazi x
The presidency of Barack Obama while I was studying the civil rights movement made me realise how huge this change was for American society.
Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and various organisations such as SNCC, SCLC, NAACP and CORE along with many others worked extremely hard in order to create the changes that allowed this presidency to occur.
From non violent direct action such as sit-ins and marches to the more militant tactics of Malcolm X and the idea of black power all contributed to the massive changes America saw.
The commitment these individuals showed to the movement and also the help they received from supportive presidents such as JFK amounted to the equal treatment of black people in all areas of America. Obamas presidency gives great credit to the people who worked so hard to achieve this moment in history.
I found it interesting to see how each individuals power brought about change and influenced society, may it have been in a positive or negative way. I enjoyed researching into individuals such as MLK and Malcolm X and creating a greater understanding of their characters.I also enjoyed looking in depth into the campaign techniques used such as the Montgomery bus boycott etc.
Studying the civil rights movement has allowed me to understand the conditions of which the black Americans had to endure, in greater detail.
Heather
After studying the US CM I learned a lot about what Black Americans had been through. It was sad to read and learn about the brutality they went through. It was also disturbing to study the discrimination and racism they suffered from groups such as the KKK, not only them but the American society as a whole.
If it hadnt been for influential figures such as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, etc. Would African-Americans have still got through this and would Obama really have had the chance to become the 1st Black President of America?
Haroon Ul-Haq
After studying American Black Civil rights I have realised that the major barrier wasn't white supremacy groups like the KKK or being racially segregated but the white's grass rotts attitude towards black people at the time which made it hard for them to become equal.
I have also leanrt the true power of the media and how it had an effect in gaining support for the CR movement as it made them sympathetic to the black american's cause.
The appointment of Obama shows how even the stubborn deep souh white's have changed there views as they have reaslised that they lives won't get any better without a decent president in power. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the racism has dissapeared altogether but just that this has been pu aside for a greater cause (better life)
Krishan Mistry
I didn't know a lot about the Civil Rights movement beforehand, but doing this unit helped me understand just how important the Obama presidency is.
I learnt how protesting changed over time and just how passionate certain individuals were in order to try and get justice, by doing little things that we wouldn't really think of being extreme. I also learnt just how racist certain people were, in order to try and retain a reputation, which just made them appear to be monsters, discriminating so badly, yet they thought they were right.
It all just amazes me how people with such strong views will do anything to get their way, be it for equality or segregation!
Jacob Firth
I didn't know a lot about the CR movement beforehand, but learning about it really put into perspective just how significant Obama's presidency is.
I learnt the levels of racism faced and just how it was dealt. I learnt that when determined people have a goal, they will do whatever it takes, be it marches, bus boycotts etc.
It just shows how times have changed, with people once judged for what they look like and being persecuted for it, and now running the most powerful country in the world, the country that formerly persecuted the relatives of the new president.
Jacob Firth
I found it interesting to look at the way that as a mass group Black-Americans were involved in campaigning for civil rights. I found looking at the individual case studies very interesting as it meant that we could see how each event built up to the final cause.
I think its interesting how we can relate civil rights with events that happen today all across the world, such as Obama and campaigns that we see happen now.
The commitment that Black-Americans had in the cause that they believed in was astonishing. I think that they worked so hard for what they believed in, that it must have made such a difference to gain ammounts of equality.
Overall, I think that not knowing much about American civil rights before the course helped me to have more of an open mind into the events that went on such as Montogomery, Poor People's March etc...
Charlotte
x
I found learning about the civil rights movement very interesting as it helped me realise the huge amount of progress that has been made for African Americans over the past 50 years for America to be in a position to elect their first Black president in Barrack Obama and for ordinary Americans to be able to see past the colour of someones skin and instead see the talent and potential that they have within them.
Also, we now accept the media as part of everyday life so it was interesting to see the massive effect that the media can have on the success, or failure, of a campaign/ movement, and the overall power that it possesses in the modern world, which is recognised by many countries as the media is banned from many war zones to limit the affect that it can have.
Sam Cumberworth
Studying the Civil rights movement has actually been a very interesting topic to cover and learn about. I knew certain bits of information,such as specific leaders like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, but i didn't really realise the effect they had on people-and how without widespread contribution of the American people, black people-along with other minority groups-today would still be discriminated against and treated unjustly.
I hadn't really thought about the significance the movement, as a whole, had had on American society especially at the time in the 50's/60's.But it made me realise how complex the politics of the situation actually was (with regards to the various presidents) and how much of a change it actually is for black Americans to come from being the 'lowest of the low' to achieving much greater prospects in the 21st century e.g a future black president!
I admire the courage of all of the black people at the time and the other helping hands, and it just goes to show that i you believe in something strong enough, change will happen!
!!Aysha!!
Learning about the civil rights campaign has really brought home how important the election of Barack Obama really is and how it would have never have come about without the campaign and the work of individuals like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.
It shows us that if enough people want the same thing and they use the right tactics (like non-violent direct action), then they can achieve a massive change on both a political and a social scale. It also emphasizes the importance of the media as without it I do not think M.L.K would have had a much success and the same could be said of Obama today.
It is amazing to see how much society has changed over such a such short space of time.
Ashanti Bolloten
Studying the Civil Rights Movement in America has really opened my eyes. There were so much in that small amount of time and yet I hadn't known much about it before. I know understand why people used different types of protest. I mean before I thought the only protest that should be used was peaceful. However now I see why Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam used such drastic acts of violence. They knew their point wouldn't get addressed quick enough if they acted peacefully like MLK or NAACP. This also links nicely with the Woman Suffrage unit we have been studying, that has alot to do with the different degrees of militancy and it's reactions.
I found the topic on the Civil Rights movement fascinating in the sense that we got to grips with how different and how similar the ways of CR are. Black americans have a lot more power, substance and equality within society today which is to be congratulated, after all the work the founding fathers of the Civil Rights Movement put in to make dreams possible.
I watched a film called American History X that is a gripping story about a neo nazi who changes his ways and tries to prevent his brother going down the same wrong path, this is when people start to realise this mistreatment of black americans isn't right.
Different organisations such as the NAACP, SCLC and SNCC to name a few also various presidents through the time period such as Eisenhower and Kennedy have been studied in depth to see who contributed in some way or another to the success and prevention of advancement within the CR Movement.
Also we looked at the use of militacy within an organisation and whether it helped or hindered success, which runs along side the Women's suffrage course.
Learning about the CR movement has made me realise just how massive it is for Barak Obama to have been inaugerated at President of the USA yesterday. To say that just over 50 years ago, black people suffered such terrible injustice and discrimination under Jim Crow laws means that the arguably, most powerful man in the world being half black, makes the CR movement seem worthwhile. A quote I heard on the news yesterday really made me think about this. "They say that Rosa sat so King could walk so Obama could run" It explains how this achievement is down to many small steps and individual greatness.
I found studying the American Civil Rights Movement very interesting and throughout the course I learnt a lot.
During the course I realised the important role which the media played, in gaining support and evoking sympathy from liberal whites.
I think that perhaps without the media many of Martin Luther King's campaigns may not have proved to be as successful as they were.
I was also shocked at the power of ordinary people to make change. Martin Luther King was an ordinary man before he began campaigning for black civil rights.
I found studying the American Civil Rights Movement very interesting and throughout the course I learnt a lot.
During the course I realised the important role which the media played, in gaining support and evoking sympathy from liberal whites.
I think that perhaps without the media many of Martin Luther King's campaigns may not have proved to be as successful as they were.
I was also shocked at the power of ordinary people to make change. Martin Luther King was an ordinary man before he began campaigning for black civil rights.
Amy
Studying the American Civil Rights topic made me realise what a powerful tool the media is. It can influence decisions and opinions of a huge number of people and is extremely clever in it's nature; whilst Birmingham was awful for protesters who were involved, the coverage given to it by the media helped the campaign significantly by causing an increase in white sympathy.
From studying the unit, I was given a huge understanding of what black Americans had to overcome and the struggle they had. It proves how free we are today.
Before doing the unit, I knew the basics about the civil rights movement - so obviously had this preconception that King was this saintly figure and Malcolm X was everything King wasn't.
However, one of the main things that I have taken from this course is that this was not the truth, and the common knowledge aspect of what we think is truth, turns out to in fact be fabricated rumours built up with some fact.
What it has taught me in turns of history as a whole is that major events in history, even when so many people think something about it, doesn't necessarily mean it is true, and more investigation is needed to be able to see the facts from the fiction and rumours that spring up around historical figures and events.
Another major aspect that I think it has taught me a lot about is politics. I have learnt that there are two types of politicians - principled ones, who do things because they think it is morally correct and has to be done, whereas the other type are pragmatists - they do things not because they feel it should be done, but because they know that if they don't do it - well, they're much less likely of staying in power at the next election.
Also, in terms of politics, I've learnt a great deal in terms of just how different American Federalism is compared to the British system, and that different peoples ideas about the same concept (e.g. democracy) can vary dramatically over 4,000 miles and 200 years (American War of Independence from Britain - 1775 - 1781).
Finally, the major thing that has occured to me is the idea that people's ingrained views on society and the peers within it can change considerably over such a short period of time. In the case of the Civil Rights Movement; the fact that Barrack Obama is now President and hasn't been assassination like King was just shows how more open-minded Americans are today, when compared to 40/50 years ago.
Alex Conlon
By studying American Civil Rights, I have learnt that bringing about social change is much harder than simply bringing about new laws. New laws require forceful implementation and without grassroots action, de facto segregation will remain despite an end to de jure segregation. I have also learnt about how powerful a tool that media is and how it can influence the decisions and opinions of many. For example, media coverage of the Freedom Rides created white sympathy for the blacks. I have also learnt that different tactics can be equally effective but in different ways. MLK’s ideas of non-violent direct action helped to push the government into bringing about the 1964 Civil Rights Act and created white sympathy, but militancy helped to mobilise blacks later in the campaign when NVDA lost its appeal. It has also helped me to realise the social harmony which exists in the modern world.
Studying the civil rights movement has meant that i have been able to see how racism and discrimination has evolved from a common public practice to something which is illegal and fought strongly against. I have also been able to see how important protest methods are such as boycotts and sit-ins, and how many of them are still used today.
Obama becoming president has shown just how much life has evolved for black Americans since the 50's from being a racist filled country to a country run by mixed races. It also shows just how much the civil rights movement has contributed to this.
Studying the civil rights movement has made me think about the blatant injustice that has previously existed in society, making me glad that those inequalities were eventually overcome by activists such as the ones studied in this unit e.g. MLK, SNCC, NAACP. I can't imagine such outright racism and discrimination existing in our society- for example, segregation in public places would just be ridiculous- which makes me feel lucky to live in such a more drastically tolerant time.
The election of Obama in 2009 shows how far black rights have progressed; now it is possible for blacks to become president, what else is stopping them? What's also refreshing to see is that if people have don't like Obama, it is much more likely to be due to his politics, rather than his race. I think this is brilliant as it shows how the public's attitudes are no longer predominantly racist. Those attitudes belong to a more select group of people who are looked down on by society, rather than the other way around.
I have developed my perceptions of famous civil rights figures such as Martin Luther King; as somebody else on this blog said, I used to believe that the work he did was without any faults, as he's been canonized to an extent after his assassination. Now I realise that he made a number of mistakes and actually, before his death, many black people were questioning his leadership- this surprised me.
Finally, the unit has reinforced my beliefs about the great work activists did (by learning case studies) and the power of peaceful protest to bring about political and legal change.
studying the Civil Rights Movement has shown me just how hard it is to fight an injustice when all the odds are against you. The effort needed to challenge something seen as everyday and legal is great as not just the laws need to be challenged but attitdes, for when a specific group of people is oppressed everything needs to change inorder for thingd to be equal, such as poverty, housing and education, while somethings can theoretically changed by a simple law in reality it is much much harder.
Mort.
I didn't study History at GCSE, and I didn't know what to expect from it at AS level. Studying the Civil Rights Movement has been, for me, an astonishing experience. I can honestly say that I was ignorant (at a very high scale) in regards to the racism, discrimination and prejudice, which went on in America - a supposed land of the free. I wasn't familiar with the Jim Crow Laws, I wasn't familiar with the prospect of lynching, I wasn't familiar with Malcolm X, or the Nation of Islam. I knew of Martin Luther King, but didn't fully understand his role and where that role stemmed from. Also I wasn't familiar to the American presidents and the way their government system works. After all the knowledge I recieved in these lessons I now fully appreciate the importance of an African American President of America. I knew Obama winning the election was the beginning of a new era, but I didn't realise that the era we left behind was one of extreme hatred and vicious stereotypes, and superior complexes.
These lessons have in a way shaped my understanding of the way I interpret people, and their actions, and the importance of those actions.
As the quote goes: "How do you know who you are, If you don't know where you come from?" I definitely needed to know the history that preceded me.
Studying the CRM I have learnt how unfairly the black citizens were treated. The attitudes of white people shocked me, especially when it came to the north, as they were all for desegragation in the south.
I was suprised at how everyday events which we take for granted, WAS such a difficulty for black citizens, for example, getting on a bus.
Barack Obama becoming President just goes to show how much progress has been made for Black citizens.
Saman Ul-Haq
After studying the Cr Movement,I personally have learnt alot about the black movement, and how such figure heads like MLK and MX contributed towards the movement.
The movement showed us what the black americans were facing and how difficult is was for them to get to where they are now. The CR Movement inspired many people in this day and age, for example Barack Obama who is the first black american president.
My views of people such as MLK changed as I had learnt more about them and how they helped the movement become stronger.
hussain akhtar x
Studying this unit has shown me many things. That morals can often come secondary to self-gain. That many people can see what's right and do their best to help it happen, but it takes a very good person to do it despite the personal cost. That laws and rules can easily be re-written and edited but thoughts, ideas and attitudes can take years to change. And even in the face of centuries of discrimination spirit and being able to get people to believe in your cause can get you a long way.
Studying History at AS has surprised me - I did not expect to cover so much in such a short space of time. The most important thing I've learnt from studying the Civil Rights Movement in the different attitudes of social groups in America. I do not understand how a supposedly Christian country reacted to Civil Rights in the way they did. In theory, most white people were probably for the idea of integration but as soon as they had to deal with the problem head on, they gave into the pressure and sided with the racist attitudes of fellow Americans.
The most disappointing thing about this is that even though Black Americans have taken a huge leap in Civil Rights since the start of the movement in the 1950s, racism and prejudice attitudes is still a major issue in modern society.
Jess McGuire
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