Civil Rights

Civil Rights Movement Essay Since the 1800's, racism had been prevalent America, but by the mid 1900's African Americans and some caucasians were both looking for reform. In the south there were peaceful protests such as the Montgomery bus riot and nonviolent civil rights organizations, but in other places there were violent groups and protests. Both groups wanted civil rights, but there viewpoints were much different. One group wanted integration and the other wanted two completely separate areas for African Americans and caucasions. The nonviolent organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference led peaceful riots in Alabama and all over the Southeast states. Martin Luther King Jr., leader of many of these riots, was put in jail along with many other leaders of the rebellions because people did not want anything change. These groups simply wanted a better place to live because they feel that "justice too long delayed is justice denied" (MLK response 2). When it comes to being just and unjust in this argument of civil rights for African Americans, many believed the laws were unjust and in the words of St. Augustine "an unjust law is no law at all" (MLK response 2). These riots and organizations are a baby step in the civil rights movement for African Americans, but the peaceful protests only help with de jure segregation. The other parts of the United States were dealing with much worse riots and groups such as the Black Panthers and the concept of black power. Black Panthers was a new group of people who started fighting against de facto segregation. They believed the peaceful protests and nonviolent riots would get them no where and only served as a buffer zone. This political party did not want integration but wanted a community where "the love [they] seek to encourage is within the black community, the only American community where men call each other 'brother' when they meet. [They] can build a community of love only