Why Did We Fight To End The Civil Rights Movement?
During the Civil Rights Movement, the United States was not how it is today. Blacks and whites did not get along. The blacks were enslaved up until the end of the Civil War, struggling and fighting for freedom. The Civil War did officially abolished slavery, but on the other hand it did not end discrimination against the blacks, they continued to endure the devastating effects of racism, especially in the South. On January 1, 1863 Abraham Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation declaring that all slaves were free. Although it did not free all the slaves, it did end the Civil War. On August 28, 1963, one hundred years later Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I have a dream” speech. He wanted blacks to be free. He wanted to end racism
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He says, “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” This is a crucially important statement, as King’s leadership was defined by civil disobedience, not violence. He proved that real legal change could be made without resorting to violence. Though there was much violence during the Civil Rights movement, through it all he was always for peace. He always urged others to protest peacefully, what he refers to in his speech as “the high plane of dignity and discipline.” He also goes on about the importance of recognizing white people who want to protest for this same cause, allies like that are necessary to its success by saying, “ The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone”. He then states some specific goals, saying we can not turn back. He says they can’t stop marching so long as they suffer “police brutality”, as long as they’re turned away from hotels, as long as they’re confined to ghettos, as long as they’re subjected to segregation, and lastly as long as they do not have the right to vote. He then states the many struggles that marchers have been dealing with. Some have just come out of jail, while others who left their homes are surrounded by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. He asks them to continue what they are doing, having faith and hope that their situation will change. He tells them to go back home, knowing that somehow this situation can and will change. Followed by saying that they can not sulk in depression, because a better tomorrow is
He says, “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” This is a crucially important statement, as King’s leadership was defined by civil disobedience, not violence. He proved that real legal change could be made without resorting to violence. Though there was much violence during the Civil Rights movement, through it all he was always for peace. He always urged others to protest peacefully, what he refers to in his speech as “the high plane of dignity and discipline.” He also goes on about the importance of recognizing white people who want to protest for this same cause, allies like that are necessary to its success by saying, “ The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone”. He then states some specific goals, saying we can not turn back. He says they can’t stop marching so long as they suffer “police brutality”, as long as they’re turned away from hotels, as long as they’re confined to ghettos, as long as they’re subjected to segregation, and lastly as long as they do not have the right to vote. He then states the many struggles that marchers have been dealing with. Some have just come out of jail, while others who left their homes are surrounded by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. He asks them to continue what they are doing, having faith and hope that their situation will change. He tells them to go back home, knowing that somehow this situation can and will change. Followed by saying that they can not sulk in depression, because a better tomorrow is