Social change movements that are led by the common people often are to elevate opportunity for those whom the law does not benefit, or to change discrimination against people whether it be in a social, economic, or political sense.
The Gay Rights movement encouraged people to speak out against discrimination and harassment towards homosexuals and the Women's’ Rights Movement gained leverage for the equality for women. The Civil Rights Movement granted the blacks and negros not only their independence but also their right to vote, their right to education, and a real law that supported their equality on terms with the regular man. These movements needed to happen in order for equality to be achieved, but the path of equality for …show more content…
This movement fought “to achieve civil rights equal to those of whites, including equal opportunity in employment, housing, and education, as well as the right to vote, the right of equal access to public facilities, and the right to be free of racial discrimination” (Gale Group 2005). Although this movement was supported by many, others opposed ideas of racial equality. Civil Rights supporters had to boycott, march, and protest. This was especially true as it concern’s Black Americans’ right to …show more content…
Many states, particularly in the south, created laws to separate the blacks from the whites in schools, facilities, busses, etc. They had segregated bus rides where blacks were expected to sit at the back and give up their seat to any white person. There were segregated schools that did not allow blacks to attend with white even going as far as shutting down the schools in the state to ensure that they would stay segregated. There was no equal access to public facilities, or even water fountains even though they provided the same water or goods. A lady interview about her experience growing up as a black child said, “We had to go back in the alley,and order from a special window for people of color; and wouldn't dare to drink water from a White fountain. There was one for the Whites, and another for the colored folks. Everything was segregated we couldn't go to the fair, like you take our grandson. They only had one day where Blacks could go. There was also only one pool for Blacks, there were many pools for Whites. It was far from home, and we had to take the bus to get to the pool. At the train station there was also a “Color” side, and a “White” side. As an adult going to go the theater and watch a movie we had to go upstairs. Even in the 1950’s when I was working you’d go to these nice department stores you couldn't try on anything.