Through the beginning of the modern civil rights movement, we see protesting of segregation with Thurgood Marshal’s actions in the Supreme Court and Rosa Parks famously refusing to give up her seat on the bus (Mintz & McNeil). At this time, the life expectancy for black Americans was seven years less than it was for white Americans. The Freedom Riders were attacked and jailed while nonviolently protesting. Lyndon B. Johnson saw the housing, income, employment and health inequality as a problem that needed to be helped federally and started to pass civil rights laws to try and prevent discrimination. As with any major civil rights movement, there was white backlash and violence.
Young Americans began to rebel against the rules and expectations of rigid society (Mintz & McNeil). Drugs, music, love, and sex were used to break rules and protest older generations. With the Vietnam war, young adults showed opposition and marched.
Women were still feeling dissatisfied with the role that was put upon them, following World War 2 and the media pressure to go back into the household (Mintz & McNeil). There was continued financial disparity between what women were paid versus what men were. The group, NOW, focused on affirmative action and intersectionality of the experience of women who were poor and nonwhite.
With the increase of Mexican workers following World War 2, there was a movement to have fair representation and to increase the vote (Mintz & McNeil). Indigenous groups started lawsuits around the illegal seizing of land and stood up for the identities of their peoples.
Currently, there is still a movement in all these areas. It is, as it should be, very apparent when in history class. Credit is due to the civil rights movement for many advances that we have had but it would be a disservice to those movements not to acknowledge that they have not fully achieved equality. Mortality rates of black mothers compared to white are disproportionately high, police brutality and death of black innocent civilians continue, women reproductive rights are on a constant legal seesaw. Queer Americans are having government documents denied, Mexicans in the United States are facing constant fear of deportation and violence. These movements have not ended and have become a battleground for political leadership which has caused renewed danger for the communities that have never stopped fighting.
Young Americans began to rebel against the rules and expectations of rigid society (Mintz & McNeil). Drugs, music, love, and sex were used to break rules and protest older generations. With the Vietnam war, young adults showed opposition and marched.
Women were still feeling dissatisfied with the role that was put upon them, following World War 2 and the media pressure to go back into the household (Mintz & McNeil). There was continued financial disparity between what women were paid versus what men were. The group, NOW, focused on affirmative action and intersectionality of the experience of women who were poor and nonwhite.
With the increase of Mexican workers following World War 2, there was a movement to have fair representation and to increase the vote (Mintz & McNeil). Indigenous groups started lawsuits around the illegal seizing of land and stood up for the identities of their peoples.
Currently, there is still a movement in all these areas. It is, as it should be, very apparent when in history class. Credit is due to the civil rights movement for many advances that we have had but it would be a disservice to those movements not to acknowledge that they have not fully achieved equality. Mortality rates of black mothers compared to white are disproportionately high, police brutality and death of black innocent civilians continue, women reproductive rights are on a constant legal seesaw. Queer Americans are having government documents denied, Mexicans in the United States are facing constant fear of deportation and violence. These movements have not ended and have become a battleground for political leadership which has caused renewed danger for the communities that have never stopped fighting.