7.2 Major Organizations, Leaders, and Strategies

The Civil Rights Movement saw the rise of influential organizations like NAACP, SCLC, SNCC, and CORE. These groups fought against segregation and discrimination using legal action, protests, and grassroots organizing. Their efforts led to major victories like the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Key leaders emerged, including Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks. They inspired millions to join the struggle for racial justice. The movement employed strategies like nonviolent resistance and direct action, which helped expose racism and win public support for civil rights.

Civil Rights Organizations

Prominent Organizations in the Civil Rights Movement

Top images from around the web for Prominent Organizations in the Civil Rights Movement

• 

  Public Domain: 1963 March on Washington by USIA (NARA) | Flickr - Photo Sharing! View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at a civil rights march on Washington D.C. in 1963.jpg ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Civil rights movement - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Public Domain: 1963 March on Washington by USIA (NARA) | Flickr - Photo Sharing! View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at a civil rights march on Washington D.C. in 1963.jpg ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Prominent Organizations in the Civil Rights Movement

• 

  Public Domain: 1963 March on Washington by USIA (NARA) | Flickr - Photo Sharing! View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at a civil rights march on Washington D.C. in 1963.jpg ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Civil rights movement - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Public Domain: 1963 March on Washington by USIA (NARA) | Flickr - Photo Sharing! View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at a civil rights march on Washington D.C. in 1963.jpg ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) formed in 1909 to fight for equal rights and against discrimination through legal action, lobbying, and public education
• SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) founded in 1957 by Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders to coordinate nonviolent protests and promote civil rights legislation
• SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) emerged in 1960 from student-led sit-ins and focused on grassroots organizing, voter registration, and direct action in the Deep South
• CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) founded in 1942 and played a key role in the Freedom Rides of 1961, which challenged segregation in interstate bus travel

Roles and Impact of Civil Rights Organizations

• These organizations worked to end segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement of African Americans
• They employed a variety of strategies, including legal challenges, political pressure, and direct action
• The organizations often collaborated but also had different approaches and priorities
• Their efforts led to significant victories, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed segregation and protected voting rights

Key Leaders

Prominent Figures in the Civil Rights Movement

• Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister and leader of the SCLC, became the most well-known spokesperson for the movement and advocated for nonviolent resistance (Montgomery Bus Boycott, "I Have a Dream" speech)
• Malcolm X, a Muslim minister and activist, initially promoted black nationalism and self-defense before embracing a more inclusive vision of racial justice (Nation of Islam, "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech)
• Rosa Parks, an NAACP activist, sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 by refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus
• Fannie Lou Hamer, a Mississippi sharecropper and SNCC organizer, fought for voting rights and helped found the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (1964 Democratic National Convention testimony)
• John Lewis, a SNCC leader and one of the original Freedom Riders, became a prominent voice for nonviolent direct action (Selma to Montgomery marches, U.S. Representative from Georgia)

Contributions and Legacy of Civil Rights Leaders

• These leaders inspired and mobilized thousands of Americans to join the struggle for civil rights
• They challenged the nation's conscience and helped expose the brutality of segregation and racism
• Their speeches, writings, and actions shaped the goals and tactics of the movement
• Many faced violence, imprisonment, and other forms of repression for their activism
• Their leadership and sacrifices helped transform American society and politics, though the work of racial justice remains unfinished

Strategies and Tactics

Nonviolent Resistance in the Civil Rights Movement

• Nonviolent resistance, based on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, sought to challenge injustice without using violence
• It included tactics such as sit-ins, boycotts, marches, and civil disobedience (Greensboro sit-ins, Montgomery Bus Boycott, March on Washington)
• Nonviolent protesters often faced arrest, beatings, and other forms of violence from segregationists and law enforcement
• The discipline and courage of nonviolent protesters helped win public sympathy and support for the movement

Direct Action and Its Impact

• Direct action involved confronting segregation and discrimination through public demonstrations, protests, and acts of civil disobedience
• It aimed to create a crisis that would force the nation to confront the injustice of racism (Freedom Rides, Birmingham Campaign, Selma to Montgomery marches)
• Direct action often provoked violent responses from white supremacists and police, which highlighted the brutality of segregation
• Media coverage of direct action campaigns helped galvanize national and international support for the civil rights cause
• The success of direct action in places like Birmingham and Selma pressured the federal government to pass landmark civil rights legislation