Legal action refers to using the judicial system as a means to address grievances or seek justice. In the context of the civil rights movement, legal action involved filing lawsuits against institutions practicing segregation or discriminatory policies.
Related terms
Brown v. Board of Education: A landmark Supreme Court case in 1954 that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning previous "separate but equal" doctrine.
NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People): An organization founded in 1909, which played a significant role in advocating for civil rights through legal action, including the famous Brown v. Board of Education case.
Thurgood Marshall: A prominent lawyer and civil rights activist who later became the first African American Supreme Court justice. He was instrumental in arguing and winning the Brown v. Board of Education case.