Introduction
A civil rights strategy’s efficacy depends on several factors. Some of those components include the decision between an instantaneous, direct-action (DA)-oriented tactic and a slower one. It is not limited solely to a legal-focused one that frequently rests on the movement’s particular environment and objectives.
Comparison of Civil Rights Strategies
Gradual Approach
The first benefit of a gradual strategy that prioritizes enacting legislation and winning legal battles is the establishment of a governmental transformation (Mawarni et al., 2023). This approach depends on the gradual but sure advancement of the legal and legislative systems to eliminate discriminatory behaviors. Successes achieved through this style often find their way into a society’s legal system, creating a precedent for more significant reform.
The drawbacks are more related to the danger of weakening the movement’s initial ideals and slowing down development. One good example under this is the 1964 Civil Rights Act (CRA). According to Mawarni et al. (2023), “…The CRA 1964 prohibited racial discrimination in employment, education, housing, and public facilities and the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965…” (p. 27). This statute was a significant turning point in the fight to end racial prejudice and move toward equal rights. But it still took protests like the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott (MBB) and the 1963 March on Washington to demonstrate that systemic reform in civil rights legislation was gradually achieved (Mawarni et al., 2023). Conversely, voting discriminatory practices, including unfair choice tests and barriers to polling places, were outlawed by the 1965 VRA.
Direct Action
Nevertheless, boycotts, demonstrations, and sit-ins are examples of DAs of defiance that social and political groups can use to get instant attention from their leaders for change. This strategy, which advocates for change through the sheer power of public pressure, is typically more aggressive, as activists force those in authority to take immediate action on pressing concerns by upending the status quo. The problem is that there is a greater chance of reaction, and short-term benefits might not be as permanent as legislative ones.
One key example is the 1963 Birmingham Campaign as a part of the Civil Rights Movement. Barrett (2019) quotes verbatim, “Birmingham is part of the United States (US), and we are bona fide citizens. Yet the history of Birmingham reveals that very little of the democratic process touches the life of the Negro in Birmingham. We have been segregated racially, exploited economically, and dominated politically” (p. 29).
Activists, including Martin Luther King Jr., planned peaceful demonstrations in Birmingham to oppose unfair laws and inequality. Parkin (2020) continues to give more evidence “…Black children as young as eight years old were arrested and sent to jail… with bail initially set between $500 and $750; attacking them with dogs…” (p. 170). The employment of DA, especially in light of the extensive press coverage of events such as the Birmingham Children’s Crusade, provided immediate awareness of injustices experienced by African Americans. Political leaders were strongly influenced by public pressure for these direct actions to address civil rights concerns.
Conclusion
Therefore, adopting DA is better than winning cases in court or passing laws, since it creates the urgency to work toward social justice and change. It similarly takes DA for law passage to work faster. The movement’s plans included boycotts, sit-ins, and protests; among the most famous instances is the MBB. By creating legal precedents and safeguards, a methodical strategy that prioritizes enacting legislation and winning court cases can result in systemic change, though it is slow.
Mawarni et al. (2023) confirmed that “…In 1964, the Congress of the American Union validated the Constitution’s Right to Civil prohibition of discrimination in various fields, including education, employment, and housing…” (p. 22). The Constitution provided substantial legal protection against all sorts of racial discrimination for the residents of the United States of America (USA). This suggests that the protests and activism during the civil rights era led to amendments to the Constitution that prohibited bias across various spheres of American society. Therefore, DA through demonstrations offered a robust legal defense against racial inequality.
References
Barrett, L. (2019). Working class heroes: The civil rights struggle for black economic opportunity in Birmingham. Vulcan Historical Review, 23(5), 22-32.
Mawarni, S. D., Ribawati, E., & Sumantri, T. N. A. (2023). The importance of the human rights movement in the United States: From abolition to the civil rights movement (1865-1968). Interdisciplinary Journal of Advanced Research and Innovation, 1(1), 21-30.
Parkin, K. (2020). Marketing justice: The Christmas boycott. History of Retailing and Consumption, 6(3), 162-196.