Introduction
The study of primary sources related to the various historical periods reveals many details about their time and is therefore valuable to historians. The current paper examines sources associated with the Civil Rights Movement. Many citizens of the United States have had to fight for their rights and equality. The fight was most active in the 50s and 60s of the 20th century, forming the Civil Rights Movement with goals of fighting discrimination and gaining equal rights. Despite the considerable oppression of non-white groups of the population and the fear accompanying it, the Movement continued to fight and achieved success in its goals, affecting the country even in the modern period.
The Context
The Civil Rights Movement was formed in response to Black Americans’ prolonged oppression and mistreatment. The legacy of slavery and segregation influenced attitudes toward African-Americans, spreading racism, prejudice, and violence against them. The desire to protect their own lives and achieve fair treatment and equal rights led to the resistance and struggle of oppressed groups. The Movement manifested itself in non-violent actions, such as strikes, marches, and protests (Clayton, 2018). Such measures led to policy changes and were a significant breakthrough in the ongoing struggle against discrimination.
Fannie Lou Hamer and The Movement’s Goals
One can find evidence of discrimination and abuse in the testimonies of victims and witnesses of similar crimes. Fannie Lou Hamer (1964) fought for voting rights and faced resistance and brutality, as reported at the Democratic National Convention. The primary source for consideration is the audio recording and transcript of her speech, created in 1964 in the context of the struggle for civil rights. The source demonstrates Hamer’s position, experience, and influence of the Democratic National Convention agenda. In her speech, Hamer (1964) described how the plantation owner made her leave, and she was violently attacked at a police station for her attempts to register to vote. Although the speech focuses on a woman’s experience, the source demonstrates the goals of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Movement focused on the goals of combating discrimination and achieving freedom from oppression, and the source is significant evidence. Hamer’s speech (1964) does not call the perpetrators of the crimes to account. She only draws attention to the problem of cruelty and speaks of the desire to be a free citizen of America and have rights. Her story showcases the social sentiments of her time – people did not want to give Afro-Americans more rights.
The Movement Achievements and The Immigration Bill
The actions of such representatives of the Civil Rights Movement as Fannie Lou Hamer led to positive changes. One such achievement was the signing of the Immigration Bill in 1965. The primary source that helps analyze the situation is the speech of President Lyndon B. Johnson (1965) during the signing. It shows a desire to retreat from prejudice under the influence of the agenda of the struggle for civil rights. The law expanded the list of countries from which immigrants could arrive in the United States, eliminating ethnicity as a criterion for admission – a step toward confronting discrimination. The president mentions essential social and ethical issues, including American values, the restoration of families, and immigrants’ contribution to the country’s development (Johnson, 1965). The source demonstrates that an understanding of the injustice of dividing people by national origin is being laid in society.
The Movement’s Long-Term Influence
The primary sources reviewed reveal some features of the goals and achievements of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Although the struggle for equality reached a significant intensity during this period, it is also associated with other historical periods and problems. In today’s world, the fight against discrimination continues since the influence of prejudice is strongly manifested but in a different way. For example, the Black Lives Matter social movement showed a strong effect in response to police brutality against African-American (Clayton, 2018). It is important to note that at the same time, modern movements focus on narrower problems, often of one group, while Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s sought equality for all Americans (Clayton, 2018). Consequently, the issues of discrimination and prejudice have a long history in American society, but their manifestation changes with it.
Conclusion
Thus, Civil Rights Movement set itself the goals of combating discrimination and gaining equal rights for all Americans through non-violent measures. This goal is confirmed by the primary source analysis – the speech of Fannie Lou Hamer, in which she speaks about the experience of cruelty against her and only expresses a desire to be equal with other citizens. The Movement led to significant changes in politics and society. One of the achievements was the Immigration Bill, which expanded the number of countries from which immigrants could arrive in America. Such a measure demonstrates a desire to reduce discrimination’s impact and base judgment on fairer criteria. Despite significant achievements in the 20th century, the fight for equality continues in current circumstances. Black Lives Matter is an example of a new manifestation of struggle, which is changing and developing thanks to the past achievements of activists.
References
Clayton, D. M. (2018). Black lives matter and the civil rights movement: A comparative analysis of two social movements in the United States. Journal of Black Studies, 49(5), 448-480. Web.
Hamer, F. L. (1964). Testimony before the Credentials Committee, DNConvention [Speech audio recording and transcript]. American Rhetoric. Web.
Johnson, L. B. (1965). Remarks at the signing of the Immigration Bill, Liberty Island, New York. The American Presidency Project. Web.