Background: Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement took place in the United States from 1955-1968. The purpse of the movement was to fight for racial equality and to destroy racial discrimination. Issues over voting rights and being given the same opportunity as everyone else were also frequently discussed topics between African Americans at this time. While African Americans fought for their freedom and equality, they were surrounded by discrimination and segregation. Through the boycotts, protests, and sit-ins, this movement became known for a time of mass violence. Fortunately, these demonstrations worked. The Civil Rights Movement played a major role in the desegregation of the country and gave African Americans many of the basic rights they had been fighting for. During this era, many artists, writers, and musicians played their part in the movement by expressing their ideas through their work and conveying their message about segregation and discrimination. This work helped many Americans get a better picture of what African Americans were fighting for and strengthened the support for change.