Civil rights movement

Definition

A social and political movement primarily in the 1950s and 1960s in which African Americans and their allies fought to end racial segregation and discrimination and secure equal rights under the law. It used strategies like nonviolent protest, legal challenges, and voter registration drives.

Examples

  • The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-56) sparked by Rosa Parks
  • Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech at the March on Washington (1963)
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
Key Fact

Brown v. Board of Education (1954) declared school segregation unconstitutional, a key legal victory.

Related Terms

Civil rights movements Reconstruction Equal protection Landmark supreme court cases

Study This Concept

Practice Civil Rights Movement with free review games in these units:

AP US History Unit 8: 1945-1980: Cold War America