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Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement started in the 1950s and continued through the 1960s.

It was a movement for equality and justice for African Americans.

People wanted fair treatment in schools, jobs, buses, and public places.

There was no single first leader, but important leaders included:

Rosa Parks – famous for refusing to give up her bus seat in 1955.

Martin Luther King Jr. – famous for non-violent protests and the "I Have a Dream" speech.

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Twinkl Teaching Resources - United States

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The Civil Rights Movement for Kids | What is Segregation? | Black History Month | Twinkl USA

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyurjhRNOmw&t=421s

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January 15, 1929: Birth of a Future Leader

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January 15, 1929: Birth of a Future Leader

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Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King.

Growing up in a middle-class family, young Martin was exposed to both education and Baptist church traditions that would shape his future leadership style.

His early experiences with racial segregation in the South and his father being a prominent minister and civil rights activist, would fuel his passion for justice and equality.

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At age 15, King entered Morehouse College, where he was influenced by Dr. Benjamin Mays, the college president who introduced him to Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent resistance.

King initially considered careers in medicine and law before deciding to follow his calling to the ministry.

He graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, having developed his intellectual foundation for future leadership.

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When Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat, the 26-year-old King was chosen to lead the Montgomery Improvement Association and organize the Bus Boycott.

This 381-day peaceful protest demonstrated King's exceptional leadership abilities and established him as a prominent figure in the civil rights movement.

The boycott's success proved the power of organized, nonviolent resistance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76kS_7qanH8

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King co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), becoming its first president.

This organization became the vehicle for coordinating nonviolent protests across the South.

King's leadership of the SCLC demonstrated his ability to build coalitions and organize large-scale movements while maintaining a commitment to peaceful resistance.

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While imprisoned for participating in nonviolent demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama, King wrote his famous 'Letter from Birmingham Jail.'

This eloquent defense of civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance became one of the most important texts of the civil rights movement, showcasing King's intellectual leadership and moral authority.

This eloquent defense of civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance became one of the most important texts of the civil rights movement, explaining why African Americans could no longer wait for gradual change.

Main points:

-Injustice Anywhere Is a Threat to Justice Everywhere

-Moral Responsibility to Disobey Unjust Laws

-The Urgency of Now ''justice too long delayed is justice denied''

-Nonviolent Direct Action

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Dr. King delivered his iconic 'I Have a Dream' speech to over 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This historic moment brought national attention to the civil rights movement and King's vision of racial equality. The speech remains one of the most powerful and memorable in American history.

​Civil Rights Act (1964)

This law made it illegal to treat people unfairly because of their race, color, religion, gender, or where they come from.

It ended segregation in schools, restaurants, buses, and other public places.

It also protected people at work, so employers could not refuse jobs because of someone’s race or gender.

​Voting Rights Act (1965)

This law made it easier for African Americans and other minorities to vote.

It stopped unfair rules like literacy tests or poll taxes that were used to stop people from voting.

Literacy tests: These were tests that people had to take to prove they could read and write before they were allowed to vote. In many places, these tests were unfairly used to stop Black people from voting, even if they could read or write.

Poll taxes: This was a rule that people had to pay money before they could vote. Many poor people, especially Black Americans, could not afford the tax, so they were stopped from voting.

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At age 35, King became the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing his leadership in the nonviolent struggle for civil rights.

This international recognition elevated King's status as a global leader for human rights and validated his approach of peaceful resistance to achieve social change.

--> Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech

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King led the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to demand voting rights for African Americans. Despite facing violent opposition on 'Bloody Sunday,'

King's persistent leadership and commitment to nonviolence ultimately led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant legislative victories of the civil rights movement.

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The first march took place on March 7, 1965, led by figures including Bevel and Amelia Boynton, but was ended by state troopers and county possemen, who charged on about 600 unarmed protesters with batons and tear gas after they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in the direction of Montgomery. The event became known as Bloody Sunday.

Law enforcement beat Boynton unconscious, and the media publicized worldwide a picture of her lying wounded on the bridge.

The second march took place two days later but King cut it short as a federal court issued a temporary injunction against further marches. That night, an anti-civil rights group murdered civil rights activist James Reeb, a Unitarian Universalist minister from Boston.

The third march, which started on March 21, was escorted by the Alabama National Guard under federal control, the FBI and federal marshals (segregationist Governor George Wallace refused to protect the protesters). Thousands of marchers averaged 10 mi (16 km) a day along U.S. Route 80 (US 80), reaching Montgomery on March 24. The following day, 25,000 people staged a demonstration on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol.

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King expanded his activism beyond racial equality to address economic inequality and oppose the Vietnam War. His 'Poor People's Campaign' and anti-war stance showed his evolution as a leader who connected various social justice issues. This period demonstrated King's courage to take unpopular positions based on his moral convictions.

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1967: Beyond Vietnam Speech

Dr. King delivered his controversial 'Beyond Vietnam' speech at Riverside Church in New York, expanding his activism to oppose the Vietnam War. This speech marked King's evolution into a broader social justice advocate, connecting the struggles for civil rights, economic justice, and peace. Many supporters criticized this expansion of his activism.

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1968: Poor People's Campaign

In his final months, Dr. King planned the Poor People's Campaign to address economic inequality affecting all races. This ambitious campaign aimed to bring thousands of poor Americans to Washington D.C. to demand economic justice. King's focus had expanded from civil rights to broader issues of poverty and economic injustice.

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April 4, 1968: Assassination in Memphis

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, where he had come to support striking sanitation workers. He was only 39 years old. His death sparked riots in over 100 cities and marked the end of an era, but his legacy and dream of equality continue to inspire movements for justice worldwide.

MLK Jr is dead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByFMoDEGfTo