In this assignment we will study the Civil Rights Movement and its connection with larger areas of social reform. Begin the assignment by reading the Mini-lecture, and then read the assignment listed on that page. Make sure to do the appropriate readings from the Internet links and text. Then go to the Discussion Board and post a comment on the topic provided there. Finally, write a one to three page paper covering the questions I have listed, using the paper to show your knowledge of the readings. Try to include a balance of your own thoughts combined with specific examples from your studies. Make sure to send your paper via e-mail and make your posting before the due dates listed below. Note that late papers will not be accepted. I recommend you send your paper as a regular e-mail. Just make sure to save your work in case there is a problem with the e-mail delivery.

Final day to make posting: Wednesday, December 7, 6 pm

Final day to send assignment: Thursday, December 8, 4 pm 

Make sure to also read the current Announcements.

Social Reform

The Cold War, Vietnam and the Great Society programs all took place within the shadow of the Civil Rights movement. The Civil Rights movement can briefly be described as a variety of organizations and individuals, largely led by and comprised of African Americans, that attempted to break down systems of segregation and discrimination within American society. The rhetoric of freedom and liberty that emanated from the Cold War had cast a spotlight on the inequities that existed within the United States. An African American population that was better educated and organized than at any point in its history turned its energy into forcing America to live up to its stated ideals and values. It is not an overstatement to say that this was probably the most important social movement in United States history. When reading about the Civil Rights movement, pay attention to the differences among groups like the NAACP, the SCLC and SNCC. The NAACP had traditionally been a largely northern organization of fairly affluent and upper-income people, while the new SCLC largely consisted of southern, working-class people. SNCC on the other hand, was a student-led movement. Look at the different strategies they employed to take on segregation and discrimination. "Brown v. Board of Education", the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Freedom Rides were not only events that challenged bigotry in American society, but those events also inspired many young Americans to assert themselves in trying to form an America that fit within their ideals.

It is these young Americans, inspired by the Civil Rights movement, who went on to organize on a number of levels to reform the manner in which American society operates. Chicano, Puerto Rican and American Indian organizations were born from this movement. Women's, Elderly, Disabled and Gay and Lesbian rights also come to the forefront of the dialogue within American society. While many Americans found these movements to be too challenging and  disruptive to American society, there is no doubt that the larger agenda of all these groups served to further and recommit America to the ideas and values that stem from the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. The most active Americans within these movements tended to be the Baby Boomers. They reflected a larger global youth movement that tested the values and assumptions of their parents. When reading about the antiwar protests in the Cold War chapter, you need to put these activities into the context of this larger youth movement. Not all young people were rights activists. Some adopted the slogan of "Turn on, Tune In and Drop Out." However, while many within what became known as the Hippie Movement were perhaps simply people looking for a good time, others were consciously trying to create a new American society.

The various Rights movements certainly had an effect on government. When you read about liberalism and the Great Society programs created by President Lyndon Johnson and the Democratic party you might want to consider them as an extension of the social and political reform that came from the Second New Deal combined with a renewed emphasis on the federal government protecting and ensuring civil rights; something that had been lacking since the end of Reconstruction. Of course these programs were also tied in to the purported effort to extend basic human rights around the world with the fight against communism, and specifically the United States's participation in the civil war in Vietnam. With the rise of the various social reform movements in the 1960s, I think we can see a combination of images from many of the movements we've studied earlier in our course. Reconstruction policies, Progressivism and New Deal activism are all influences in this era. However, it is also the distinctiveness of the exuberance and values of baby boomers that give this era a quality that is distinctly unique.

Readings: Readings: Oakes, Chapter 28 & Chapter 29 (Focus on Civil Rights) Write a one to three page paper that discusses the readings. You might consider the following topics as you do the readings:

1. What was the significance of Brown v. Board of Education? What were the goals and outcomes of the Montgomery Bus Boycott? Who were the primary groups and individuals involved?

2. Who was involved in the Freedom Riders? How did the Freedom Riders differ from the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

3. How did President Johnson respond to the growing Civil Rights Movement?

4. How did the Vietnam War protests relate to the Civil Rights Movement?

5. How were other groups of Americans affected by the Civil Rights Movement? What is the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement?