The American Civil Rights Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The American Civil Rights Movement - Essay Example After the unfortunate murder of King, Black leaders, such as Stokely Carmichael joined the Black Panther movement, and coined the phrase ‘black power’. He advocated Black liberation from oppression and discrimination by any means possible. Therefore, it proved to be a radical movement which utilized violence. The movements’ violent message permeated into most parts of black society. Consequently, blacks treated whites as their enemies and old gang rivalries based on cultural divides were galvanized.Nevertheless, the movement as a whole was nonviolent and very successful. Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which made it possible for southern African Americans to cast vote. Prior to this Act, discriminatory literacy tests and poll taxes had restricted black from voting. Furthermore, in 1968, President Johnson signed the Rights Act which banned discrimination in the sale, rental, and finance of housing. In 1967, the Supreme Court ruled that prohibiting int erracial marriage was unconstitutional. Consequently, sixteen states that still banned interracial marriage were forced to revise their laws. In my opinion, the Civil Rights movement transformed the USA completely. Without these brave and audacious African leaders and free thinkers, battling against an unjust society was nearly impossible. Many of the protestors and leaders of the different movements were either targeted by the authorities or tortured by the police. Individual leaders, such as Martin Luther King were even murdered while trying to battle.