Civil Right Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Civil Right Movement - Essay Example They were the oppressed group as they were denied the equal rights and opportunities as white people. The end of World War II set a new tone for civil rights movement. The movement got prominence when in 1954 Supreme Court of US gave a landmark judgment in Brown vs. Board of Education case. In this judgment, Supreme Court declared racial segregation in school totally illegal and a punishable crime (Brown vs. Board of Education). Finally, the Civil Right Act of 1964 put an end to all discrimination that African Americans were suffering from since centuries. The Act eliminated obstacles that persisted for centuries preventing development of African-Americans. Over 45 years have passed since then; the status of African Americans when seen in the above perspective has improved a lot. Now they have not only equal voting rights to elect the government but they can also occupy any office in the US by their sheer ability. The segregation episodes that their children faced in the schools have been now buried deep into history books. They share all public places with equal rights. They can enter into any professions without any restriction depending upon their interest and ability. It is not surprising that African Americans have excelled in sports, politics, business and hosts of other activities. Their contribution in the US mainstreams reached to its pinnacle when an African American reached to the highest office of US in 2009. Several well-known figures such as Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan sprung into limelight in the post-civil movement era. Boxer Muhammad Ali, tennis star Arthur Ash, Michael Jordan in basketball, athlete Carl Lewis are some of the prominent names that have excelled in sporting activities after the end of Civil Right movement. Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell became Secretary of State and many large cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, New York have had mayors from African American community. Barack Obama occupying the highest office in US is a veritable testimony to the genuine change process that has taken place in the last few decades in the country giving equal opportunity, status and privilege to the African Americans as enjoyed by others. The law has given them equal rights and opportunities in all walks of life; this certainly proves that the status of African American has improved significantly since the end of the Civil Rights Movement. Answer 2. The US Law has taken its course giving African American full rights and opportunities but the African American community still faces numerous issues and challenges in the US society. Cedric Herring argues that African Americans still face job discriminations in the US. Giving an example of Texaco, the author states that the companies systemically deny promotions to the members of African American community. The New York Times produced evidence that how several Texaco Executives referred them as 'black jelly beans' and 'niggers' in their mutual conversations. Fi nally, Texaco admitted having excluded all black employees’ names from the list of next level promotions. Later, Texaco had to settle the case by paying $176 million in the largest ever discrimination suit seen in the US. Before 1964, discrimination to the African American community was overt but in the post civil rights movement era it has taken a covert route. Before 1964, no laws questioned the