SLOB Background

The Civil Rights Movement Occurred in America between 1954-1963 A social movement whose goals were: to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans to secure legal recognition and federal protection of the citizenship rights enumerated in the Constitution and federal law. The movement was characterized by major campaigns of civil resistance. Between 1955 and 1968, acts of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience produced crisis situations and productive dialogues between activists and government authorities.

Martin Luther King, Jr American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using the tactics of nonviolence and civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs and inspired by the nonviolent activism of Mahatma Gandhi.

Lyndon B. Johnson American politician who served as the 36th President of the United States from 1963 to 1969 (after JFK) Johnson designed the "Great Society" legislation by expanding civil rights, public broadcasting, Medicare, Medicaid, aid to education, the arts, urban and rural development, public services, and his "War on Poverty". Civil rights bills that he signed into law banned racial discrimination in public facilities, interstate commerce, the workplace, and housing The Voting Rights Act prohibited certain requirements in southern states used to disenfranchise African Americans. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the country's immigration system was reformed, encouraging greater immigration from regions other than Europe. Johnson's presidency marked the peak of modern liberalism after the New Deal era.

Civil Rights Act of 1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a landmark civil rights and US labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It prohibited unequal application of voter registration requirements, racial segregation in schools, employment, and public accommodations.

Malcom X An African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of blacks, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans Critics accused him of preaching racism and violence. He has been called one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history.