How far do you agree that the aims and methods of black American civil rights actvists
1955-68 were radically diferent from those of actvists 1911-1955?
Introductonn
The methods and aims of black American civil rights actvists in 955-68 were certainly diferent to
those of black American civil rights actvists in 9 7-55 however there were some similarites and it
can be questoned whether the aims and methods used by the groups were radically diferent. To
investgate this it is important to look at changes in their aims moving from focusing solely on
legislaton to looking at enforcement of that legislaton afer 955 and changes in tactcs both
regarding the emergence of a more radical militant group of black American actvists in the 960s
which contrasted the peaceful movement beforehand and the move in the mid- 960s to focus on
poverty as damaging to black people’s lives rather than the laws such as the Jim Crow Laws which
had existed before the 940s in the South. It’s also important to look at the similarites such as the
fact that black American civil rights actvists focused on equality over the whole tme period between
9 7 and 968. When looking at these similarites and diferences it is important to look at how
significant the similarites were and how new the diferences in methods and aims were. When
looking at this it is clear that the methods and aims were not radically diferent in 955-68
compared to 9 7-55
Conclusionn
The move towards focusing on the enforcement of the legal successes of the 940s and 50s was a
change in the aims of black American civil rights actvists and was certainly a new aim because many
of the laws they wanted enforced were new e.g. desegregaton of schools and buses which had only
happened in the 950s. However voter registraton had been an issue since 9 7 so this was not
necessarily a new aim. Changes in the methods of black American civil rights actvists were perhaps
more significant as there was a move from large peaceful protest and legal challenge to the
establishment of the black panthers and other militant groups in the 960s. However although this
was a radical change the general methods of black Americans did not radically change as peaceful
protest did contnue through the NAACP and CORE who contnued to lead peaceful protests and
legal challenges throughout the 960s. Another change in focus for Black American civil rights
actvists was the move from focusing on ending segregaton in the South to ending poverty in the
North. Though poverty mainly impacted black Americans it was not a movement specifically aimed
at improving the lives of black Americans it was more of a social campaign to help the poor in
general. Though this move from focusing on the segregaton of the south to poverty in the north
methods and aims did not change radically across the whole civil rights movement and all groups
involved in the movement shared the aim of racial equality. This aim remained the same from 9 7
untl 968 and was more significant than any of the diferences in methods used by diferent groups
or aims that went alongside the aim for equality. Therefore the aims and methods of black
American civil rights actvists in 955-68 were not radically diferent to their aims and methods in
9 7-55.
1955-68 were radically diferent from those of actvists 1911-1955?
Introductonn
The methods and aims of black American civil rights actvists in 955-68 were certainly diferent to
those of black American civil rights actvists in 9 7-55 however there were some similarites and it
can be questoned whether the aims and methods used by the groups were radically diferent. To
investgate this it is important to look at changes in their aims moving from focusing solely on
legislaton to looking at enforcement of that legislaton afer 955 and changes in tactcs both
regarding the emergence of a more radical militant group of black American actvists in the 960s
which contrasted the peaceful movement beforehand and the move in the mid- 960s to focus on
poverty as damaging to black people’s lives rather than the laws such as the Jim Crow Laws which
had existed before the 940s in the South. It’s also important to look at the similarites such as the
fact that black American civil rights actvists focused on equality over the whole tme period between
9 7 and 968. When looking at these similarites and diferences it is important to look at how
significant the similarites were and how new the diferences in methods and aims were. When
looking at this it is clear that the methods and aims were not radically diferent in 955-68
compared to 9 7-55
Conclusionn
The move towards focusing on the enforcement of the legal successes of the 940s and 50s was a
change in the aims of black American civil rights actvists and was certainly a new aim because many
of the laws they wanted enforced were new e.g. desegregaton of schools and buses which had only
happened in the 950s. However voter registraton had been an issue since 9 7 so this was not
necessarily a new aim. Changes in the methods of black American civil rights actvists were perhaps
more significant as there was a move from large peaceful protest and legal challenge to the
establishment of the black panthers and other militant groups in the 960s. However although this
was a radical change the general methods of black Americans did not radically change as peaceful
protest did contnue through the NAACP and CORE who contnued to lead peaceful protests and
legal challenges throughout the 960s. Another change in focus for Black American civil rights
actvists was the move from focusing on ending segregaton in the South to ending poverty in the
North. Though poverty mainly impacted black Americans it was not a movement specifically aimed
at improving the lives of black Americans it was more of a social campaign to help the poor in
general. Though this move from focusing on the segregaton of the south to poverty in the north
methods and aims did not change radically across the whole civil rights movement and all groups
involved in the movement shared the aim of racial equality. This aim remained the same from 9 7
untl 968 and was more significant than any of the diferences in methods used by diferent groups
or aims that went alongside the aim for equality. Therefore the aims and methods of black
American civil rights actvists in 955-68 were not radically diferent to their aims and methods in
9 7-55.
