African-American Civil Rights Movement: Fight Against De Facto Discrimination

The African-American Civil Rights Movement originated in the early days of slavery in the U.S. as they fought for basic human rights and civil liberties. Oppression and discrimination against African Americans were a prevalent part of American Culture at the time and still shine through in society today. These fights for freedom were widely seen in the 18th and 19th centuries when African Americans used the hidden escape routes of the Underground Railroad. This was a noteworthy example of African Americans’ resilience in the face of slavery. Their efforts began to change the attitudes of both Northern and Southern white Americans, who eventually contributed to providing shelter to slaves on their way to freedom. During the Reconstruction era, the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution were passed which progressed the Civil Rights movement when formerly enslaved people were granted citizenship and civil rights like voting. However, Jim Crow laws were enacted to suppress the African American population. This was accomplished through legal discrimination, but it was also enforced through violence and threats. African American activists in organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) fought against this institutionalized racism. The development of the African-American Civil Rights Movement continued into the 1960s and 1980s.

Nation of Islam

• The Nation of Islam is a religious and political organization founded in 1930 by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in Detroit, Michigan.
• The focus was primarily on Islam and Black Nationalism, both subject to controversy in the 1930s.
• Known for their promotion of self-help and racial equality, Fard, who claimed he was from Mecca, said he wanted to help the African American community. Which to a good extent, they did.
• Although suppressed for a majority of the war due to anti-war beliefs, the Nation of Islam expanded greatly during the 1950s. The movement became more and more plagued during the 50s-60s however, and many members were arrested for accounts of the crime.
• Overall, the main goal of the Nation of Islam was to improve the social, economic, and spiritual condition of African Americans in the United States, achieving all this through independence, self-determination, and pride.
• The successes for the Nation of Islam included, the development of many social programs, the development of cultural pride, and overall strides in achievcing racial equality for all.

• This video is Ossie Davis making a speech about the death of Malcolm X a few days after he died
• Davis urges those living comfortably to seek discomfort and fight for change.
• During the speech, Davis said, "Get up off your knees. Come out of your hiding place. If your hiding place is gold, come out from behind it. If your hiding place is prestige, come out from behind it."
• Malcolm X was arrested for burglary and sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1943
• Malcolm X began to study Islam in prison and learned a lot about the culture
• Malcolm X was an African-American leader who became well-known during the 1950s and 1960s
• He became involved with the Nation of Islam which was a black nationalist group
• He quickly became one of the biggest members of the organization. He did not like the nonviolent approach that many other leaders took such as Martin Luther King
• Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam and formed his own organization called the Organization of Afro=American Unity.
• He was against white supremacy and American politics that he felt were inherently racist
• Malcolm X was eventually assassinated in the Audubon Ballroom located in New York City.
• Malcolm X also wrote a widely known autobiography that detailed his life as he attempted to fight for change
• Despite the controversy surrounding him, Malcolm X fought and achieved change.

The Black Panther Party: 1966

The Black Panther Party (BPP) was a revolutionary group with an anti-police brutality ideology based on Black nationalism, armed self-defense, and socialism. The BPP was founded on October 1966 in Oakland, California by Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton. The BPP acted vocally to affirm Black pride and power. The organization created a document titled, “PLATFORM AND PROGRAM OF THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY” in 1966 when it was founded. This document outlines the goals of the BPP, which were to seek empowerment for the African American community by demanding basic human rights. Some examples of what they demanded were decent housing, food, education, and medical care. The BPP advocated for community control over law enforcement and demanded that all falsely accused African Americans be freed from prison. This organization worked to create job opportunities for the African American community in order to create economic self-sufficiency for this minority. This organization also wished to modernize the education system and teach true African American history.