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Timothy Ro
Professor Gomez
English 1B
22 June 2015
Introductory Essay
The Civil Rights Movement of the nineteen fifties and sixties is one of the most
historically important and inspiring protest movements in the history of the United States of
America. Yet the fight for racial equality began even before then, more aptly starting with the
fight for freedom and the Civil War. In these different protest movements, we can see the ideas
that have carried over in each of the different movements, and how they have affected the
ongoing issues of racial equality. Through different sources from the Civil War era, the civil
rights movement of the sixties, and modern day occurrences the power of their protests can be
seen in a way which should be carried on today.
In pre-Civil War America, the system of slavery was slowly driving American apart
between abolitionists and segregationists. It was clear that the two sides were coming to a
deadlock, and that any further action would most likely create a full scale war. Things came to a
head when Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States. Unable to deal with the
potential to lose slavery, a group of Southern states left to form the Confederacy. But prior to
these actions, the Southern States were frustrated by the actions the abolitionist movements had
taken to combat slavery and fight for freedom. Many slaves had made use of the Underground
Railroad, a route made up of safe houses and routes that would lead out of the South and onto
free soil.

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Many free slaves would then go back to the South and help more slaves escape the
clutches of their masters. In response to this, the government passed a law that aided slave
owners and slave catchers in retaining their property. As tensions continued to rise, a turning
point came when Harriet Beecher Stowe published her abolitionist novel that stirred the hearts of
many in the North and continued to anger people in the South, Uncle Toms Cabin. Her novel
became acclaimed as one of the important factors leading to the Civil War. Uncle Toms Cabin
put into words the unspoken of things that occurred on plantations, and in attempts to flee
slavery, changing the way many people looked at slavery and freedom completely.
Yet in looking ahead to the civil rights activists in the later years, there was still
something worth fighting for. Racial equality did not exist in the nineteen fifties and sixties.
Although slavery no longer existed, it was obvious that the border between races remained as
intact as ever. Enter Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was one of the leading activists for racial
equality in the United States. His policy of peaceful protest reflected the high moral character
and standards that the African-American community wanted to display, not falling to the level of
racists and bigots who opposed them. The civil rights movement officially began when the
actions taken against the African American community reached the point of no return, most
notably with what happened with the Rosa Parks and Emmitt Till incidents.
Martin Luther King Jr. and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP) set out to take a stand against the injustice in the United States, hoping to set
the tone for countries around the world that still condoned racial inequality. Another such leader
that tried to accomplish this was Malcom X, leader of the American Muslims who went about
trying to end racial segregation through the advocating of Black Power and erroneously
believing that violence could end the struggle of the African-American society. Though King and

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X differed in their methods, they both worked for the black cause. In the midst of their protests
they would compose speeches and books on their beliefs and all for the betterment of their cause.
Martin Luther King Jr. most notably had Strength to Love and his Letter from Birmingham Jail,
both influential pieces that reflected the peaceful worldview of the reverend, and the lengths he
was willing to go to for his cause. One of Malcolm Xs more infamous speeches, The Ballot or
the Bullet detailed the struggle that African-Americans faced and his belief of taking a stand
through any means necessary. Ultimately however, it was Kings peaceful policies that won out
in the battle for equality.
When we look at these individual texts, it is easy to see the struggle and the fight that it
took for the civil rights movement to prevail. But without the efforts of the abolitionist
movement, it is likely that there would be no civil rights movement. In this anthology, we are
looking at the rich history and the connections between these different protest movements and
how they are applicable in todays society with the struggle for racial equality as it continue
today. For instance, the idea of peaceful protest took root from Uncle Toms Christian values and
firm stand in the face of adversity in Uncle Toms Cabin. This kind of example though fictional,
represented the kind of high moral standing and regard that the African-American community
ought to have when fighting against the government and those that wished to harm them. By
turning the other cheek, the character of Uncle Tom and Dr. King continued to build support for
their cause with each new enemy they conquered through love. Kings later publishing of
Strength to Love continually reflected the recurring theme of the power of love. As it appeared in
Uncle Toms Cabin and Strength to Love, it was also featured in Letter from Birmingham Jail,
again as King continued to advocate his way of love over the idleness of some and the

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aggression of others. This remains one of the most important focuses of the civil rights
movement of the past and the present; that the power of love is stronger than anything else.
At first glance it seems as if the battle on the home front in modern day society is over.
But although there are no legal or governmental obstructions in the way of racial equality, there
is often much debate over certain race-fueled crimes or government programs. But on a positive
note, as of the year 2000 the Klu Klux Klan is no longer one active organization, yet small
chapters across the United States still exist. Scattered activity reported by the New York Times
shows that there are still those whose ignorance and bigotry exist today. However, taking a
chapter from the previous movements that defeated these racists, people nowadays can also
conquer adversity through the power of love.