Introduction
The Civil Rights Movement was a citizen movement in the United States in the 1950s – 1960s, aimed at ensuring desegregation, racial equality, and anti-discriminatory laws. It began as a protest against the common discrimination of African Americans, especially in Southern states, where cruel lynching was still common in the 1950s. For example, in August 1955, a 14-year-old boy, Emmett Till, was brutally killed by several men for inappropriate actions toward a white woman. In the 1960s, protests were organized by famous leaders, such as Martin Luther King, and media coverage helped them reach their goals. Ultimately, the Civil Rights Act was adopted in 1964.
The Case of Emmett Till
The cruel situation with Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy who was lynched in the Mississippi Delta by a vengeful mob in August 1955, showed that action is required to stop such atrocities. He was accused of inappropriate behavior toward local woman Carolyn Bryant, which probably was wolf-whistling (Fernández Fernández 45). Two white supremacists, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, Carolyn’s relatives, abducted Emmett several days later, after which he was beaten and shot. His body was found three days later, and due to his mother’s persistence, the atrocity attracted wide media attention, raising social support for the Civil Rights Movement.
Television and Media
Television and the media played a significant role in shaping public opinion and influencing the Civil Rights Movement. The use of televised news and media coverage allowed the world to witness the brutality and violence that the African-American community faced. Eventually, it helped increase awareness and public support for the movement. The brutal killing of Emmett Till was broadcast on television, which attracted attention to the sharp problem of lynching and its atrocities (Bodroghkozy 7).
Another example of the media’s influence was the coverage of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 (Bodroghkozy 109–110). Television and newspaper coverage of the boycott, which lasted over a year, provided a platform for African-American leaders, such as Martin Luther King, to speak out about their struggles. They raised their voices against the injustices of segregation and discrimination. In that way, the media helped to increase public awareness of the boycott and the Civil Rights Movement as a whole, bringing attention to the issue on a national and international scale.
The media also covered other important events, which occurred later. An example is the 1963 March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech (Bodroghkozy 109). It was one of the turning points in public opinion and support for the Civil Rights Movement.
The event was televised live, allowing millions worldwide to witness the peaceful protest and hear King’s powerful message of racial equality. Eventually, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was adopted, banning any public facility discrimination on a federal level (Hine et al., ch. 21). Thus, media support led to the wide propagation of racial equity and civil rights ideas, covering discrimination-related problems and broadcasting leaders’ speeches, eventually helping the movement to reach success.
Conclusion
Therefore, the media played a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement, broadcasting protests and turning public attention to the discrimination problems. They offered a venue for African-American figures, including Martin Luther King, to address discrimination and inequality and highlight their community’s challenges. As a result, public opinion leaned toward the movement, which obtained more and more supporters. Examples of cruelty and violence, such as the brutal killing of 14-year-old Emmett Till, were used as clear evidence of why discrimination should be ended as soon as possible. While there were many challenges, media coverage helped bring significant progress toward racial equality and justice in the United States.
Works Cited
Bodroghkozy, Aniko. Equal Time. University of Illinois Press, 2012.
Fernández Fernández, Martín. “Tracing Emmett Till’s Legacy from Black Lives Matter back to the Civil Rights Movement.” Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses, vol. 33, 2020, p. 43, Web.
Hine, Darlene Clark, et al. The African-American Odyssey, Volume 2. Pearson, 2017.