Introduction
The USA experienced a turbulent political environment after World War II (WWII) that ended in 1945. Intense pressure mounted on the federal government to enact policy and laws that would promote equal rights and privileges for the African-American community (Bloom 21). As such, the Civil Rights Movement was initiated to advance the clamor for social justice by ensuring equal entitlements for the black society under the U.S. statutes. Key personalities, including Dr. Martin Luther-King Junior, were at the forefront of the civil rights campaign; they were determined to persuade the federal government to advance equal rights for the African-Americans through constitutional changes (Levy 10). The 1957 Civil Rights Act, Washington March, and the 1964 and 1965 Civil Rights Act were among the major events that helped initiate change in America.
The 1957 Civil Rights Act
On 9th September 1957, the President of the United States, Eisenhower, took a significant step by signing the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Since the reconstruction era, the move marked a profound milestone in the quest for U.S. civil rights legislation (Riches 23). The statute stipulated that any person who attempted to hinder or restrain someone from voting would face federal prosecution. Furthermore, the law allowed for the creation of a robust investigation commission charged with assessing voter fraud.
Unlike the previous U.S. constitutional amendments, this regulation granted all Americans the right to vote. However, most black community members who resided in the Southern states faced intense difficulty and hurdles in the voting process; they were denied the entitlement to participate in the voting process (Bloom 30). The specific states’ authority required that the black voters take rigorous literacy tests that were misleading and highly confusing; this, in turn, hindered the African-American community from voting (Bloom 31). Therefore, as a show of dedication and commitment to the growing civil rights campaign, President Eisenhower and his administration persuaded the Congress to make firm consideration for a new civil rights legislation through the enactment procedure.
March on Washington (1963)
From a historical standpoint, the March on Washington, which took place on 28th August, 1963, went down as the most renowned event in the civil rights campaign. It was organized and orchestrated by top leaders in the civil rights crusade, such as Rustin Bayard, Randolph Philip, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (Levy 15). The event’s gathering contained about 200,000 persons from across the U.S. bearing diverse racial and ethnic heritage (Riches 18). People gathered around Washington D.C. for a peaceful (non-violent) march to compel the government to consider implementing a new civil rights statute and promote the agenda for job equality within the U.S. (Riches 23). The famous march’s primary highlight was the powerful and moving speech by the renowned civil entitlement crusader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “I have a Dream.”
The 1964 and 1965 Civil Rights Act
The 1964 Civil Rights Act was sanctioned by the U.S. president, Johnson B. Lyndon, on 2nd July 1964. President Kennedy had initiated the legislative process before the period of his fateful assignation (Bloom 25). President Johnson invited primary civil rights crusaders to attend the ceremony for the legislation’s enactment to law. The statute’s objective was to guarantee the entitlement to equal employment for all American citizens (Riches 35). Furthermore, the regulation included stipulations that constrained the utilization of voter literacy assessments and empowered federal authorities to allow African-Americans’ inclusion in public facilities (Levy 31). Progressively, the 1965 voting rights act abolished all voter-literacy examinations and allowed federal examiners’ assignment within particular jurisdictions.
Conclusion
The paper provides a comprehensive review of the three significant events that helped initiate change in the U.S. The 1957 Civil Rights Act stipulated that any person who attempted to hinder someone from voting would face federal prosecution. The Washington March was grounded on the objective of compelling the government to consider new civil entitlements legislation and promote the agenda for job equality within the U.S. The enactment of 1964 legislation guaranteed the entitlement to equal-employment for American citizens, while the 1965 statute abolished voter literacy assessments.
Works Cited
Bloom, Jack. Class, Race, and the Civil Rights Movement. 2nd ed., Indiana University Press, 2019.
Levy, Peter. The Civil Rights Movement: A Reference Guide. 2nd ed., ABC-CLIO, 2019.
Riches, William. The Civil Rights Movement: Struggle and Resistance. 4th ed., Macmillan International Higher Education, 2017.