Civil Rights Movement in the United States

Definition

The Civil Rights Movement was a struggle by African Americans during mid-1950s through late 1960s aimed at ending racial discrimination and securing equal rights under law.

Analogy

Imagine a game where the rules are unfairly stacked against one team. The Civil Rights Movement was like that team standing up and demanding a fair game.

Related terms

Segregation: The enforced separation of different racial groups in a country, community, or establishment.

Martin Luther King Jr.: An American clergyman and civil rights leader who advocated for nonviolent resistance to racial discrimination during the 1950s and 1960s.

Civil Rights Act of 1964: A landmark law in the United States that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.