The Voting Rights Act

Set up by Lyndon B. Johnson, this act eliminated sources of discrimination that were disabling people from voting. One exapmle of this is literacy tests. Before the passage of this act in 1965, literacy tests were instituted and many blacks, having a lesser quality of education due to segregated schools, were not capable of passing such tests. The act furthered a legislative end to discrimination.

Malcolm X

Bio: Born May19, 1925 as Malcolm Little in Omaha Nebraska

Died: February 21, 1965 (assasinated)

In comparison to his fellow civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X was considered a radical when it came to fighting for equality in the United States. He had a resentment towards white Americans due to the oppression that he faced as the backlash of slavery. Was the child of political activist who supported Marcus Garvey's militant style of activism. He did not keep his birthname because he took it as a brand of the slave owners that owned his family years ago and took on the name Malcolm X/El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. He had also been appointed as a minister and national spokesman for the nation of Islam. Because of his behavior the United States government took interest in him and began an investigation that incorporated wire taps, bugging and spies that infiltrated his organization. In 1964 he terminated his relationship with the nation of Islam after learning of Elijah Muhammad's adultry and hipocritical teachings. Was subjected to many death threats and his assassination was successful in 1965 when he was shot at several times during one of his speeches in a ballroom. He was 39 years old. Foraudio speeches click here

Martin Luther King Jr.

Bio: Born January 15, 1929

Died April 4, 1968 (Assassinated)

Was a civil rights activist during the 1960's. Using his background work as a reverend, he traveled around the United States preaching about equality and injustices throughout the country. Was supported by other activists such as Jesse Jackson and Malcolm X. Supported civil disobedience as a method of speaking out against the inequality that plagued African-Americans. Was a member of the executive committee of the NAACP. At age 35, was the youngest man in history to receive the Nobel peace prize.

Quotes:
1. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
2. History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

The Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights movement was a continuation of the struggle for basic rights for African Americans in the United States of America. It was mostly associated with its major leaders of the time: i.e Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Jesse Jackson and Ruby Bridges. These civil rights leaders led the nation during this time to voice their desires for an equal, balanced and unified nation. The sixties was met with riots, protests, boycotts, marches and other forms of protest by African Americans and their supporters to changes society's opinion about their social status. These efforts changed society in the United States and made life for Blacks more endurable.
The sixties brought along newly developed organizations such as the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.), the Black Panthers (a radical group focused teaching people military defense to African Americans to combat the U.S. government. and to establish revolutionary socialism.), and Students for a Democratic Society, which was apart of the New Left. With the Civil Rights Movement came a great change in acceptance of race, religion, creed and color in the United States.