Why was the 1960s, and in particular the year 1964, crucial for progression in American society and the cause of the Civil Rights Movement?
Introduction
The 1960s marked 100 years of civil rights activism in the US. The year 1964 in particular saw the rise of individuals like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Under the Presidencies of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, America finally saw an advancement of civil rights with the act of the same in 1964. However, when considering more modern history and the issues of the present day, it can be argued that although civil rights were granted to all, even in this modern age, the reality of equality is still yet to be achieved.[1] The rise in protest and reform in America during this time was large, but was it really any bigger than before, or did it just conclude what activists had been trying for a century? This study will argue that the 1960s saw progress that had been long overdue for the cause of Civil Rights for all in America.
The Importance of the Key Leaders during the Civil Rights Movement
One important part of the advancement of the Civil Rights Movement was due to the work of significant leaders and activists during the movement. The leaders of activism during the 1960s, used common ideals to relate their speeches and actions to the many and provide people with a common aim of equality, whilst fighting with common interests. For Malcolm X in particular, his speeches including The Ballot or the Bullet presented strong aspects of black nationalism and the need for racial recognition.[2] In this speech, Malcolm recognised that the people of the 1960s are the witnesses of great change; “1964 threatens to be the most explosive year America has ever witnessed. The most explosive year. Why? It’s also a political year. …”[3] the reality of this statement being without a doubt. Malcolm gave this speech on April 12th 1964, and therefore he could not have predicted how much of a significant year this would be for racial activism. President John F Kennedy would not be assassinated until November 22nd that year, an event that marked the death of a President working in unison with the people of America to which he represented. Lyndon B Johnson’s Presidency would conclude Kennedy’s legacy and solidify the result of a long time coming of efforts for equality.
For the case of Malcolm X and his speech, it provided blacks the hope and determination to continue to act for their deserved equal rights as US citizens. The speech recognised Malcolm as an ordinary individual, no matter his religion, education and political opinions that he shared the emotion and frustration of those not rightfully represented in an ‘Free America’. Malcom allowed blacks to realise the power they already had without realising, as they had been undermined by the white social democrats of the era. He stated “A vote for a Democrat is a vote for a Dixiecrat. That’s why, in 1964, it’s time now for you and me to become more politically mature and realize what the ballot is for… It’s either a ballot or a bullet.”[4]
Similarly, although using different mediums and speaking slightly earlier another leader of 1960s activism provided the willpower and emotion into his speech to insight those around him who felt underappreciated and unrecognisable within society. His speech ignited the people and expressed that same idea that the people of America were to witness a time of historical, political and social importance. He stated “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.”[5] His name was Martin Luther King JR. King used the ideas of black history and the need for unification against the limitations of the laws. King, used the 100 year anniversary of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 to recognise that “one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.” The words of King, would echo through to the activism and spark that of further action during the year of 1964. King continued to act until his own death in 1968, and influenced that of Little Rock Nine and the NACCP.
John A Kirk in his book Martin Luther King Jr argued that by 1964, King had mastered his ideology of “nonviolence, into a coherent strategy for social and political change.”[6] King’s ideology and appearance as a figurehead for the cause of civil rights, reached its climax with the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Although, it is obvious from evidence acquired that when it came to the issue of civil rights, President Kennedy and King had different ideas, the passing of this act demonstrated that King’s connections with the aristocracy of the era, connected the final piece of Kennedy’s legacy and the legacy of civil rights. One hundred years after the first, Civil Rights legislation was passed to mark a period of change and ‘equality’, although even today the reality of this in social terms is still not an actuality. King also used his position as an American Baptist Minister, to use religion as a unifier for the cause of civil rights, in a highly religious age. Revisionist historians have argued that religion played a “crucial” part in “the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and 1960s. At every stage of the movement, mainline and traditional black churches proved vital.”[7]
The Significance of the year 1964
1964 marked a year of unity for African Americans, in one cause despite different approaches to the same issue – equality. Although, in the speeches of leaders such as Malcolm X and King, the opinions and feelings of the ordinary participants in this movement, reflected that of the same. In an extract from ‘An end to History’ it recollects the feelings of struggle, fear and determination for a common cause: “The two battlefields may seem quite different to some observers, but this is not the case. The same rights are at stake in both places—the right to participate as citizens in democratic society and the right to due process of law.”[8] The author presents the time of 1964 as a ‘Brave New World’ and to a large scale this was true, activism was at its peak and height. On July 2nd 1964 President Lyndon B Johnson passed “landmark legislation” demonstrating “the simple stroke of a pen proved more powerful than the fight for civil rights.”[9] The importance of this legislation proved more to be the law of equality, but demonstrated that the governing body in the form of Lyndon B Johnson, was in direct correlation with the people and the cause for Civil Rights. Not only did the passing of such a document, display the ultimate legacy of Kennedy, but also displayed the needs of the people, Johnson “understood the problems of poverty and inequality… through his early experiences as a teacher in a Mexican-American school…” and the passing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, was most probably the highest achievement of his Presidential career. [10]
Conclusion
To conclude, the 1960s concluded the rise of activism for civil rights with legislation to put the actuality of that in place. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, concluded the legacy of John F Kennedy, improved the presidency of Lyndon B Johnson and exemplified the words, feelings and needs of 1960s American activists. The year 1964 especially really was an “explosive year” as suggested and predicted by Malcolm X. This period proved pivotal in the progress of the Civil Rights cause in America.
References
- Banton, Michael, ‘RACISM IN THE MODERN WORLD. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES ON CULTURAL TRANSFER AND ADAPTATION’, (2012) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01419870.2012.693619?scroll=top&needAccess=true&instName=Nottingham+Trent+University
- Martin Luther King Jr, “I have a dream”, Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C., 28 August 1963.
- Kirk, John A., Martin Luther King Jr, Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, London and New York, 2013, p.4
- Stephens, R. J., It Has to Come from the Hearts of the People: Evangelicals, Fundamentalists, Race, and the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 18th May 2015 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-american-studies/article/it-has-to-come-from-the-hearts-of-the-people-evangelicals-fundamentalists-race-and-the-1964-civil-rights-act/E708B2CD13DF486554608FF662EE4AD5
- Extracts from Mario Savio ‘An End to History’, Humanity, December 1964
- Malcolm X, “The Ballot or the Bullet”, Cleveland, OH, 3 April, 1964
[1] Banton, Michael, ‘RACISM IN THE MODERN WORLD. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES ON CULTURAL TRANSFER AND ADAPTATION’, (2012) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01419870.2012.693619?scroll=top&needAccess=true&instName=Nottingham+Trent+University
[2] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rhetorical-analysis-ballot-bullet-speech-malcolm-x-gerald-huggins
[3] Malcolm X, “The Ballot or the Bullet”, Cleveland, OH, 3 April, 1964
[4] Malcom X, “The Ballot of the Bullet” , Cleveland, OH, 3 April, 1964
[5] Martin Luther King Jr, “I have a dream”, Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C., 28 August 1963.
[6] John A Kirk, Martin Luther King Jr, Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, London and New York, (2013) p.4
[7] Randall J Stephens, “It Has to Come from the Hearts of the People”: Evangelicals, Fundamentalists, Race, and the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 18th May 2015 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-american-studies/article/it-has-to-come-from-the-hearts-of-the-people-evangelicals-fundamentalists-race-and-the-1964-civil-rights-act/E708B2CD13DF486554608FF662EE4AD5
[8] Extracts from Mario Savio ‘An End to History’, Humanity, December 1964
[9] https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-act
[10] http://hfrir.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/component/attachments/download/1173