𝐄𝐎𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐄𝐫𝐚

    In our last EOTO of the semester, we heard many different positives and negatives of the Civil Rights Era. To focus mainly on the positive movements that made an impact in society were the Montgomery Bus Boycott, The Little Rock Nine and James Meredith, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These are just a few events that changed America, positively for some and negatively for others.

    To start we have The Montgomery Bus Boycott taught by Jake Ankrum . The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a key event in the American civil rights movement, beginning on December 5, 1955, and lasting 381 days. It was sparked by the arrest of Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. In reaction, African American citizens, led by figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., organized a boycott of the city’s buses to protest segregation and racial injustice. The boycott aimed to challenge the discriminating practices of the bus system and highlighted the economic power of the black community. It ultimately led to a Supreme Court ruling that declared segregation on public buses unconstitutional, marking a powerful victory in the struggle for civil rights.

    Secondly Hayes gave us a little education on, Little Rock Nine and James Meredith, The Little Rock Nine also known as a group of nine African American students who enrolled at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas in September 1957, following the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Hayes, taught us the class that, their integration was met with violent resistance from segregationists and even the Arkansas National Guard, initially ordered by Governor Orval Faubus and President Eisenhower to prevent the students from entering.

    James Meredith was another key figure in the civil rights movement, known for being the first African American to enroll at the University of Mississippi in 1962. I knew a little bit about James Meredith due to our court case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. His admission was met with significant unrest and violence, requiring federal intervention to ensure his safety and uphold his right to attend the university. Both events were critical in the struggle against segregation and highlighted the challenges faced during the desegregation of schools in the United States. 

    Lastly, Most importantly to most African Americans at the time was the Voting Acts of 1965. Which was taught to us by Camerin Williams. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a milestone piece of federal legislation to overcome legal barriers that prevented African Americans from the right to vote, mainly in the Southern states. The Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965, following widespread protests, notably the Selma to Montgomery marches. Key conditions of the Act included the prohibition of literacy tests, which were often used to defeat black voters, and the federal oversight of voter registration in areas with a history of biased practices. The law significantly increased voter registration and participation among African Americans and was a crucial step in the broader civil rights movement, promoting equality and access to the electoral process. 

    As previously stated these are just a few events that positively impacted the lives of not only African Americans of the 1960s but lives of African Americans today. Without these events who knows what life would be like today? We definitely wouldn't be in class learning about them today.