What was the Most Significant Achievement of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s?

‘No’.

A seemingly insignificant word sparked one of the most famous mass movements in history: the U.S. Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. With a simple, monosyllabic-word, Rosa Parks sparked the fight for equal rights, regardless of race, by refusing to give her seat up to a white passenger when riding a bus in Montgomery, Alabama (December 1955). Since the end of the Civil War (1865) and emancipation of over 100,000 enslaved people with the ratification of the 13th Amendment, African Americas faced constant discrimination. From public areas (such as cinemas and buses) to where they were permitted to live, segregation from ‘Jim Crow Laws’ encroached on every aspect of African American life, since the Supreme Court decision of Plessy vs Ferguson in 1896, with the ruling that ‘separate but equal’ facilities were constitutional based upon race. Yet, it was not until the 1950s and, most notably, the 1960s, when the civil rights cause really became a ‘movement’ for a number of reasons such as (but not limited to) international pressure and growth of the media. However, when asking what the most significant achievement of the U.S. Civil Rights movement of the 1960s was, there are a range of answers. The most significant of these are the legislation passed, inspiration for other movements, and changing societal attitudes. If judging what classifies as a ‘significant achievement’, one must consider the lasting impacts of said factor and the level of change it caused. On this basis, the most significant achievement of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s was the change it caused in societal attitudes which increased the significance of the other two factors mentioned.

Irrespective of the fact that changing societal attitudes are the most significant achievement movement, one must not understate the significance of the legislation passed as a result of the Civil Rights movement, particularly the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The ’64 Civil Rights Act, passed by President Lyndon Johnson as part of his ‘Great Society’, included a number of terms. Most notably, the act made it illegal to refuse access to public places on the grounds of race, established the Fair Employment Practises Commission, and gave the Attorney General the power to file lawsuits against state authorities and electoral districts accused of discrimination. By passing this act, Johnson broke down the segregation barrier which had existed in the U.S. Even with ‘progressive’ New Deal policies, the United States Housing Authority prevented African Americans buying houses in ‘white’ neighbourhoods. Similarly, the National Recovery Administration excluded domestic and agricultural services from the new minimum wage requirements, two professions largely dominated by African Americans, hence absorbing 75% of employed blacks from the minimum wage. Therefore, by the introduction of the ’64 Civil Rights Act, Johnson completely altered the way of life of African Americans, a key aim of the 1960s Civil Rights movement. By the same token, the ’65 Voting Rights Act, greatly impacted African Americans. Although the 15th Amendment guaranteed the right to vote regardless of ‘race, color or previous condition of servitude’, this acted as de jure change rather than de facto change because, at state level, policies were employed, including literacy tests and grandfather clauses, to prevent African Americans from voting. However, the ’65 Act outlawed all forms of tests to qualify for franchises and meant that even minor changes to voting procedure would have to be authorised in advance by the federal government. Equally, the act also meant that federal authorities could enrol voters in areas where less than 50% of the eligible population were on the roll. Although this would have perpetuated tensions between state and federal authorities, such as in Little Rock, Arkansas (1957) when Eisenhower deployed federal troops as Governor Faubus used State Troops to prevent the ‘Little Rock Nine’ from entering a newly desegregated school, the Voting Rights Act led to a considerable 230,000 increase in black voter registration by 1966, thus showing the significant consequential change. Despite this, the 1968 Kerner Report, commissioned in 1967 by President Johnson, found ‘pervasive discrimination and segregation in employment, education and housing’, thus the US was ‘moving towards two societies, one black, one white, separate but unequal’.

This report denotes the importance of not overstating the significance of the legislative changes. Although the legislation had a vast impact on the way of life for African Americans and can be seen as an important turning point, it did not achieve its full aim of overcoming segregation and the decision of Plessy v Ferguson. Therefore, although a significant achievement of the 1960s Civil Rights movement, legislative change is not the most significant achievement of the movement.

In contrast, one could argue the significance of inspiration for other movements as the most significant achievement of the movement. The legislative success of the 1960s Civil Rights movement meant that other progressive movements adopted the strategies used by black activists, particularly the approach of non-violence. This approach was widely used throughout the Civil Rights movement as sit-ins, such as the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins, boycotts and freedom rides to protest segregationist laws while demonstrating the economic power of African Americans, particularly in the case of boycotts, such as the 1955/6 Montgomery Bus Boycott. This inspired native American leaders, such as Richard Oakes, resulting in the native American occupation of Alcatraz (1969-71). Although the occupation may not be seen as directly successful in achieving autonomy, it resulted in an improvement in native American self-determination and the growth of the red power movement and improving tribal recognition. Similarly, the women’s rights movement also took inspiration from the 1960s Civil Rights movement, with organisations such as NOW (National Organisation for Women) being established (1966). Although NOW primarily focused on legislative action and legal advocacy (similar to the NAACP), they also organised a number of peaceful protests and demonstrations to raise awareness about issues such as workplace discrimination, reproductive rights, and domestic violence. Therefore, this signifies that the Civil Rights movement provided inspiration for other movements, allowing for consequent advancement for other groups such as women, for example with the Supreme Court ruling of Roe v Wade (1973) in favour of Roe (Norma McCorvey) over Wade (Attorney General Wade). Despite the recent overturning of this when Alabama outlawed abortion (2019) and the Supreme Court upholding Mississippi’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy (allowing 20 states to follow), this was a landmark victory in the late 19th century and marked a turning point for women’s reproductive rights, thus inspiration was a significant achievement of the civil rights movement. Yet, more importantly, this would not have been possible without the usage of media in the civil rights movement to reach a wider audience. By televising the funeral and publishing close-up photos of Emmet Till, lynched1955 for offending a white woman (Carolyn Bryant), and televising brutality against peaceful protestors by aggressive state forces, such as those in Birmingham, Alabama (led by Eugene ‘Bull’ Connor), the Civil Rights movement garnered sympathy for their cause and demonstrated the poor treatment of African Americans. 

This usage of the media, besides spreading the peaceful tactics used by civil rights activists, allowed the growth of media usage in protests. This was a significant achievement of the Civil Rights movement as this has since been widely used in American protests. For example, the use of media in the Vietnam War, such as the television of the Tet Offensive (1968) and the Kent State Protest (1970) was used by anti-war activists to urge for the end of US involvement in Vietnam. This corroborates the argument that the Civil Rights movement functioned as an inspiration for other movements due to the effectiveness of its tactics, thus indicating that it was a significant achievement of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. However, this is not the most significant achievement of the movement as the movement’s overarching goal was improving the lives of African Americans. Although the growth and success of other progressive movements would have had a positive impact on African Americans, it was not a direct achievement, hence whilst inspiration of other movements is a significant achievement of the civil rights movement, it not the most significant achievement.

Nevertheless, the most significant achievement of the 1960s Civil Rights movement was a shift in societal attitudes. One of the key features of the Civil Rights movement was mass movement – the diverse inclusion of thousands of people. In the Montgomery Bus Boycott, white women were particularly involved by supporting the boycott by driving the boycotters to work to maintain their boycott of the segregated buses. Likewise, the March on Washington (1963) involved 250,000 protestors, 25% of which were white, signifying the white involvement in the civil rights movement among an expansive number of people. As a result of this vast number, societal attitudes were immensely affected by the movement. For example, through the exposing of the poor conditions towards African Americans, such with the case of Emmet Till, racism (although still deeply entrenched into American culture) became less widespread than previously when there was little to stand in the way of an African American being lynched for the most minor of offenses. The March on Washington itself promoted social justice and equality through King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, by challenging the conservative ideologies upholding the racial inequality in the US. This led to an increased feeling of empowerment amongst African Americans, thus leading to the rise of the ‘black Power’. Whilst the black power movement was controversial, it greatly assisted blacks by spurring political mobilisation and leading to cultural revolution, emphasising the importance of African culture, identity and pride. Therefore, the civil rights movement encouraged a change in societal attitudes to a more open-minded society. This, in turn, had a significant international impact by strengthening the US’ position in the Cold War as a fully democratic, free country. Previously, the lack of African American civil rights had considerably degraded the American Cold War stance, with The Observer (1949) writing that ‘the colour bar is the greatest propaganda gift any country could give the Kremlin in its persistent bid for the affections of the coloured races for the world’, referring to competing influence of the US and USSR for influence over newly independent African nations. Therefore, the civil rights movement of the 1960s, by the volume of the movement, caused a vast shift in societal attitudes. As a result of this, other movements were inspired by the success of the civil rights movement, thus adopting their approaches. Similarly, the shift in societal attitudes facilitated President Johnson’s passage of Civil Rights legislation, thus showing that shifting societal attitudes was the most significant achievement of the 1960s Civil Rights movement.

‘The World is white no longer, and it will never be white again’. James Baldwin delivered this quote in his book, ‘Stranger in the Village’. Although published in 1953 at the very start of the Civil Rights movement, this highlights the extensive impact that this movement has had on the world. Before the movement was a white run world in which African Americans were second class citizens. Whilst discrimination still exists, the civil rights movement was a significant turning point for African Americans socially, politically and economically. Irrespective of disagreement surrounding the most significant achievement of the movement, I believe it to be the shift in societal attitudes. Without changing attitudes, Johnson would likely not have succeeded in delivering the legislation passed in the mid-1960s. Likewise, without changing attitudes to highlight the success of the movement, other movements would likely not have been inspired by the approaches of Civil Rights activists, thus reducing the gains made by other movements such as the women’s rights movement. Therefore, changing societal attitudes is by far the most significant achievement of the 1960s Civil Rights movement. ‘It is not a romantic matter. It is the unutterable truth: all men are brothers. That’s the bottom line’ – James Baldwin, 1989

by Eloise Aliker, Oundle School