Civil Rights: Past and Present
"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners, will then be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream..." Martin Luther King Jr. This quote is from King's most famous speech that was given in our nation's capital during the civil rights movement of the 50's and 60's. It explains the inequality that our nation has shown in the past, and it is an ambassador for civil rights. Civil rights has been a major issue that has plagued the constitution since its ratification in 1787. There have been many civil rights cases that have undergone judicial review to determine the constitutionality of these issues. This paper will look at how these rulings have changed laws, and have changed lifestyles for people across the country. Such issues include slavery, voting, segregation, and integration. The preamble of the Declaration of Independence reads, "All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness", but is it interpreted that everyone should be treated equally? This question has been asked over and over again, and th
Disputes over civil rights date back to the formation of our country. Ferguson (1896) started segregation and the separate but equal mentality. Finally in 1920 women were given the right to vote with the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment. After this country was formed and the constitution was drafted the issue of slavery arose and became the nations biggest dispute and almost ended this young diversified nation. Works CitedThe Declaration of Independence. No longer do we have to live in an environment where the future of Americans depends on someone else's opinion, and someone else's rules. The NAACP has led the charge for civil rights through court cases challenging the Jim Crow laws, which violated the rights of African-Americans. With the help of the NAACP and the refusal of Rosa Parks to give up her seat on the bus the first successful boycott was accomplished. During the dispute Dred Scott took his case to the Supreme Court in order to win his freedom. " Kennedy was also a major influence in civil rights legislation.
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