This museum exhibit focuses on the African American Civil Rights Movement from the early 1900’s to the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. In particular, this museum exhibit emphasizes the treatment and inequality of African Americans and the progression of racial injustice throughout this time period. It also focuses on the actions taken by African Americans to evoke change in the nation.
After the Civil War ended, African Americans were granted their freedom from slavery. The nation, however, would not adjust to the social concept of equality among races until almost 100 years later. The first of many struggles of inequality African Americans faced was the creation of the Black Codes. Created by many of the southern states during President Johnson’s time in office, these rules limited the rights of African Americans. Their freedoms were restricted from owning land, weapons, and even the kind of labor they could pursue (Latta 2014, 17). The Black Codes transformed into Jim Crow Laws, which held drastic limits to voting and citizenship for the black minority. After some time, the laws, especially in the South, turned to violence. The Ku Klux Klan, created in 1866, is a secretive, mainly Southern, white nationalist party. Up to 500,000 white southerners joined this white supremacist group, whose main goal was to constrict the rights of African Americans, even if it meant killing them. Lynchings and violation of African American schools, property, etc. are considered common actions of the Ku Klux Klan (Latta 2014, 18). Many African Americans felt unsafe in their own towns and homes due to these crimes committed against them. Federal government action failed to provide relief. In fact, it tended to benefit the white southerners more so at times. Murderers, such as the white men that killed Emmett Till, were acquitted and many other white criminals were never charged by law enforcement for their crimes against African Americans. Segregation was seen in many white Americans’ eyes as a compromise to the equality and treatment of African Americans. The two races were isolated from one another, but in essence supposed to be given the same facilities, life- necessities, and treatment. However, this was inherently untrue. Many African American facilities were in poorer condition, unusable, and less accessible. Many African Americans were removed from movie theaters due to their race, forced to use separate restrooms, and could not drink from the same water fountains (Editors, 2019).
As the unfair treatment continued and became worse, African Americans turned to protests and advocacy. The protests were to inspire change in the nation and end all suffering for black minorities. African American protests and movements reflect throughout U.S. History from the early 1900’s to the end of the 1960’s. Significant victories occurred, such as the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and more. The March on Washington was created to demonstrate the unity among African Americans and force the President to end discrimination, starting in the military forces (Zhang 2014, 109). Through the many protests and continuous efforts of the African American citizens, segregation slowly dissolved into the integration of the two races. Lyndon B. Johnson played a major role in bringing the nation together with the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 from Congress. Johnson “pushed aggressively against employment discrimination” for African Americans and vouched for equal rights for all of mankind (Lerner 2011, 114). The passing of this final piece of legislation sealed the notion of freedom in the United States. The ideal scenario was for African Americans to finally be able to adapt to their new lives as freemen and live the ‘American Dream’. However, the nation took much longer to adjust to this idea. Many companies and neighborhoods still felt that African Americans were unequal to their own status. Southerners and Southern states in particular, were the most prominent in this opinion. When the Civil Rights Act was enacted, the federal government felt the need to finally put an end to the violence between the two races. White supremacy discrimination against black people slowly diminished as federal authorities became involved, punishing those at fault (Lerner 2011, 116).
This project outlines the consequences that African Americans faced during this time of discrimination and injustice. It discusses in depth the violence they endured from white southerners and supremacists, the protests that occurred in response to the legislation brought against them, and the development of their citizenship and equal rights. There are key references to the protests and advocacy groups formed by African American leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and records from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
This exhibit discusses the heavy violence that African Americans endured. There are several sources about the establishment of white supremacist groups such as the KKK, as well as accounts of the violence and lynchings they performed. Segregation develops throughout this exhibit starting with accounts of public discrimination recorded by the NAACP. Several primary sources from the Civil Rights revolts are also included such as Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, NAACP speeches, the March on Washington and even the famous violent protest in Birmingham Alabama.
This museum exhibit is a meaningful reflection upon the violent, intense struggles that the African American people faced in the United States before the nation was equal and free. This exhibit delivers a message of remembrance, gratefulness, and importance to its audience to not repeat the mistakes we have made in the past. It reminds the nation to not forget the growth and development that this country undertook to establish its current freedoms. This exhibit holds lessons that people of all ages can take away from it and build upon. The importance is drastically shown throughout the project’s entirety, and continues to define equality for ages to come.