Protest against injustice is deeply rooted in the African American experience. The origins of the Civil Rights Movement date much further back than the 1954 Supreme Courts ruling on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka which said "separate but equal" schools violated the constitution. From the earliest slave revolts in this country over 400 years ago, African Americans tried to gain full participation in every area of political, economic, and social life in the United States.

Racial conflict increased in many large cities in the 20th century, including Harlem (1900), Atlanta (1906), Springfield IL (1908), East St. Louis (1917),Chester and Philadelphia ,PA(1917), Houston ,TX(1917), and Chicago(1917). Rumors and random acts of violence triggered the riots, which fed on pent-up racial hostility. World War 1 provided employment and a united effort focused outside the U.S. However, after the war adjustments such as competition for jobs and fear and suspicion sparked new violence during the "Red Summer" of 1919.From May 10, to September 30, there were over 25 riots in cities from Texas to Illinois ,Nebraska to Georgia.

Although the Supreme Court ruled segregated education unconstitutional in the Brown v. the Board of education the decision lacked guidance on how to desegregate the schools, and failed to set any time limits which gave the southern states the freedom to move slowly.

During the 1960's African Americans started to insist on their equal rights. For example there were marches, the Burmingham bus boycott, lunch counter sit-ins, and demonstrations. Two of the major people involved in the civil rights movement were Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Eventually African Americans as well other races won their rights.

To learn more about the civil rights movements click on the following links:
http://www.sitins.com/
http://www.digisys.net/users/hootie/brown/
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart9.html
http://216.157.9.6/civilrights/