The Political Debates of the 60's

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,0, University of Regensburg (Amerikanistik), language: English, abstract: The following paper deals with the integration and segregation of African-Americans in the 1960s in the USA. It shall familiarize the reader with the events that happened before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the act itself and the public reactions to it. In addition, it gives an overview of the most significant demands of the African-Americans before the act of 1964, its implement and its consequences for the Civil Rights Movement. But what is a civil right? ¿A civil right is an enforceable right or privilege, which if interfered with by another gives rise to an action for injury. Examples of civil rights are freedom of speech, press, assembly, the right to vote, freedom from involuntary servitude, and the right to equality in public places. Discrimination occurs when the civil rights of an individual are denied or interfered with because of their membership in a particular group or class. Statutes have been enacted to prevent discrimination based on a persons race, sex, religion, age, previous condition of servitude, physical limitation, national origin and in some instances sexual preference.¿

Table of Content

1. Introduction

2. The time before the Civil Rights Act of 1964

2.1 Events before the new legislation

2.2 Groups and organizations fighting for freedom

2.3 Social conditions and demands of the African-American population

3. The Civil Rights Act of 1964

3.1 What is the act about?

4. The time after the Civil Rights Act of 1964

4.1 Timeline of the most important events

4.2. Consequences

4.2.1. Malcolm X , Black Muslims and the Organization of African-American Unity

4.2.2. The Black Panther Party and The Black Power Movement

5. The End of the Civil Rights Movement

6. Works Cited