Assignment 2: The Struggle for Freedom and Equality in the 20th Century

As illustrated within the text, the twentieth century saw highs and lows in the arena of civil rights for African-Americans. At every opportunity—whether through war or legislation—black and white activists worked to overcome unjust treatment of African-Americans. Such activity reached a crescendo in the 1950s and 1960s but waned in the 1970s.

Within this assignment, you will explore the timeline of the struggle for equality and highlight the successes and the eventual pitfalls of the Civil Rights Movement of the twentieth century. To prepare, use the Internet or Strayer databases to research major events of the Civil Rights Movement in the twentieth century. For additional information, explore the encyclopedia found on The King Center’s Website, located at http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia_contents.

Write a five (5 ) full pages paper in which you:

Examine at least two (2) of the primary methods that African-Americans in the early twentieth century used in order to overcome the policies of segregation that were codified at the federal, state, or local level, and determine the effectiveness of the methods in question. Provide a rationale for your response.

Specify two (2) catalysts that contributed to the beginnings of the modern Civil Rights Movement. Justify your response.

Determine two (2) goals of the Civil Rights Movement, and explore the fundamental reasons these goals had limited effect during and after the 1960s. Focus on the areas of class, gender, and sexuality. Justify your response.

Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Discuss African-Americans’ experiences for a better understanding of their relation to the national history.

Distinguish primary and secondary historical sources and evaluate them critically.

Describe and evaluate the roles and contributions of African-American women and men in the history and culture of the U.S. and the world.

Evaluate the different, and sometimes contradictory, interpretations of historians on important aspects of African-American history.

Explain the origins and development of contemporary discussions about race in U.S. society.

Identify the varied cultural expressions within African-American communities and their impact on U.S. culture.

Explain the key social forces and legal battles pertinent to African-Americans since the nation’s founding.

Use technology and information resources to research issues in African-American history.

Write clearly and concisely about African-American history using critical and analytical thought.