THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT – U.S HISTORY

In postwar America, racial discrimination continued to be a significant issue, particularly in the Southern states, where “Jim Crow laws” enforced racial segregation. These laws were rooted in the doctrine of “separate but equal,” which had been upheld by the Supreme Court in the 1896 case Plessy v. Ferguson. However, after World War II, a Civil Rights movement began to gain momentum. The U.S., seeking to present itself as the leader of the “free world” in the Cold War, was forced to confront the hypocrisy of its legal segregation, especially since many African Americans who had fought for freedom abroad were now demanding their rights at home.

One of the first steps toward racial equality came in 1948 when President Harry S. Truman ordered the desegregation of the U.S. military. In 1954, the Supreme Court made a landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, declaring that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This decision overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and set the stage for further legal and social changes.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, African Americans organized nonviolent protests and acts of civil disobedience to challenge segregation and racial discrimination. A series of sit-ins, particularly by Black students, successfully desegregated many public places, including lunch counters, theaters, and public transportation. One of the leading figures of this movement was Martin Luther King Jr., a clergyman from Georgia, who advocated for peaceful protest despite the frequent violence and hostility the demonstrators faced.

In response to these protests and growing public support for civil rights, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This landmark legislation prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public accommodations, employment, and education. A year later, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed, which removed barriers like literacy tests and poll taxes that had been used to prevent African Americans from voting.

Alongside the Civil Rights Movement, the 1960s saw a growing movement for women’s rights. Although women had gained the right to vote in 1920 with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, they continued to face discrimination in many areas of life, particularly in employment. During World War II, women had proven their ability to take on traditionally male roles in both the workforce and the military. After the war, however, many women were frustrated by the limited expectations placed on them, which typically centered around marriage and motherhood.

By the 1960s, more women were attending college and entering the professional workforce, competing for skilled jobs. Despite facing resistance, the feminist movement pushed for equal opportunities in education and employment. Although the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the Constitution failed to pass, significant strides were made in achieving greater legal and social equality for women during the second half of the 20th century.

Together, the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Liberation Movement reshaped American society, making significant advances toward equality, even though challenges remained. The struggles for racial and gender equality in postwar America set the stage for further progress in the years to come.

THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT

 Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

 Question 1 is based on the following passage:

Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates

 classes among citizens.

 —Excerpt from a statement by Justice John Marshall

 Harlan, the only Supreme Court justice to dissent

 from the ruling in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson

 1.  In which way did Justice Harlan’s opinion differ from that of the other

 justices? He believed that

 A.   all races and classes are guaranteed the same rights.

 B.   the Constitution supports the idea of “separate but equal.”

 C.   civil rights should be based on class, but not on race.

 D.   citizens should be given equal opportunities, even if laws keep

 them separate.

 Question 2 is based on the following passage:

 More than half of the population of the United States is female. But

 women occupy only 2% of the managerial positions. They have not

 even reached the level of tokenism yet. No women sit on the AFL

CIO council or Supreme Court. There have been only two women

 who have held Cabinet rank, and at present there are none. Only

 two women now hold ambassadorial rank in the diplomatic corps.

 In Congress, we are down to one Senator and 10 Representatives.

 Considering that there are about 3½ million more women in the

 United States than men, this situation is outrageous . . .

 Existing laws are not adequate to secure equal rights for

 women. Sufficient proof of this is the concentration of women in

 lower paying, menial, unrewarding jobs and their incredible

 scarcity in the upper level jobs. If women are already equal, why

 is it such an event whenever one happens to be elected to

 Congress?

 —Excerpt from a speech by Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm delivered

 in 1969 on the floor of the House of Representatives as she

 reintroduced the Equal Rights Amendment for consideration

2.  Based on the excerpt, which statement reflects Congresswoman

 Chisholm’s opinion?

 A.   Because there are more women in the United States than men,

 women should receive special treatment under the Constitution.

 B.   Only in the federal executive branch have women achieved high

ranking positions.

 C.   Women hired in high-ranking positions either in private business

 or in governmental positions are considered “tokens.”

 D.   Lack of female representation in private business and in the

 federal government proves that women do not have equal rights

Question 1:

Correct Answer: ✅ A. all races and classes are guaranteed the same rights.

Explanation:
Justice John Marshall Harlan dissented in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), disagreeing with the majority opinion that upheld racial segregation under the doctrine of “separate but equal.” In his dissent, Harlan argued that the Constitution is “color-blind”, meaning it does not allow for any distinctions or classes among citizens based on race. This directly opposes the majority decision, making A the correct answer.

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Question 2:

Correct Answer: ✅ D. Lack of female representation in private business and in the federal government proves that women do not have equal rights.

Explanation:
In her speech, Shirley Chisholm highlights the extremely low number of women in leadership roles and argues that this is proof that women are not treated equally under existing laws. She is clearly calling attention to systemic inequality, making D the best answer choice.