Protest Movements of the United States

Introduction

There have been many protest movements throughout history. They all were different in scope, capacity, and resources but ultimately pursued similar agendas of a better life for themselves. After its founding, the U.S. also faced several waves of activism and protests related to different issues. Even though these movements had legislative successes, the ultimate causes of their demands were not eliminated, a situation which echoes even today. However, these protest movements shaped American history both on local and global levels.

African American Civil Rights Movement

Beginning as a widespread protest against segregation and discrimination in the South of the country, the American Civil Rights Movement gained national notoriety. This movement’s origins may be traced to the struggles of former slaves and their offspring to eliminate racial discrimination and stop slavery since “the acuteness of racism has forced to engage in national self-examination”¹. Many citizens of the new nation were denied fundamental rights despite the fact that the United States’ founding papers guaranteed everyone equal treatment.

African Americans in the United States were the focus of the civil rights movement’s advocacy for equal rights and equality. Activists fought for changes that would forbid discrimination and put an end to segregation, which is “unjust because segregation distorts and damages the personality”². Due to these objectives, legislation was passed to prohibit housing discrimination, voting suppression against black voters, and racial segregation (Baker 450). The overarching strategy of the campaign included litigation, media usage, boycotts, protests, sit-ins, and other acts to mobilize public opposition.

Throughout the movement’s existence, there have been a number of victories that have become historical milestones. Brown’s ruling in 1954, the Civil Rights and the Voting Rights acts all contributed to the deconstruction of the complex legal system that had made black people feel like second-class citizens (Baker 448). Overall, the movement was successful in attaining its objectives, including desegregation, expanding voting rights for African Americans, and outlawing job discrimination.

The major setbacks were in the areas of poverty and economic inequality. Despite legislation being implemented, discrimination in housing and work remains pervasive. The movement’s aspirations are still being felt today. In society, there still appears to be a lack of equality, and many challenges have yet to be handled. The Black Lives Matter movement, which in some ways may be considered a continuation of the battle for true equality, is the most prominent example.

Gay Rights Movement

The challenges that LGBT rights organizations tackled changed through time and space as different national organizations supported policies that were especially suited to the circumstances in their own countries. With a strong federal heritage in the United States, the battle to remove sodomy prohibitions was first waged at the state level. The AIDS epidemic, enlarging the definition of hate crime to include protection for gays, and winning marriage rights for same-sex couples have all been major concerns for the gay rights movement.

Protecting LGBTQ individuals’ equal rights was a major objective of the gay rights movement. It demanded the removal of sodomy legislation and an end to prejudice towards LGBTQ individuals within this context since “the consequence of internalizing this role is an enormous reservoir of self-hate”³. The Gay Right Movement engaged in persistent conflict among public personalities as part of its political strategy. It claimed that “a shared awareness of how sexual identity combined with racial identity is the focus of their political struggles”⁴. The main tactic was a hit-and-run strategy, to garner the media attention they required and convince homophobic individuals and organizations to accept homosexual rights.

The movement was consistently covered in the press and had a decent track record of passing legislation. As a result, homosexuality is no longer listed by the American Psychiatric Association as a mental disease, and most states have banned discrimination based on sexual orientation (Morris 169). In addition, the U.S. repealed its prohibition on openly serving homosexuals and lesbians in the military after decades of opposition. However, the movement has developed into a political force, which is impeding the advancement. Most critically, the movement switched its focus from attempting to change institutions to seeking to gain access to them. This is a crucial factor connecting the movement’s lengthy history to the current discussions around gender and its place in society. It is challenging to carry out the necessary propaganda from within the movement since it is now a part of the system.

Chicano Civil Rights Movement

Hispanic Americans from a variety of backgrounds started organizing their own fight for justice and civic equality. This protest movement became known as the Chicano Civil Rights Movement. The major issues raised by the activists were the need for a minimum wage for migrant workers and citizenship for children of parents of Mexican ancestry, as well as discrimination, racial stereotypes, segregation in school, and voting rights.

The restitution of land, the protection of the rights of agricultural laborers, and educational reform were the main aims of the Chicano movement when it first began during the civil rights era. The protests were held to “promote the social welfare of Mexicanos through education and to enlarge the capabilities of indigenous leaders”⁵. Songs in both English and Spanish were used to communicate the issues of the Chicano civil rights movement’s strikes and protests. The movement representatives were “convinced that non-violence is more powerful than violence since it supports a just and moral cause”⁶. The movement emphasized the dedication to non-violence in attaining goals.

Throughout history, the Chicano Movement succeeded in enacting a number of reforms. It included the development of bilingual and bicultural programs in the Southwest, an improvement in the working conditions of migrant workers, the hiring of Chicano teachers, and a rise in the proportion of Mexican Americans in elected office (Steidl 35). The success and growth of the movement, however, were hampered by issues. The lack of a comprehensive, radical agenda for an engaged electorate, insufficient monetary resources, and the absence of organized, disciplined groups with reliable governance processes were major obstacles to success (Steidl 42). Even if they are no longer as severe, the issues that the movement encountered are still prevalent in contemporary society. The organization is currently battling for a school curriculum that teaches about Mexican Americans’ history.

Conclusion

The movements discussed were similar in their agenda and ways to achieve their goals. All of them were pursuing the acquisition of human rights and demanded that their voices should have been heard. Most of the activists wanted to have a decent life in the hope that their children would prosper in a better world. Through protests, demonstrations, and more artistic representations of demands, such as music and poetry, these protest movements eventually developed American society and contributed to its history. However, as evidenced by today’s agenda, the ultimate demands have not been met since racism and discrimination are still visible in society. Therefore, it will be fair to say that none of the three movements was ultimately successful.

Works Cited

“The Bottom of the Economic Totem Pole”: African American Women in the Workplace”. History Matters. Web.

Baker Clayton. “Black lives matter and the civil rights movement: A comparative analysis of two social movements in the United States.” Journal of Black Studies, vol. 49, no. 5, 2018, pp. 448–480. Web.

Chavez, Cesar. “The Mexican-American and the Church.” El Grito, 1968, pp. 2-6.

Combahee River Collective. “The Combahee River Collective Statement.” 1977.

Gutierrez, Angel Jose. “The Origins of the “Eliminate the Gringo” Quote.” El Grito, 1969, pp. 1-7.

King Jr, Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham jail.” UC Davis L. Rev. 26, 1992, p. 835.

Morris, Bonnie J. “History of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Social Movements.” American Psychological Association, vol. 14, no.2, 2019, pp. 167–176. Web.

Radicalesbians. “The Woman-Identified Woman.” History Is a Weapon, 1970. Web.

Steidl, Jason. “The Unlikely Conversion of Father Juan Romero: Chicano Activism and Suburban Los Angeles Catholicism.” U.S. Catholic Historian, vol. 37, no. 4, 2019, pp. 29–52. Web.

Footnotes

1. “The Bottom of the Economic Totem Pole”: African American Women in the Workplace”. History Matters. Web.
2. King Jr, Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham jail.” UC Davis L. Rev. 26, 1992, p. 835.
3. Radicalesbians. “The Woman-Identified Woman.” History Is a Weapon, 1970. Web.
4. Combahee River Collective. “The Combahee River Collective Statement.” 1977.
5. Gutierrez, Angel Jose. “The Origins of the “Eliminate the Gringo” Quote.” El Grito, 1969, pp. 1-7.
6. Chavez, Cesar. “The Mexican-American and the Church.” El Grito, 1968, pp. 2-6.