The Civil Rights Movement Assignment, Research Paper Example

The civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s came to the forefront of the consciousness of most Americans because of the extensive media coverage, notably because of the advent of television.  Racial confrontations, marches and demonstrations, and police brutality were widely documented on the evening news and during coverage of such events.  The technology developed during that time period exposed the world to the non-violent civil rights activities that included civil disobedience, bringing it to a mass audience and making it impossible for Americans to turn away from what was happening on their streets.  This paper will discuss media coverage of the civil rights movement, including the activities of Martin Luther King Jr. and his non-violent protesting, as well as Malcolm X whose views about the mixing of the races were quite different.

A clear example of the way public opinion influences public policy was the civil rights movement.  Initially, during President Kennedy’s administration, he was not inclined to involve himself much in the issue of civil rights.  However, as the images of police brutality including using dogs and forceful water through hoses against peaceful demonstrators were broadcast over the airwaves, public opinion began to change, becoming more liberal regarding civil rights. (Stevens 2002). There was much outrage about the way that black people were being treated, and this was the major factor in President Kennedy’s decision to address civil rights in a public way.

The civil rights movement began in earnest when Dr. King became the embodiment of that cause for millions of African Americans.  His eloquent voice described their suffering, their humiliation, their desire to be treated with equality and dignity and yet, he preached non-violence as a way of achieving those goals.  To white people, Dr. King became a symbol of a black man who could connect the black and white communities in a nonthreatening manner.  He achieved the level of notoriety and respect that allowed him to earn the Nobel Peace Prize, and who was a welcome figure both in places like the White House as well as the Vatican. (Schumach, 1968).

Dr. King’s commitment to nonviolence alienated the extremist figures of both white and black activists.  Despite his best efforts to maintain the peace, several of his marches and demonstrations resulted in violence with people being injured and even killed.  He was jailed many times for his activities, despite the non-violence, and did not uniformly receive support from his fellow clergymen, as indicated by the famous letter that he wrote while being incarcerated in the Birmingham jail in 1963 following his non-violent protesting (Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1963).

One of the most well-known and inspirational speeches given by Dr. King was his “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered in August, 1963, at the famous March on Washington and delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  The speech is quoted worldwide and used as an example of eloquence and power, with its dramatic repetition of key and beautiful phrasing, delivered in a spiritual and highly emotional tone.

The life of Malcolm X is one of transformation, from that of a convicted criminal named Malcolm Little to the “heir apparent” to the Nation of Islam founder Elijah Muhammad. (Wartofsky, 1995).  Politically, Malcolm X was a minister, an orator, and a human rights activist who condemned white people in the harshest language possible for the crimes that they have committed against black people.  His critics accused him of being a racist, an anti-Semite, a separatist, and an advocate of violence.  Like Martin Luther King, he is regarded by some as one of the greatest leaders of the African American community in the history of the United States; unlike Dr. King, however, he did not preached non-violence and was viewed as a much more polarizing figure by white people.  The antagonism many white people felt towards Malcolm X occurred when he was a spokesman for the Nation of Islam; later on in his life, he left the Nation of Islam, disavowing racism entirely and appearing to become more embracing of harmony between the races.  He was assassinated in 1965, and the men responsible for his murder were members of the Nation of Islam.

The legacy of Malcolm X to black people is mixed: he preached racial pride and autonomy for his race, but his views on separatism were seen as barriers to creating bridges between the black and white communities.

References:

King nominated for Nobel prize. (1964, January 31). Christian science monitor , p. 4.

Letter from Birmingham jail. (1963, April 16). The New York Post Sunday magazine: http://abacus.bates.edu/admin/offices/dos/mlk/letter.html.

Schumach, M. (1968, April 5). On this day: Obituary, Martin Luther King Jr.: Leader of millions in non-violent drive for racial justice. The New York Times , p. 20.

Stevens, D. (2002, March 1). Public opinion and public policy: the case of Kennedy and civil rights. Presidential studies quarterly .

Wartofsky, A. (1995, February 17). Brother minister: the martyrdom of Malcolm X. The Washington Post , p. 1.