To Redeem the Soul of America: The Civil Rights Movement 03/30/2009 A. The “Fabulous” Fifties? • The Civil Rights Movement: The “Second Reconstruction” ○ A number of racial equality laws finally get enforced ○ From the beginning, a movement by black people for black people and deeply rooted in the church ○ Not as much of a political movement B. Why the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950’s? • World War II ○ Black soldiers sent over and see societies without social segregation ○ Not allowed in combat ○ Fight an enemy of white supremacy ○ Black workers at home began organizing because they were not allowed into Unions • Cold War ○ Soviets pointed out the treatment of blacks in the South saying that it was not freedom  Contradiction between our ideals and out actions • Expectorations in consumer society C. The Legal Approach – early 1950’s • • • Fairly tame approach, Change the laws, change the society The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Col...