Roy Wilkins Civil Rights Movement

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Pages: 10

Introduction The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s is a seminal era in American history because of the bravery, determination, and endurance of the black community and their supporters who fought for a fully integrated society (Walton Jr, 2020). This protest movement, armed with grassroots action and creative resistance methods, was a challenge to the entrenched system of segregation and oppression, ultimately resulting in substantial legislative and social changes that are still important in society's direction. The Civil Rights Movement was guided by outstanding leaders who were able to use both their deeds and words to motivate many and bring about the movement of millions to demand justice. The movement implemented a wide variety …show more content…
Notably, Wilkins was the leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the most influential and oldest civil rights organization. NAACP was started in 1909 and championed nonviolent and legalized means to ensure that every American enjoyed equal rights (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, n.d.). Wilkins steered NAACP into significant victories such as the Brown v. Board of Education. He firmly believed in peaceful protests and vehemently went against the use of military power in the quest for equal rights. In order to achieve his objective, Wilkins worked with various U.S. heads of state like John. F. Kennedy and he was even awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom due to his efforts in fighting for equal rights. Malcom X, one of the most vocal and radical spokespersons of the Nation of Islam, advocated for the "by any means necessary" approach to fighting the ideology of white dominance and promoting the ruling of Blacks within the Black society (Masur, 2021). Having a very different view from Martin Luther King's peace advocacy, Malcolm Xian's views had a significant impact on the whole