So, you’ve been assigned a civil rights movement essay. At first sight, such an essay is no different from any other essay. The same process of researching a problem, the same structure, and compiling the Works Cited page, of course, which needs to be perfect to prove your professor you’ve used other people’s ideas wisely and properly. Still, in fact, writing an essay on civil rights has its own peculiarities and pitfalls you should be aware of prior to getting down to your assignment. Moreover, picking a suitable topic, if you’re given the freedom to choose, of course, also can be quite challenging itself. There are a great number of interesting topics on the civil rights movement you may research and develop in your paper. Still, try to resist the temptation to write too much. Also, steer clear off too broad or general topics. Instead, focus on some specific aspects or events that contributed to the promotion of the civil rights movement ideals. Below you can find some popular topics you can use to write an engaging essay. And one more thing you should keep in mind! Should you experience any problems while working on your essay or find yourself at loss for what topic to choose or what ideas to include in your writing, feel free to refer to numerous essay samples you can find on Edusson.com, the online writing company that knows how to help you with the most difficult assignment in the shortest possible time. And not it’s about time you took a look at the list of topics!
# 1 The Rise of the Civil Rights Movement in the USA
It’s also good to know where or how it all started. So, if you’re at liberty to choose a topic for your civil rights essay, The Rise of the Civil Rights Movement is a good topic to start with. You can take your readers back to 1960 when social ferment reached its apogee and finally resolved itself into three major movements. Don’t forget to mention how passionately and ardently the oppressed people of color fought for their rights and freedoms, which were trampled upon, despite the lofty promises of the government. Women’s movement and the gay rights movement are also worth being mentioned in your essay.
# 2 Nonviolent Philosophy and Self Defense
Violence begets violence. This simple truth is often ignored by people standing up their position. But that wasn’t the case with such activists as Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, Jim Lawson, and other people who adopted the strategy of nonviolent and bloodless protest. The history of such a form of protest dates back to the Indian independence movement led by one of the most peaceful protesters the history has ever known Mahatma Gandhi. Be sure to mention the exceptional pacifism and “love for enemies” which was practiced by the most celebrated fighters for equality in the US.
Still, there were those who didn’t support the nonviolent philosophy propagated by Martin Luther King Jr. and preferred to protect their life and stand up for their cause with weapon in hand. Among such individuals were the representatives of the Deacons of Defense and Justice. We bet your readers will want to learn more about them, as well.
# 3 Malcolm X’s role in the Civil Rights Movement
Peaceful and nonviolent resistance wasn’t something Malcolm X would support. Being one of the most controversial human rights activists, Malcolm X managed to make a huge contribution to the development of the civil right movement, which, by the way, he repudiated for its emphasis on racial desegregation at the dawn of his political career.
When working on the Malcolm X essay, make sure to enlarge on this outstanding person’s views, political agenda, and, importantly, transformations his outlook underwent as a result of his disillusionment with the Nation of Islam. If you need more ideas or inspiration, take advantage of Malcolm X essay sample you can find on this page.
# 4 Youth in the Civil Rights Movement
It’s always difficult to acknowledge that the young often fall victim of political arbitrariness and social upheavals, which was the case in the 1960s. As a student, you may find it particularly interesting and worthwhile to delve into students’ fighting against racism and inequality. It would be great if you draw your audience’s attention to heroic feats of those young people who sacrificed or postponed their formal education to be able to devote more time and effort to supporting their right cause.
# 5 The Murder of Emmett Till
Much to our regret and shame, assassinations and murders of human rights activists were a commonplace at the height of the civil rights movement. Still, nothing can appall us more than a murder of innocent children who happened to fall victim to political and social mess that swept the country in the late 1950s.
The heinous murder of Emmett Louis Till, a 14-year-old teenager, who abducted, tortured and brutally murdered allegedly whistling at a white woman, shocked both the black and white community. The accident galvanized the generation of young African Americans into embarking on the quest against discrimination and racist double standards. Thousands of hundreds of people from all corners of the US engaged in sit-ins and mass marches in the attempt to draw public attention to injustices and racial violence prevalent in Southern states. Be sure to pay tribute to the murdered teenager in your essay by acknowledging his unwitting contribution to fighting white supremacists.
