Alfred Du
ENGL 11000
Professor Jean Pierre
25 October 2019
What are some ways that social movement impact our society?
Social movements shaped our society in many beneficial ways. All social movement calls for a change in society. African American were one of the minorities in the 20th century that needed a breakthrough. It took Influential leaders like Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X, to raise the bar that was set on African Americans. It was no easy task, as protestors of these social movements were often times oppressed by police forces and K-9. But nonetheless, they never gave up the notion of equality for all people in the United States of America. Social movements were always the way to push for changes in a society where people felt that they were being treated unrighteous.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a man that did not believe in violence. He was the leader of the Civil Rights Movement, which was one of the biggest movements during its time. One of the most famous speech he ever delivered was, “I Have a Dream” with over 200,000 people. The most powerful and heartfelt lines of his speech began with “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. Martin Luther King Jr. wants to see his child playing with other white kids and not be judge of their skin color. He still believes that after the abolish of slavery, African American still don’t have the freedom that was promised from the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation was a promissory note that provided the African Americans with freedom and opportunity. But in turned out to be pointless because African American were still being discriminated. A big role of that was due to segregation, mainly in southern areas. Also, in his speech he repeatedly uses phrases like “I have a dream” and “with this faith” as a rhetorical strategy to reach his point. A year after Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech, congress passed a law that would change people lives forever. That was the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which took place in Washington D.C. This act ended segregation and allowed African Americans to attend public places like water fountains, restaurants, bathrooms, and etc. After the Civil Rights Act of 1964, African Americans was stilled faced with many hardships, including the ability to vote.
President Lyndon B. Johnson stood behind the 15th amendment which allowed the right of citizens of the Unite States to vote. Even though the amendment was passed, southern states exercised ways to prevent African Americans from voting. One way to prevent the African Americans from voting was to require them to take a literacy test, often times they would fail. They would also tell you that you got the date, place, or time wrong. These were just some of the ways that they used to prevented African American’s voices being heard. The right to vote would give them the ability to choose someone that they believe can represent themselves. Soon after the success of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the Voting Rights Act. This act banned literacy test and poll taxes in state and local elections. In Mississippi, the percentage of African Americans that voted rose from 6 to 59 percent during 1964-1969.
Malcolm X had a different viewpoint which was to achieve freedom by any means necessary. Malcolm X was born in Omaha, Nebraska and often traveled to many places like Africa. In his travel he learned a lot about religion but does not want to promote it, as it would bring conflicts. He implements ways that the people in Africa uses back in the United states. In Africa they form an organization called African Unity. The purpose of this unity is to fight whoever is, in their way of independence. During Malcolm X speech he said, “The purpose of our organization is to start right here in Harlem, which has the largest concentration of people of African descent that exists anywhere on this Earth. There are more Africans here in Harlem than exist in any city on the African continent, because that’s what you and I are: Africans”. He started in Harlem where the population of African Americans were the greatest. With its population and his influential power, he encourages African Americans to utilize self-defense under any circumstances. According to Malcolm X, “the history of unpunished violence against our people clearly indicates that we must be prepared to defend ourselves, or we will continue to be defenseless people at the mercy of a ruthless and violent, racist mob”. The second amendment of The Constitution grants the right to bear arms. In other words, the only person that can protect yourself is you. Malcolm X motto was, “by any means necessary” unlike Martin Luther king Jr. He says, “bring about the freedom of these people by any means necessary” and “we want it now or we don’t think anybody should have it”. In the end, African Americans should no longer way for no government to bring about changes. But we, African Americans should rally up and take the freedom that belonged to us.
Rosa park uses figurative language as she resisted giving up her seat. A cold evening in December, the bus was packed and 3 African Americans, including herself, were asked to give up their seat. The bus driver said, “are you going to stand up?” She replied “no”. Following that, she was told she was going to be arrest and she simply said, “you may do that”. She did not comply and was eventually arrested on 1 December 1955. It took only one woman with the courage and self-respect to change the course of history. This led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott days after the arrest of Rosa Park. African American did not ride the bus to any places on 5 December 1955. The MIA (Montgomery Improvement Association) was surprised by the number of supports that they had from African Americans that participated in the bus strike. Bus companies ended up losing thousands of dollars in revenue. The supreme court ruled in favor of the MIA and called segregation busing unconstitutional. African Americans resisted, sitting in the back of the bus. And it all started from a young woman that was tired from work and believed in equality. Today, Rosa Park is considered to be a courageous and rebellious woman that did not give-in to the social norms of society and has inspired many women to rise up.
President Barack Obama advocate for changes since his election as president. In his speech he says, “Our time has come. Our time has come. Our movement is real. And change is coming to America”. Change is what keeps us pushing throughout many generations and we can’t stop now. He continues by saying, “it’s different not because of me. It’s different because of you-because you are tired of being disappointed and you’re tired of being let down. You’re tired of hearing promises made and plans proposed in the heat of a campaign, only to have nothing change when everyone goes back to Washington.” Social change really starts when the people finally decide to take action. One day he went to the south side and told the volunteers that were there, to look out the window. There you can see little boys tossing stones at an abandoned building across the street. He asked them “what will happen to those boys if we don’t stand up for them?” After he said that, the volunteers kept fighting and soon the community began to see changes in school, jobs, and health care. President Barack Obama goes on saying that you have to advance your mind set on a whole new level. A change in which you believe that you can, as a unity achieve something worthwhile. This would be getting out of poverty even when you have the world against you.
I was able to interview a volunteer at the Schomburg Center named Jess. During the phone call I asked her a few questions about the Civil Rights Movement. Jess is in her early 20s that is interested in learning more about her culture and wants to help people understand more about African Americans in social movements. According to Jess, social movements has been able to push boundaries like gay rights, equal pay, and etc. Today, we have all kinds of activist including, Emma Watson and Malala Yousafzai for feminist movement and gay right activist, Laverne Cox. If it were not for the past, we would not have strong leaders today, that is willing to stand up for a certain type of movement. I was able to get her side of the story of how social movements impacted her life. She said that the ratio of men and women salary are becoming more alike which means that you are paid the same regardless of your gender. Nonetheless, people with the same sex are allowed to get married. We soon talked about, does social movement bring changes to society? The answer was yes and if it did not, it challenges the people and their thoughts. With failure it will allow them to try again until they are able to reach their purpose. Last but not least, I asked her, how can people get more involved in these social movements? Some ways she listed were, participate in protest, sign petitions online, fundraise for campaigns they believe in and spread the word to others.
Social movements have impacted many African American lives in our society. It all starts with one person that is willing to risk it all for their future generations. As we focused on these social movements, we start to realize the power of unity. All it takes is a leader that is willing to guide the people into the right direction. As we see Martin Luther King Jr., bringing peaceful protests. Malcolm X encouraging the people to act in self-defense and President Barack Obama telling the people to push for changes. Throughout the course of history, social movement brought changes to the lives of many people.
Interview Questions
Alfred: How has social movement change society?
Jess: Social movement made people more open minded and inclusive for gay rights, equal pay, and civil rights.
Alfred: What is some famous activist involved in these movements?
Jess: Some female activist fir civil rights movements is Rosa park and feminist movement would be Emma Watson, Malala Yousafzai and gay rights Laverne Cox.
Alfred: Has it impacted you in some ways and how?
Jess: Yes, it has impacted me since the ratio of women and men’s salary are becoming more alike. And my gay brother can get married to a man now.
Alfred: Do you feel that social movements bring changes?
Jess: Social movement definitely bring change if not, it challenges people and their thoughts. And if it fails, people will try again.
Alfred: How can people be more involved in these movements?
Jess: They can participate in protest, sign petitions online on websites such as change.org and fundraise for campaigns they believe in, spread the word.
Alfred: It was a pleasure interviewing you, thank you for your time.
Jess: Your welcome, if you have any questions feel free to call me.
Bibliography
(Editors, Civil Rights Act of 1964, HISTORY,
https://www.history.com/topics/blackhistory/civil-rights-act, 4 January 2010)
(Editors, Voting Rights Act of 1965, HISTORY,
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/voting-rights-act, 9 November 2009)
(Washington, Durthy A. “‘I HAVE A DREAM’: A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS.” The Black Scholar, vol.
23, no. 2, 1993, pp. 16–19. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41068415.)
(Democracynow, “By Any Means Necessary: Remember Malcolm X on His 90th Birthday”,
Independent Global News,
https://www.democracynow.org/2015/5/19/by_any_means_necessary_remembering_ malcolm)
(Editors, Barack Obama’s Feb. 5 Speech, The New York
Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/us/politics/05text-obama.html , 5
February 2008)
(Editors, Montgomery Bus Boycott, Stanford
University, https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/montgomery-bus-boycott , 5
December 1955)
Glennon, Robert Jerome. “The Role of Law in the Civil Rights Movement: The Montgomery Bus
Boycott, 1955-1957.” Law and History Review, vol. 9, no. 1, 1991, pp. 59–112. JSTOR,
www.jstor.org/stable/743660.
