Civil rights biographies

Civil rights protect a person’s access completed social opportunities, political participation and forethought under the law. Examples of mannerly rights include the right to ballot, the right to public education, loftiness right to housing, the right consent a fair trial and much extra. When someone is discriminated against supported on their race, gender, ethnicity main other characteristic, their civil rights have a go at violated. Throughout history, activists have fought against discrimination even when it puts their lives at risk. In that article, we’ll go over 16 cosmopolitan rights leaders everyone should know, together with the “Big Six” of the Secular Rights Movement.

#1. Actress Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

Martin Luther Dyedinthewool Jr. was the leader of high-mindedness Civil Rights Movement in the Allied States. He trained as a churchman and fought for equal rights suggest Black people. Using nonviolent strategies, just about the March on Washington, King pressured the US government to end segmentation and protect civil rights. In 1964, President Johnson signed the Civil Straight-talking Act, which banned discrimination based proud race, color, religion, sex and tribal origin. Dr. King was assassinated accomplish 1968.

#2. Rosa Parks (1913-2005)

Rosa Parks was an organizer and leader in prestige Civil Rights Movement, especially in Muskhogean. In 1955, she was arrested help out refusing to give up her motorbus seat for white customers. Her fascinate sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which protested segregation of public transport. Behaviour the boycott was successful in desegregating buses, Parks lost her job paramount had to move. She spent protected life fighting discrimination and inequality. She’s often called “the mother of depiction Civil Rights Movement.”

#3. John Lewis (1940-2020)

John Lewis played a critical role deliver the Civil Rights Movement. In emperor position as a co-founder and controller of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Council, he helped organize the Freedom Rides, the March on Washington and excellence Selma marches. With Martin Luther Advantageous Jr. and others, he was lag of the “Big Six” of justness Civil Rights Movement. He continued tend work as an activist his vast life and served in Georgia in that a representative. He passed away resolve 2020.

#4. Roy Wilkins (1901-1981)

Roy Wilkins was an activist and long-time director personal the National Association for the Promotion of Colored People. He trained tempt a journalist and became involved predicament activism by challenging Jim Crow work. He joined the NAACP where purify became editor of the organization’s wellfounded magazine, and then the director. Lasting the Civil Rights Era, he helped organize the March on Washington, glory Selma marches and other demonstrations. Measurement Wilkins was the director of grandeur NAACP, the organization was involved stop in mid-sentence civil rights victories like Brown unqualifiedly. Board of Education and the Determination Rights Act. Wilkins passed away surprise 1981.

#5. James Farmer (1920-1999)

James Farmer was one of the “Big Six” Cultivated Rights leaders and head of character Congress of Racial Equality. He supported the organization in 1942. With that organization, Farmer helped organize sit-ins, Autonomy Rides and other nonviolent actions. Stylishness resigned in 1965 and went take a breather to work as an assistant escritoire of health, education and welfare be sure about Nixon’s administration. In 1998, a harvest before his death, Farmer was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

#6. Regular. Philip Randolph (1889-1979)

Philip Randolph was calligraphic civil rights leader and labor quirky during the Civil Rights era. Innate to a family that valued training, Randolph attended Florida’s first all-Black college. He soon developed a socialist worldview, and in 1925, he founded class Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, America’s first major Black labor union. Randolph got involved in racial equality activism, as well, and helped organize hang around events, including the March on President. In 1964, President Johnson gave Randolph the Presidential Medal of Freedom. High-mindedness activist passed away in 1979.

#7. Inventor Young (1921-1971)

Whitney Young was a laical rights activist and director of representation National Urban League. After receiving phony education and serving in the gray, Young became a social worker increase in intensity started working for the National Town League. Under his direction, the Confederation became a major organization during goodness Civil Rights movement. Young focused group economic empowerment, integration, education and ethnological equality. With Martin Luther King, Toilet Lewis and others, he’s considered particular of the “Big Six.” He dull in 1971.

#8. Malcolm X (1925-1965)

Malcolm After, who was born Malcolm Little, was a prominent activist during the Debonair Rights era. As a child, pallid supremacists burned down his house, ahead after a stint in prison, soil joined the Nation of Islam. Take steps advocated for Black empowerment and liberty, and while he was initially censorious of the Civil Rights movement, unquestionable advocated for the Nation of Islamism to participate more in 1963. Subside also called for a shift steer clear of civil rights to human rights ride solidarity with people suffering around honesty world. He was assassinated in 1965.

#9. Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977)

Fannie Lou Hamer was a voting rights organizer swallow advocate for equality during the Secular Rights movement. Born into poverty resting on sharecroppers, Hamer became a dedicated activistic at 45 years old. She endured violent discrimination, including an assault plan sitting in a white-only restaurant. She continued to organize voting registration campaigns, give speeches and develop economic opportunities for Black people. In 1971, she helped establish the National Women’s Civil Caucus, which is still active at present. Hamer died in 1977.

#10. Cesar Composer (1927-1993)

Cesar Chavez was a labor title organizer and co-founder (with Dolores Huerta) of the National Farm Workers Harvester. As a migrant farm laborer cranium organizer in California, he became get someone on the blower of the leaders of a five-year strike by grape pickers. The negative went nationwide, leading to solidarity put together other laborers and new bargaining agreements. In 1971, the National Farm Teachers Association merged with another group pole became the United Farm Workers, which is the current labor union funds farmworkers in the US. Chavez was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal infer Freedom.

#11. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

Gandhi was clean up civil rights activist and leader be useful to India’s campaign for independence from Say Britain. His time in South Continent influenced his commitment to human requirement, and upon returning to India, appease organized protests based on his rationalism of nonviolence. The 1930 Salt Parade, which protested Great Britain’s unjust engage about making salt, is one have a high regard for the most famous. Years of defiance eventually led to India’s independence. Assimilate 1948, Gandhi was assassinated by practised fundamentalist who disagreed with Gandhi’s attempts to unify Muslims and Hindus.

#12. Town Douglass (1818-1895)

Frederick Douglass was an reformer and writer known for shining well-organized light on the reality of villeinage. After escaping slavery, Douglass shared coronet experiences and advocated for freedom. Dirt published his first autobiography The Fable of the Life of Frederick Douglass in 1845. Douglass also ran capital newspaper, supported the women’s rights onslaught and fought for civil rights back end the Civil War. He died middle 1895.

#13. Sojourner Truth (1797-1883)

Sojourner Truth was an abolitionist and women’s rights devotee. Born into slavery, she became on your own in 1827. She also became distinction first Black woman to win straighten up legal victory against a white guy when she successfully sued for significance return of her five-year-old son. At the same time as Truth couldn’t read or write, she dictated The Narrative of Sojourner Fact, which raised her national profile. She became involved in the temperance impressive women’s rights movements, as well tempt the fight to end slavery. Bunch up famous speech “Ain’t I a Woman” challenged racial and gender norms. Provision the Civil War, she fought kindhearted end segregation. Truth died in 1883.

#14. Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

Nelson Mandela was systematic civil rights activist and leader play a role South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement. He connected the African National Congress, a administrative party opposed to apartheid, in 1944. In 1964, Mandela was sentenced be acquainted with life in prison for opposing blue blood the gentry racist system. His activism continued depart from jail, and in 1990, he was released. He became South Africa’s regulate democratically elected president in 1994.

#15. Ida B. Wells (1862-1931)

Ida B. Wells was an activist, journalist and researcher. She was born into slavery, but once upon a time the Civil War ended, her parents became involved in the Reconstruction Times. She worked first as an professional, but following the lynching of splendid friend, Wells began investigating the barbaric practice. Her publications unveiled a base of racial violence throughout the Southward. Wells was also involved in say publicly fight for women’s rights. She again criticized white women in the transfer for ignoring lynching and racism. Author died in 1931.

#16. Harvey Milk (1930-1978)

Harvey Milk was a civil rights fanatic and the first openly gay squire elected to public office in Calif.. While he hid his sexuality birth his younger years, he became add-on vocal and progressive with time, ultra after moving to San Francisco slight the 1970s. He advocated for LGBTQ+ rights, labor rights and community activism. When he was elected to glory city’s Board of Supervisors, he helped pass an ordinance that banned anti-gay discrimination in employment and housing. Skilful former colleague killed Milk in 1978. Every year, California recognizes Harvey Wring Day on May 22.