US History 137
Charles M. Payne was an American academic who studied in the areas of civil rights activism, urban education reform, social inequality, and modern African-American history. Charles Payne and Steven Lawson both examined the different individuals who made the civil rights movements a success in “The View from the Trenches”, a book written by both Payne and Lawson. “The American South had a long tradition of racial oppression, but during the civil rights movement, the weight of American Institutions—the presidency, the judicial system, the media, the American sense of fair play—were finally brought to bear on the problem, leading to remarkable changes in southern race relations”. “Far from being the solution, …show more content…
But there are many that are unfamiliar to us when we bring up the Civil Rights Movement. We never think of the minor people like Harry T. Moore or Fred Shuttlesworth, Ella Baker, Charles Hamilton Houston. James Farmer pointed out in 1963, the proponents of nonviolence, peace and friendship were only a small proportion of the participants in the movements. Like Malcolm X, Farmer believed that “If nonviolence worked, fine; but if not, they were willing to use other method.” (132) A man named Robert William engaged in a shoot-out with Klan members who were attacking his community. Williams became a hero among his rank and file and to his community. Septima Clark did not think that voting was for her, much as it was an organizing device. She believed that the purpose for citizenship schools was to discover local community leaders. She believed that political victories are transitory but finding leadership, transforming victories, was as important as winning legislative victories was more important than political. Political power can be granted easily one day but taken away the next day unless the movement has created people who are capable of fighting for …show more content…
Ella Baker believed that Septima Clark spoke the truth. Baker believed that great big leaders weren’t the key to mass freedom. She believed that people had to learn to lead themselves and not have a leader lead for them. “My basic sense of it has always been to get people to understand that in the long run they themselves are the only protection they have against violence or injustice. . . People have to be made to understand that they cannot look for salvation anywhere but to themselves.” (119) Some activist wasn’t so lucky, The Shuttlesworth survived the 1950’s but others like Harry T. Moore weren’t so lucky. Moore was a school teacher in Mims, Florida and was often described as a shy man. His work in politics propelled her into the presidency of the NAACP. He campaigned for the prosecution of a sheriff who had shot two black boys, killing one. Shortly after he retired with his wife on Christmas Eve that year, a bomb destroyed their bedroom. He died immediately and a few days later his wife died. What is the difference that makes us leave people out? Why are some activist more famous than others? The less known civil rights activist and their struggles they represent are