Civil Rights Research Paper Topics

Civil rights research paper topics are an essential subject as they help educate the students and preserve the history of the United States. Hence, these topics are based on the civil rights movement, which is critical to know as it examines minority groups and what they got after the civil rights movement.

The history of African Americans is vital to research as they were the first to be enslaved and the last group to gain freedom. The civil rights act was signed in 1964, and thus, the civil rights movement was the longest of all the movements.

The history behind African Americans is vital to research as, during that time, they were not given equal rights, unlike the other races. For instance,  they were not given the freedom to do what they wanted and were forced to work for white people. The voting rights act was passed in 1965, which gave African Americans the right to vote.

The civil rights research paper topics focus on what happened and why it took some time to gain civil rights. Students research these topics to understand better the United States’ history and the civil rights movement that helped end racial discrimination and the civil war.

The role of the Supreme Court is vital to know as well; it was involved in the civil rights movement and helped African Americans in earning their freedom. It does not matter what research is done; the civil rights movement was important to gain freedom for African Americans, considered the minority group.

Interesting civil rights research paper topics

As a student, learning about civil rights research paper topics will open the opportunity to explore the history of African Americans, which is essential to know. The issues brought up during the movement are still relevant to this day. They include:

• How Black men and women fought for their rights.
• African Americans influence during the civil rights movement;
• The role of the Supreme Court in passing new rulings on civil rights.
• The changes that the civil rights movement brought to society.
• If African Americans still face discrimination in modern times.
• How much work still needs to be done for African Americans to gain equality.
• The roles played by Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks.
• What life was like before the civil rights movement
• Why African Americans need to have equal rights in the United States

Interesting Facts about Civil Rights Research Paper Topics

As we explore civil rights research paper topics, it is crucial to know interesting facts about the movement.

1.   The first African American was enslaved in 1619, and the last group to gain freedom was African Americans.

2.   The civil rights act was passed in 1964 after Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech, which is why it is also known as the civil rights speech.

3. Many protests were held during the civil rights movements. Rosa Parks, an African American woman, was arrested for taking a seat in a bus reserved for white people only. She sparked a protest in Montgomery, Alabama.

4.   Following Rosa Parks’ arrest, Martin Luther King Jr. led a year-long bus boycott, which caused the bus company to go out of business.

5.   Martin Luther King Jr.’s role was not easy as he was assassinated.

Civil Rights Act of 1957

On this date,  the Civil Rights Act of 1957 was signed. This law outlawed segregation in public places, including buses, trains, theatres, and schools. Many people believe that this was a significant advancement for civil rights, but others believe it made no difference.

The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was also referred to as the first civil rights act since 1875. It was meant to give blacks a chance for equality in education, employment, and other opportunities offered to other citizens.

The Civil Rights Act of 1957 made it illegal to discriminate based on race, color, religion, or national origin and banned the unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in public places.

The law was passed to show southern states that Congress was against discrimination and segregation. Still, its primary focus was to ensure that African Americans had the right to vote in elections. The act also increased federal authority over all election procedures and added government protection for voters.

Also, it showed the African Americans that the federal government enforced their rights and made voting more effortless than ever before.

The Civil Rights Act of 1957 made it a crime for state governments to have any laws that denied equal protection under the law. President Dwight Eisenhower signed the law.

Freedom Riders

These were a group of American civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern states (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi) to challenge the state and local laws that enforced racial segregation.

The Freedom Riders were the second wave of the American civil rights movement, following the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision that declared racial segregation in public education unconstitutional.

However, many southern states had ignored the ruling, and it was not until the Freedom Riders protested outside bus stations across the South that the federal government was forced to act.

The first group of 13 Riders, seven black and six white, boarded a Greyhound bus in Washington, D.C., and arrived at the segregated Greyhound station in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 14.

Many Riders were arrested there and then, but their goal was for the Freedom Riders to test the federal government’s recent decision, in response to public protests, that they would enforce the law.

The Freedom Rides continued throughout May and into early June, despite increasing national scrutiny of their violence. The CORE Riders especially were the immediate focus of much attention because they were led by John Lewis, a young black student chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

The first Freedom Ride, led by James Farmer of CORE, left Washington D.C. on May 4, 1961. Since that day, hundreds of thousands of Freedom Riders have taken to the highways and roads of America. They were ordinary people who decided to resist oppression, defy unjust laws and awaken the conscience of a complacent nation.

The role of Martin Luther king jr

Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist, was a great leader who played an essential role in civil rights history in America. Yes, many black leaders did great things; however, none did it with the charisma of Dr. King.

He was a Baptist minister who became the face of the movement later on in life. Countless research topics can be written about this amazing man, but here we will only look at the most important of them.

Here are some of the roles Martin Luther King Jr. played in the civil rights movement:

Led Montgomery Bus Boycott

The king led the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955. He was one of the main organizers, and he played a significant role in its success. While other leaders were more interested in the legal issues and boycotts, King was more focused on making it a success for non-violent protest.

He believed that it should be a movement for change and not just a way to get people irritated about the situation.

During his time in Montgomery, he wrote his famous letter to white clergy in Alabama in which he asked them to stand up and fight for the civil rights of African Americans. It helped him gain support for the movement and what he stood for.

Soon after, in 1957, King became president of the Montgomery Improvement Association. This was a huge step for the civil rights movement, as it made him the leader of the entire campaign in Montgomery.

Organized March on Washington

The March on Washington was a political rally in Washington D.C., U.S.A. It took place in 1963, where an estimated two hundred thousand participants gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial. During the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.A., it was held where African Americans wanted social and economic justice in America.

Labor unions and the African-American community organized the rally. The goal of the March was to address issues such as social and economic justice, voting rights, political representation, civil rights, and fair employment.

The March on Washington was a momentous event, which led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination of all kinds based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Federal law enforcement agencies were ordered to enforce the law, including the rights of African-American voters.

The March on Washington was organized by several leaders and participants of the Civil Rights Movement. These leaders were Martin Luther King Jr., Bayard Rustin, A. Philip Randolph, and John Lewis.

The March on Washington was a success, as it led to the passage of primary civil rights legislation, which gave African Americans their long-deserved rights.

Memphis Sanitation Worker Strike

In the early 1960s, the sanitation workers in Memphis went on strike for better rights and pay. There was a lot of tension between them and other workers, which led to several violent confrontations. It was not until Martin Luther King Jr. came to the city in 1968 to protest against these acts that they stopped.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail

In this letter, Martin Luther King Jr. talks about the importance of nonviolence and how it affects all people, including white people. Jailed for a peaceful protest,  he writes about how nonviolence has the power to change the world.

Martin Luther King Jr. Delivers his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” Speech

On April 3, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech about his belief that “we as a people will get to the promised land.” He said that only love can overcome hate and that there is nothing as powerful as love.

The “I Have a Dream” Speech

In this speech, Martin Luther King Jr. talks about his dream of a world where everybody is treated equally and has the same opportunities. He says that people should be judged by the “content of their character” and not by the color of their skin.

Racial Discrimination  among the African Americans

According to Jim Crow laws, which were state and local laws that enforced racial segregation, black people were separated from white people. They were not allowed to use the same facilities, experienced discrimination in education and employment, and many lost their lives.

The United States Constitution was meant to protect all people, but it did not. Luckily, after the Civil War ended, all slaves were freed. Their owners had to accept them as equal people. During these years, many African Americans became educated and worked as professionals.

 However, their rights were infringed upon. For example, Jim Crow laws ruled the South until 1965. Even though the law itself was abolished in 1964, segregation continued for some time.

The Civil Rights Movement

The civil rights movement transformed America and its laws. It attempted to end legalized segregation; it succeeded in this goal. The Civil Rights Movement also fought against discrimination of various types. Black Americans were often denied the right to vote across the United States despite the 13th and 14th Amendments. 

The Civil Rights Movement ended this discrimination under Jim Crow laws in the South. It ensured that the human rights of African Americans were enforced in the same way that European Americans’ rights are.

This movement broke many barriers to allow equal opportunity for blacks and other minorities. It succeeded in ending legalized discrimination in the U.S., reformed immigration laws, and created a stronger educational structure for blacks and minorities in America.

Tips for Writing a Civil Rights Movement Essay

Civil rights research paper topics are vital exercises since they allow students to evaluate past events influencing American culture. It also shows how those events molded the U.S. and explains why those steps were taken to strengthen the nation.

The following are some important tips to consider when writing a civil rights movement essay:

Read the instructions carefully

You should read the instructions carefully so that you understand what your teacher expects from your essay. Furthermore, civil rights research paper topics allow you to look for a good topic within the confines of the assignment.

Choose a topic

After reading the instructions, you have to decide what you will write about. An excellent way to start is by brainstorming on the key events connected with the Civil Rights Movement. You can choose one of these topics, or you can even come up with a completely new idea.

Choose a good introduction and thesis statement

The introduction of your essay must be engaging to the reader. The introduction should encapsulate the content of your paper; this must be done in the first paragraph.

It has to be followed by another paragraph that states the main argument and why it is an important topic for discussion. The final paragraph should be your thesis statement.

Organize your essay properly 

Once you have a good topic, it is time to organize your essay. The body of your paper must be divided into several sections that discuss the different arguments of the topic. Moreover, you must provide several supporting facts and evidence that prove your thesis statement.

 Maintain a good essay structure

Ensure that every paragraph is well organized and written in a formal tone. Also, make sure that the paragraphs follow a logical sequence: state the issues first and then offer a solution.

Every paragraph should explore a specific point. This allows the reader to understand your thesis easily.

Take a look at American society’s long history of prejudice

Civil rights movement essays are an important tool in understanding American culture. Therefore, you should limit yourself to examining the past movements and consider the present political and social problems in America.

You can start by looking at the long history of prejudice in the United States. This can be a great way to introduce your essay and give you ideas on what perspective you should adopt.

Proofread and edit your essay

Your essay or civil rights research paper topics must be free from grammatical and spelling errors; it has to be written appropriately. You should ask someone else to proofread and edit your essay. A good essay is one with a strong thesis statement and supporting points. Furthermore, it has to be free from grammar mistakes and other errors.

Free civil rights movements Essay Topic Generator

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