Impact of Grassroots activism on the Civil rights movement in the US

Impact of Grassroots activism on the Civil rights movement in the US
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Impact of Grassroots activism on the Civil rights movement in the US
Introduction
The post-World War II years were a pivotal moment for civil rights movements in the US. Racial segregation continued to be widespread. The Black community endured white oppression. However, the 1950s to 1960s proved to be a significant era in African American history. Civil rights movements became popular as a powerful tool to force social change. These movements led to the passing of desegregation laws. Therefore, nonviolent grassroots activism is an effective way to pressure the government to enact favorable legislation.
Overview of Racial segregation laws in the US
Birmingham’s racial segregation ordinances reflect the kind of segregation legislation in many cities across the US. This law prohibited white people from mixing with people of color in food outlets such as restaurants. White and people of color were not allowed to engage in games such as cards, dice, football, basketball or baseball. Venues hosting events such as theatres, halls or auditoriums were required to have separate entrance and exits, separate seating and standing sections. Also, common carriers were required to provide separate but equal accommodation for passengers from each race.
How activism promoted desegregation laws
Many states until the 1950s mostly supported racial segregation laws. The Congress for Racial Equality (CORE) and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) were some of the leading civil rights movements during this era. Lawsuits and political lobbying were some of the tools they used to advocate for a social change. Black people were concentrated in the South, while these leading civil groups were present in the North. Many blacks continued to be impoverished, doing manual labor to earn a living.  One landmark event was the 1954 Supreme Court ruling on the Brown case which was brought by the NAACP. Chief justice Earl Warren ruled in favor of desegregating public schools. In his ruling, he brought out the psychological effect segregation had on black children (Boller & Story, 1996). It made them feel inferior affecting their academic growth.
As expected, the process of implementing Brown’s decision was met by significant resistance from southern whites. An example was the famous Southern Manifesto. This document contained the objection of over 100 congress representatives. The legislators felt the Supreme Court had no mandate to desegregate the public school system. They referred to the 1896 case of “Plessy v. Ferguson, which stated that the equal but separate policy didn’t deny any American their civil rights (Divine et al., 2007). The legislators vowed to support any states which resisted desegregation efforts. 
Cities such as New Orleans, Louisiana, and Little Rock, Arkansas were hotspots. In these cities, white students attacked their black counterparts. This action led to widespread black protests in the South. The NAACP began having a foothold in the South. It was also supported by the massive civil protests led by Martin Luther King Jr through his civil rights grou...