The murder of Emmett Till is arguably the catalyst for the Civil Rights movement. At just fourteen, Emmett went down south with his uncle to work in the fields for the summer. Before leaving, Mamie Till, Emmett's mother tried to teach him the ways of the South. Explaining how careful African Americans had to be, stating "anything can happen to anyone at anytime." After stoping at a local store one hot afternoon and making a suggestive comment to the white female store clerk; Emmett was kidnapped and beaten to death. He was beaten so badly and was so disfigured, he could only be identified by the initialed ring he wore on his pinky finger. After the accused were decided innocent and the young boys body was shown publicly, African Americans every where felt as if they were under attack. It was the necessary spark that drove people to action.
Following this tragic event, we learned about the Montgomery Bus Boycott. After dissecting the movement, we found a general claim of why it was so successful. First, the boycott attacked white economic industries. Most importantly, it was the being of the non-violent protests which would prove to be very successful. The fact that it was an organized effort , with continued support and dedication , dealt with orderliness and discipline went a long way to the success of the boycott. Factors such as car pools, the Highland Folk School, and the fact that it was a spiritual movement based on a moral ethic went a long way. This first success launched many more movements to follow.
No comments:
Post a Comment