Jamie Jacob

Introductory Essay
Virtual Anthology
June 20, 2015
The Civil Rights Movement
Many people do not realize the impact that literature can have when learning about
history. Books written by people who lived during the events help to give accuracy and depth to
their works and help to further the knowledge of the reader. Videos and images of the events that
occur help the viewer to witness what occurred during that time. Movies about the event that
occurred in history help the reader to have a visual image of what occurred. Although they were
not live movies that were filmed when the event occurred, the historical references are often
accurate and serve as a benefit to ones education. With this in mind, there are many works of
literature that help to explain the events and powerful leaders during the Civil Rights Movement.
To begin, one must study the books and other works of literature that give a broad and
vast overview of the Civil Rights Era. This allows the reader to understand the events that
occurred during the time period. From, Hodgsons Martin Luther King, he gave much detail of
the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. The author explains how King worked aside John F. Kennedy
to see change in the United States. King also was part of the tides turning; he was a true activist
for change during time of the 1960s. Following this change, Mississippi Burning took place;
Mississippi Burning occurred when small town county sheriffs decided to abuse their powers and
become a part of the Klu Klux Klan. The white men of the town had prejudice feelings and acted
out in a hostile manner against the black people. The Klu Klux Klan killed and kidnapped three
civil rights activists in Mississippi. There was a movie produced in the 1980s about this event in

history; Mississippi Burning, the movie, gives viewers a more clear understanding of the past.
This movie is a great source to study when examining the Civil Rights Movement. Martin
Luther King, Jr. also participated on the March on Washington where he gave his famous I Have
a Dream Speech. This speech is best studied while watching the video of Martin Luther King,
Jr. giving his speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
The next book that can be studied that accompanies the book about Martin Luther King,
Jr. is Linda Jacobs Altmans The American Civil Rights Movement- The African-American
Struggle for Equality. This book touches on topics that were different from the previous book.
For this reason, the events in this book help to explain the events that occurred during the Civil
Rights Era. The Jim Crow Laws were explained by Altman as a set of written and unwritten laws
that black citizens had to obey. Because some laws were unwritten, people often had a tough
time obeying them. Following the beginning of the Jim Crow Laws, black people faced much
segregation from the white people. They were not allowed to use many of the same facilities.
Each race had their own bathrooms, schools, churches, drinking fountains, and the like. The next
major topic that the book discussed was the Bus Boycott in Montgomery, Alabama. This was an
important event in history led by Rosa Parks. By law at the time, African Americans were forced
to sit in the back of the bus, and if the bus became too crowded, the driver could order the black
people to give up their seat to the white people. Rosa Parks refused to do this; she refused to give
up her seat to a white man. The driver bullied her and threatened to have her arrested. Parks still
refused and stood her ground. Following this, the community got together, and Martin Luther
King, Jr. helped to form a boycott in order to see change. The next topic discussed in the book
was the integration of schools; at the time, blacks and whites had separate schools. The following
topics are events that were studied in the other sources and that can be studied closer in sources

that narrow in on a specific topic. These include the March on Washington and Mississippi
Burning. These two books help give an overview of the time period.
Books written by activists during the Civil Rights Era are very powerful as well. While
the other books give information about an event, the author who lived during the time period
gives more insight and experience on the event or issue. This helps to make sure the other
information is reliable. Two important leaders during this time were Martin Luther King, Jr. and
John Perkins; both of these men have written many pieces of work. In this anthology, Kings
Letter to Birmingham Jail and Perkins Let Justice Roll Down were both studied. King shared
his story and feelings while he was in jail. King never stopped fighting for equal rights for all.
Let Justice Roll Down told of accounts that were shared during the Mississippi Burning. Perkins
also shared many personal and family stories; this helped to give the reader a better understand
of the emotions that were felt during that time. These two books were examined in this anthology
and their authors give much insight into this project.
These activists could not do what they did without the support of the government. John F.
Kennedy wrote a few pieces and gave many speeches to support the civil rights leaders. On
many occasions, he spoke of the laws and changes that he was looking to implement. He gave
much encouragement to the people. John F. Kennedys, On Civil Rights was examined in this
anthology. With the knowledge from these other sources, one can further understand what
Kennedy was trying to do and why. This shows how these sources relate to each other.
Many feel that racial tension is an issue of the past and only occurred during the 1960s.
This could not be any further from the truth. Racial tension was an issue in the 1930s as
portrayed in Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird. This source was chosen to show the viewers
that racial tension existed before this movement. In this book, the story line expresses how it was

frowned upon for a white lawyer to black man. It also showed the viewer how people during that
time used racial stereotypes to assume that the black man was guilty of the crime, because it was
impossible for the white man to have committed it. This source clarifies this point and allows the
reader to understand that racial tension has existed for many years.
In conclusion, I picked an image for this project I feel encompasses all of these events
and helps to be an accurate representation of the Civil Rights Movement. These works of
literature tie into each other and help to explain each other as well. The sources used in this
anthology help to give the reader a better understanding of the Civil Rights Movement.