The Civil Rights Movement began in approximately 1954 and was a nationwide movement for equal rights for African Americans. There was a multitude of efforts to end racial segregation and exclusion. The movement participants used a wide range of means to get their demands across not only to the government but to the citizens of the United States. From boycotts to lobbying government officials, this movement was a key to ending the suffering that Black Americans faced. Nearly one hundred years after the abolishment of slavery in the South, there was widespread segregation, discrimination, and racially motivated violence, affecting all aspects of life for black Americans. The Civil Rights Act of 1968, the “Fair Housing Act,” which provided equal housing opportunities regardless of race is ultimately seen as the end of the Civil Rights Movement.

The Civil Rights Movement was not only led within the hands of the prominent figures that are typically spoken of within school. The movement was also led by artists, authors, and poets. One well-known poet, Langston Hughes made profound contributions to the Civil Rights Movement through his poetry and essays. His works, such as "I Too,” captured the struggles, aspirations, and resilience of African Americans facing oppression and discrimination. While this poem was written during the Harlem Renaissance, it still embodies what the Civil Rights Movement was meant for. It portrays the determination of African Americans to overcome discrimination and claim their rightful place in society. The poem's refrain, "I, too, sing America," declares the presence and importance of Black voices in shaping the nation's identity. “I, Too” inspired activists to demand equality and justice. Hughes's expressions of Black pride resonated deeply within Black American hears, fuelling the movement's momentum.

Works Cited

“Civil Rights Movement in Pictures.” Adl.Org, Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org/sites/default/files/documents/2022-06/civil-rights-movement-.... Accessed 11 Apr. 2024.

“The Civil Rights Movement  :  The Post War United States, 1945-1968  :  U.S. History Primary Source Timeline  :  Classroom Materials at the Library of Congress  :  Library of Congress.” The Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-tim.... Accessed 10 Apr. 2024.

Hughes, Langston. “I, Too .” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, 2004, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47558/i-too.