Why Had Most of the Advances in Civil Rights Come Through the Federal Courts - Essay Example

If nonviolence proved to be a successful strategy for confronting segregation, why had most of the advances in civil rights come through the federal courts and not through the local organizations or individuals? Did white opposition hinder or help the civThe Jim Crow laws that plagued the United States of America during the 1890’s was the clear illustration of the unfortunate reality that degraded the citizenship rights of African Americans. The racial segregation that was dominant in southern states was due to factual legislation that the state government imposed.

The Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, which clearly gave a mandate of “separate but equal facilities” added more gasoline to the fire. It undoubtedly hindered growth for adequate economic opportunity and give rise to hatred groups such as the KKK. Without a doubt, legislative achievements that were obtained during the reconstruction were completely dissolved. The fact that the idea of “separate by equal” may be feasible to the American society, but the reality of the matter was the fact that nothing was equal.

The profound impact of this doctrine was clearly diminishing the power of the federal government to interfere in state affairs to deter another civil war. The Supreme Court’s decision at the Plessy case was further elaborated by Supreme Court justice john Harlan as he states,” “we shall enter upon an era of constitutional law, when the rights of freedom and American citizenship cannot receive from the nation that efficient protection which heretofore was unhesitatingly accorded to slavery and the rights of the master.

” Undoubtedly, Harlan himself was alarmed about the non-implementation and the upright ignorance of the 14th Amendment. To combat this absurd idea of racism and prejudice, the NCAAP became one of the first organizations that advocated for the civil rights. The result was a collaborative effort in which the NAACP initiated the Civil Rights Movement. Nonetheless, frustration continued to mount as the integration blacks in white school was resisted by the mass majority of the white population. Hence, the goal then for Martin Luther King and other civil rights leader was to combat this type of racism through the use of civil disobedience.

Well-known to others, the NAACP along with Martin Luther King took inspiration from the Indian leader known as Ghandi, who had used civil disobedience in his efforts to fight for Indian independence against the British. Thus, the push to incorporate civil disobedience through boycotts and “sit-ins” became essential tactics for the Civil Rights movement. One can argue that it was also effective as evidence of changing attitudes were seen throughout nation in which even small businesses began supporting the movement.