Collective Action for Social Movements - Essay Example

Collective Action for Social Movements Collective Action for Social Movements The Civil Rights Movement marked an important stage for the Black community as the movement was aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination against the Blacks as well as demand for equal rights (Davis, 2014). This essay will analyze the Civil Rights Movement in an attempt understand the reasons behind its success and the impact of group involvement in the movement. The collective effort accomplished lots of aspects that an individual could not.

According to Davis (2014), the Civil Rights Movement was a mass movement that sought to secure the interests of the African Americans in terms of access to rights and privileges of a Black citizen. Through the mass movement, different forms of discrimination came to an end. Davis (2014) attributes the end of the discrimination in housing to the mass movement. Secondly, segregation in the education sector was terminated, with the Blacks also enjoying the opportunity to go to good schools. Were it not for the Civil Rights Movement being a mass movement, African identity and pride would not have been achieved.

Davis (2014) indicates that through the movements, the African Americans developed a collective pride of their racial identity. Loeb (2010) argues that a devoted public stand does not need to involve a public figure, but a devoted, courageous, passionate and an ambitious person. This explains why Rosa Parks of the Civil Rights Movement was able to make a lasting impact on the movement (Loeb, 2010). On another note, it is vital to highlight that the mass movement helped the African Americans voice their plight as one community especially in the fight for their right to vote just like the Whites (Davis, 2014).

Personal liberties, respect for human life and responsibility on an individual levels were also a huge development thanks to the Civil Rights Movement. The group involvement caused these movements to have long-lasting influence on the American community. According to Scalet & Arthur (2013), the group involvement in the movement can be said to pursue meaning and virtue for the individuals in question. The fight for political interests through the Civil Rights Movement may be referred to a source of motivation to the protestors’ lives (Scalet & Arthur, 2013).

Through the Civil Rights movement, the American community has learnt how to embrace diversity in all forms, explaining why inclusion measures have been enacted such as the enactment of the Affirmative Action. The lasting influence of the Civil Rights Movement can be explained in terms of the appreciation of the contribution of the Blacks in the society. Many years later after the Civil Rights Movement, the once racist society enjoys the presidency of an African American. This development can strongly be attributed to the fight for equal rights by the Blacks.

Conclusively, it is arguable that the Civil Rights Movement made an important landmark to the lives of the Blacks. The state is slowly headed to a color blind society where persons will be viewed on the grounds of their ability not racial affiliation. ReferencesDavis, J. E. (2014). Civil Rights Movement. Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/civil-rights-movement-overviewLoeb, P. R. (2010). Soul of a citizen: Living with conviction in challenging times.

New York, NY: St. Martins Griffin. Scalet, S. & Arthur, J. (Eds.) (2013). Morality and moral controversies: Readings in moral, social, and political philosophy (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.