Jackie Robinson and Brown Decision
How did African-Americans in the 1950s use the power of their churches to begin to organize a mass movement for freedom and equality?
Jackie Robinson is an African- American who is believed to endure racial harassment in league baseball. During this period, it was clear that a series of racial injustices had been exercised, particularly to the African-Americans. In the 1950s, civil rights movements took place where it stressed on the need for social justice, freedom, and equality among the members in the society (Ogbar, 2019). The African-Americans were able to utilize the power of their churches to blend with the civil rights movements to ensure that freedom was achieved in the end. The African-Americans engaged in the civil rights movements to ensure that they have gained equal rights under the laws in the United States (Ogbar, 2019). Robinson is believed to set a precise determination in enduring the racial discrimination from his teammates, other players, and spectators. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the sporting fields. His zeal and passion steered towards the crafting of the civil rights movements for the African-Americans.
Churches played a critical position for the attainment of freedom and equality to the African-Americans in the 1950s. The churches were believed to be at the center of the civil rights movement in aiding liberty and freedom, particularly for the Blacks in the United States. African-Americans opted into using churches in their journey to freedom since segregation had limited the black people from gathering, celebrating, or even carrying their businesses (Rivers, 2018). The churches, therefore, were the only gathering places where individuals could meet and share ideas. It is at this juncture where African-Americans met and organized on how they would table debates towards their liberation and fight for freedom. In the 1950s, most of the churches were owned by blacks. Therefore, these churches acted not only as places of worship but also as a center of political activism (Rivers, 2018). The churches began to organize a mass movement for freedom by offering the African-Americans the opportunities to be denied in the set society.
Churches contributed significantly to ensuring that the African-Americans have secured freedom and equality in the society by facilitating freedom for the blacks as its central mission. Churches also gave a compelling connection between social violence and the civil rights movements that existed in society (Brown, 2017). Churches also gave a definite ground from which the African-Americans could organize and craft ways to engage in mass movements for their freedom and equality. It was effectively achieved since the multitude had one goal in common. The goal was to outdo the notion of suppressed equality and liberty. For instance, churches shaped the path towards the civil rights movement of the 1950s, which was regarded as a social revolution (Brown, 2017). African-Americans relate churches to have culminated in the passage of the voting rights Act of 1965 and the civil rights Act of 1964. The rights postulated by the existence of churches ended the codification of the continued racial harassment in the United States.
What role do you think the Brown decision played in giving confidence and support to those fighting for equality?
Brown played a vital position in the facilitation and launching of the civil rights movements. Brown utilized the Board of education to achieve the threshold for the achievement of the civil rights movement for African Americans. Brown versus the Board of Education is regarded as the country’s most crucial cases in fostering confidence and support to the persons fighting for freedom and equality in the society (Harold, 2018). Brown’s decision in crafting some credible civil rights movement was meant to overturn the earlier Supreme Court decision. Brown’s determination played a significant role in launching the civil rights movement. The case presents a little girl in the early 1950s, where she traveled for more than an hour to attend a local public school meant for black children. The public school system in the 1950s had collective legality to separate the black students from the whites—the reason behind this racial segregation dated back in 1896 Supreme Court decision (Levy, 2019). The ruling held that separating people by their race was legal provided that the buildings and equipment were equal from both ends. Linda Brown did not take in that racial segregation was fair; in that, she wanted her children to attend schools near the proximity of her house irrespective of whether it was for whites or not.
Brown and other African-American activists took action in the court of law against the Supreme Court’s decision towards racial segregation. They held that having schools separated by race could never serve the aspect of equality in the United States society (Levy, 2019). The nine Supreme Courts in the United States adhered to the claims presented by Brown and other activists. Brown versus the Board of Education policies and civil rights movements set clear paths in giving confidence and support to the African-Americans. They were fighting for equality in society. Brown’s civil rights movements in the Board of education demanded the emanation of equal opportunities in public education (Harold, 2018). Brown also facilitated to ultimate desegregation in other public places; therefore, the urge motivated and fostered the individuals who were fighting for equality in society.
References
Brown, L. T. (2017). The Movement for Black Lives vs. the Black Church. Kalfou, 4(1), 7-17.
Harold, C. N. (2018). The Civil Rights Movement in the Urban South.In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History.
Levy, P. B. (2019). The Civil Rights Movement: A Reference Guide. ABC-CLIO.
Ogbar, J. O. (2019). Black power: Radical politics and African American identity. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Rivers, J. C. (2018). The Paradox of the Black Church and Religious Freedom. U. St. Thomas LJ, 15, 676.