The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s includes many monumental and unfortunate events. During this time there were television broadcasts that either opened up the nations eyes to what was going on or started controversy for being aired. Three events that were both televised and stood out to have the most impact on The Civil Rights Movement were the controversy that the television show Amos ‘n Andy brought about, Martin Luther King Jr.’s. “I have a dream” speech, and the televised events of “Bloody Sunday”. It could be said that anything that was aired during that time dealing with Civil Rights was important however these three examples seem to be very well known and demonstrate what The Civil Rights Movement was all about. Amos ‘n Andy is a show that is known to be one of the most controversial television programs of the decade. It was a show that openly displayed segregation and mocked what African Americans were trying to achieve. The show was originally a radio program created and acted by two white men. When CBS brought Amos ‘n Andy to television in 1951, they used all black cast members. The South refused to broadcast the show just because it featured African Americans and the NAACP protested against the show’s use of racial stereotypes. A historian named Thomas Cripps, said that the show had brought back issues from black history past during a time when the goal in sight was for African Americans to become fully integrated into American life (Edgerton, 241). On August 28, 1963 at the Washington mall, millions of Americans watched Martin Luther King Jr.
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on CBS as he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech (Edgerton, 239). This is an event that everyone in America learns about at a young age. He stood up there hoping to promote nationwide nonviolence and that one day African American children would be able to play with white children. King himself said it was the "the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation”(Snyder). His speech brought even greater attention to the Civil Rights Movement it focused on how things were not much different then compared to prior to the Civil War. During this time African-Americans still were not treated as equals and events like these were created to bring attention to that fact. Most importantly Dr. King wanted not only equality for African Americans but for all Americans. In Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965 nearly 600 black marchers that were demonstrating for voter registration were brutally attacked on camera by a white civilian mob along with the local police force when they refused to stop protesting (Edgerton, 240). Officers used teargas and beat the nonviolent protesters with their night sticks and even hospitalized some. This event, that we know today as “Bloody Sunday” was television around the world. This event paints a picture for exactly what was happening during that time involving Civil Rights. Everyone in the country was able to see the injustice and clear division that white people clearly thought they were superior to black people giving them permission beat on them. “Bloody Sunday” helped to open up the eyes of Congress and they finally debated and signed the Voting Rights Act. The events listed above all played a major role in The Civil Rights movement. With television being popular
on CBS as he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech (Edgerton, 239). This is an event that everyone in America learns about at a young age. He stood up there hoping to promote nationwide nonviolence and that one day African American children would be able to play with white children. King himself said it was the "the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation”(Snyder). His speech brought even greater attention to the Civil Rights Movement it focused on how things were not much different then compared to prior to the Civil War. During this time African-Americans still were not treated as equals and events like these were created to bring attention to that fact. Most importantly Dr. King wanted not only equality for African Americans but for all Americans. In Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965 nearly 600 black marchers that were demonstrating for voter registration were brutally attacked on camera by a white civilian mob along with the local police force when they refused to stop protesting (Edgerton, 240). Officers used teargas and beat the nonviolent protesters with their night sticks and even hospitalized some. This event, that we know today as “Bloody Sunday” was television around the world. This event paints a picture for exactly what was happening during that time involving Civil Rights. Everyone in the country was able to see the injustice and clear division that white people clearly thought they were superior to black people giving them permission beat on them. “Bloody Sunday” helped to open up the eyes of Congress and they finally debated and signed the Voting Rights Act. The events listed above all played a major role in The Civil Rights movement. With television being popular