If you were in the United States during the Civil rights movement?.........?

Question

would you mind answering my questions please,

Were civil rights discussed at your school?


What effect did civil rights have on you?


Did things change immediately or suddenly in your community?


What did you parents think about the civil rights movement?


Did your friends change their views because they had to or because they wanted to??


thanks!

I apperciate all the answers so far!!!
for clarification I meant during the 50's 60's and 70's, and of course it can be any civil rights issue, especially asian and chicano movements too...

Answer 1

I wasn't but I have a cute story. . .

My mom was in the fifth grade when integration started. They brought the new black "students"into the classroom to introduce to everyone. The only problem was there was only one. She was so scared that she started crying. My mom says they felt sorry for her because she was so scared and befriended her. She became one of the most well liked because of that.

On the flip side, my mom complains that some of her relationships with black male students were strained. (I don't know if it was some or all, but I think if one person does something we tend to say "all"). She says that there was more sexual harassment as they got older.

When I told her my boyfriend was black, she hit the ruff because she labeled all black men based on these experiences.

But at least if you have problems you are interacting with each other. And not living in seperate universes without any knowledge of different cultures.

Answer 2

I wasn't very old during the early part of the civil rights movement. I lived in Texas, so there was a lot of fear associated with all the occurrences of that period of time. It wasn't discussed in our schools early on, but I was in elementary, and probably wouldn't have understood a lot of it. My parents did explain a bit - the notion that I would probably gradually see more black kids in various places. When I was in 10th grade, my high school was integrated (that would have been about 1971). I think each group was pretty scared of the other. The teachers were integrated in 1971, the students in 1972. My parents didn't like the idea of either myself or my sister being bused across town, and I don't imagine anybody of either color really wanted that to happen, but it did. My sister was bused for a year (she's four years younger than me). I suppose that the biggest impact desegretation had on me was that I got to be around black people for really the first time in my life. I got to see at least a little of the attitudes they had for me as a white person; it made me understand that both sides of the issue had misconceptions about the other, although sometimes I didn't realized it for a few years afterward. I'd been raised to understand that black people were still PEOPLE; I think it shocked me to realize that many of my fellow students DIDN'T think that. As to my friends... most of the kids I hung with were pretty smart people, and most of their parents were likewise people who knew, at least down deep, that it was wrong to keep people apart simply because of color. For me and for my friends, it was really only the very beginnings of an opportunity to put those theories into practice. It was very much the BEGINNING of a process, but everything has to start somewhere, and I think it's good that it happened.

That explanation isn't very good - but maybe that will give you an idea of just how confusing a period of time it was for everybody involved!

Answer 3

1.Yes it was discussed but out of politeness I won't tell you what we said.
2. It really had no affect on me directly. I lived in an all white town at the time.
3. Things still haven't changed and probably never will. Especially with the way black people act nowadays what with their bling bling and b*tches and all.
4.My parents hated the idea of it all and again out of politeness I will not share their exact thoughts.
5.Nobody changed their minds. People can be told it is wrong a thousand times. It still won't change what we think.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful or anything. Just trying to be as honest as I can.

Answer 4

Not really. The first black student at my HS was thrown out a window!

A lot, and still does. I was in Georgia at Ft Benning during the race riots and we had military involved in the arrest of Gov Faubus of Mississippi and peace keeping by the 101st Airborne in Little Rock and the integration of the 1st 2 Black students at the Univ of Alabama in which gov Wallace tried to block the door, but wasn't allowed to by the military!

I was involved directly and indirectly and still am. A lot of things still have not changed in this country!

Things are still changing and in the South it took from Lincoln until today to change many things but their are still a lot of racists in the US!

My father was a military officer and I grew up on military bases where color of skin had little to do with me, though the military still had it's own issues! My parents did not like discrimination or the haters! They were pro equal rights! I grew up and was in the military during the Kennedy era and Martin Luther King!

My friends didn't have those views! Many people did things because they had to, but it didn't change their racist views, which are alive and well in America! Some were even hypocrites like Sen. Strom Thurmond who was a racist and a bigot, yet fathered a child by a black woman!

Answer 5

I think the Civil Rights movement is still going on, but has become skewed by extremists, but I won't name them. This is your thread!

Per your question:

My folks told me a couple stories....

Mom in Florida in the 50's (just emigrated from Sweden): didn't understand why there was a long line for the "White" water fountain when the "Colored" one was vacant. She ducked out of line and had her drink with no wait. Waived off the scowls of the crowd....they were not happy with her action.

A bit out of your time reference, but Pop's in the early 80's (we are from So Cali) when in DC, (I was a wee tyke and our family is white as....nay pinkish as....oh hell you get my point) gave up his seat to an elderly Black (Insert PC term here) lady. She was so overtaken with glee, her appreciation almost made Moms gealous. (That one I did witness)

I don't know if this is the kind of stuff you were after, but I thought I would share it, none the less.

Happy Holidays.

Answer 6

1. No not at my allwhite school.
2. My parents moved out of Washington D.C. when the blacks were rioting, the city has never been the same, never recovered, all the burnt out buildins, the slums, were not there before, it ruined the city.
3.Immediately for the worse
4. They think it ruined a beautiful cicty they loved
5. They mostly still don't like blacks after seeing what they did, how they burned and looted their own neighborhoods.

Answer 7

I was born in 1952, graduated high school in 1970, Philadelphia PA.. I'm White.

#1 Not much, if at all.

#2 I grew up in a mixed neighborhood.

#3 (see answer 2).

#4 They were sympathetic.

#5 I don't think they changed their views, pro or con.

Answer 8

I lived in a small town in Oregon. It was never mentioned in the schools.
Civil rights effected me only because my parents discussed what was happening in our home.
My parents appreciated the civil rights movement and thought it was right.
Because we lived so far away from everything that was happening, we hardly ever discussed it with our friends, but I think most of us supported the blacks in the movement.

Answer 9

each college south of the Mason Dixon Line became into segregated. start up with Little Rock significant extreme college, Little Rock, Arkansas. Google the Little Rock 9. study "Eyes on the Prize" by using Juan Williams.

Answer 10

1. no current events such as civil rights only old history
2. bad reaction....was not considered for a job because of affirmative action program
3.no changes in community....however, college towns were fun to party in....first time to socialize with a black lady
4.started voting republican
5.views was hazardous to your health both ways during that time