HIST 1493 the Civil Rights Movement in American history.

Your assignment is to write a paper (4-6 pages) examining the Civil Rights Movement in American history using a number of primary sources provided by the instructor.

In four to six pages, the paper should attempt to address the struggles, problems, resistance to, and goals of the movement.

The entire purpose of the study of history is to learn from the past. Not to idolize it, not to romanticize it, not to tailor it to fit our world view, but to learn from it. History is messy – it is never as neat as a movie or even a classroom exam might make it seem. Our present is shaped by the past, and while it is useful to understand the past, one must never want to live there. 2020 has seen extraordinary times – a global pandemic, protests and upheaval in American life, and no doubt these events will be discussed in a future history class. Yet these events are not new, and comparisons with history could prove eye opening. As debates over the questions of race touch not only American society but even conversations here at Oklahoma State University (such as Friday, June 18, 2020’s vote to rename Murray Hall), it would be helpful to understand the history of race in America.