Most Significant Events in History

Most Significant Events

HIS 135

Final Paper

The different events that took place from 1950 all the way through 1990, are all very different but closely related. Every decade is all about change and events that happened, whether they we political, economic or social. Each impacted the United States and left stories on our hearts and minds and also from personal first hand experiences that also are told throughout the generations. The common characteristic from every decade is that they are all historical events and will continue to be taught and never forgotten. In my essay, I will look at a social, economic or political event from 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, and 1990.

1950

After a day at work, Rosa Parks boarded the Cleveland Avenue bus around 6 p.m. on December 1st, 1955. She paid her fare and sat in an empty seat in the first row of seats reserved for the blacks. After the bus traveled, all the white seats filled up and at the third stop at the Empire Theater, more white passengers boarded, Rosa Parks was told to move and she refused.

The bus driver, only following standard practice, moved the colored sign to the row behind Rosa Parks. She still refused to move since there were two or three white men standing. She still would not move and was arrested.

On Monday, December 5th, 1955, after the success of the one-day boycott, a group of 16 to 18 people gathered at the Mt. Zion Church to discuss boycott strategies. The group agreed that a new organization was needed to lead the boycott effort if it were to continue. The new president of the organization was Martin Luther King, Jr.

There were 50 leaders of the African American community gathered to discuss the proper actions to be taken in response to Rosa Park’s arrest. She was the perfect plaintiff for a test case against city and state segregation laws.

The Civil Rights Movement was just the beginning for all African Americans, both young and old. This movement, unfortunately; made them test rats at...