Ss310-Kaplan University-Final Project: Influences of the Civil Rights Movemment

Personal Life Changes

The Civil Rights Movement and people like Mary McLeod Bethune caused changes during the 1960s and influenced Phyllis’ personal life. According to the Education Foundation (2011), “Mary McLeod Bethune created schools for Black students and worked with several United States presidents to make sure all children received a good education (Civil Rights Leaders: Mary McLeod Bethune, para. 2). Bethune was an excellent educator, a government official, and a civil rights leader, who founded the National Council of Negro Women (Education Foundation, 2011). Bethune reinforced the effects of the Civil Rights Movement for Phyllis involving the importance of education. Mary McLeod Bethune influenced the way Phyllis thought about herself as a potentially successful female because of her accomplishments and inspirational concepts of education. Phyllis knew she could change and improve her way of life through education and career choice. If it had not been for Mary Bethune, Phyllis would have never applied for dental school straight out of high school. Instead of limiting herself through education Phyllis allowed this influence to guide her in the right direction. Phyllis received a full scholarship to attend Howard University, College of dentistry with the help of the National Council of Negro Women’s letter of recommendation.

The Civil Rights Movement changed Phyllis and enabled her to realize that she could accomplish independence freely and equally on her own. She did not have to follow in the footsteps of her female elders and depend on a man for support. Phyllis applied to apartments out of her demographic neighborhood to experience the results of the Civil Rights Movement and chances at equality and freedom of choice with places to live. Certain areas had no mixture of races and Phyllis refused to accept segregated living areas as her only choice for housing.

Some of the theories, concepts, and issues from the 1960s changed Phyllis’ personal life,...