Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Alachia Gilmore
History 112_016
Melissa Develvis
9 November 2017
If one were to Google the Civil Rights Movement it would tell them that the movement began in
the early 1950’s and ended in the late 1960’s. If one were to speak to any of the featured guest that
spoke at Benedict college Monday evening or any African Americans, they would tell you that the Civil
rights movement began long before that and unfortunately is ongoing to present day. The panelist
discuss the rights that they stood up and spoke out against back in the 1960’s and continue to speak on
today because there is much more room for improvement as far as Black equality goes.
Monday evening, several activists shared their accounts on what racial inequality was like in the
1950’s and how they delt with it. Majority of the speakers explained their case in which they fought for
integration of schools, eateries, and other public areas. The speakers spoke about their experiences and
what actions they took to change the issues present at that time. They spoke of their roles in student
activism, which is when a group of students gather together to make a change in society, and the efforts
that were used to make political, social, and economical changes for the good of the African American
race.
Activist Constance Curry was among the speakers who participated in student activism. She
attended an all white girl college but somehow took an interest in racial inequality. Thankfully it helped
to have members outside the African American race alongside them in the fight of racial inequality.
Curry helped make a point to the fearful and discriminatory Caucasian Americans that discrimination is a
real issue and integration and equality reform is key to a free nation. In addition to the added diversity,
Constance Curry advised a group of students known as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating
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Committee (SNCC) whom organized sit-ins in various areas to challenge discrimination and
segregation. Members of the SNCC felt they needed the, “Jail, no bail” rule in place to show White
Americans how serious they were about reform and the Civil Rights Movement.
Furthermore, Charles McDew, cofounder of the SNCC and student of South Carolina state
had various run-ins with the law in the south. Partly because of his demeanor and Northern
candor but also because of the fact that he was a young black man. His first few occurrences with
the law were violent ones, convincing him that the “South” was just not for him. However, he soon
realized that those occurrences were not singled out towards him and majority, if not all, of the
black race suffered from this violence and discrimination. Therefore, McDew began to speak out
against the injustices of the black men and women in a much more peaceful manner. McDew, as
well as other black activist, hoped that their peaceful attempts would ease the tension and fear
Other Civil Rights activist such as, Annie Hackett Ritter and Cleveland Sellars Jr. were
apart of the SNCC and fought for racial inequality in social and political aspects. Annie Ritter
participated in the sit-ins to thwart segregation with her peers. Cleveland Sellars was apart of the
SNCC at Howard University and fought for African American voting rights in Mississippi where he
Unfortunately, even with all of the speakers’ accounts and efforts there is still a lot of work
that needs to be done in America and worldwide. There is much room left for improvement in the
racial justice system and as a young black female in South Carolina it is a privilege to learn of all
the events that occurred in the past and be able to help bridge the gap in racial inequality. I am
grateful that I was able to hear the speaker’s stories and I am determined and excited to be apart