Summary

The main cause of the Civil Rights Movement from 1945 to 1965 was the severe economic inequality that Black Americans faced. By 1957, Black Americans earned much less than white people, had fewer job opportunities, and were often denied quality education and housing.

These issues were made worse by the segregation and Jim Crow laws in the South, which legally separated Black and white people in almost every aspect of life, reinforcing their second-class status.

Almost as important was the associated violence against Black people, like the murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till, which highlighted the extreme dangers they faced.

Finally and crucially, after World War II, Black veterans, full of Black pride and confidence, returned home determined to fight racism. Along with growing urban Black communities in the North, the joined civil rights organizations such as NAACP, CORE and the SCLC, and demanded change.

Prioritise the reasons for the development of the Civil Rights movement, 1945-65.

Foremost among the factors driving the Civil Rights Movement 1945-65 was the economic and employment inequality that Black Americans faced. By 1957, the average Black income was only 57% of what white households earned, and Black unemployment was double that of whites. These economic disparities were not just a result of individual prejudice but were embedded in the structure of society, with Black Americans often denied access to quality education, housing, and job opportunities, which emphasized the systemic nature of racial inequality. Widespread economic disadvantage and capricious everyday humiliation was a powerful motivator for the Civil Rights Movement, as it directly impacted the daily lives of Black Americans and highlighted the widespread nature of racial injustice.

The most obvious manifestation of Black inequality was the systemic and institutionalized segregation enforced by the Jim Crow laws in the Southern United States. These laws separated Black and white Americans in nearly every aspect of life, from schools to public transportation. The principle of "separate but equal," upheld by the Supreme Court, was a constant reminder of the second-class status imposed on Black citizens, fuelling a deep sense of injustice and of urgent need for change.

Another, connected, key factor was the persistent violence and lynchings that terrorized Black communities. The brutal murder of Emmett Till in 1955, a 14-year-old boy who was killed for allegedly whistling at a white woman, shocked the nation. The open casket funeral, where his mutilated body was displayed for the world to see, became a rallying point for the Civil Rights Movement. This case, along with the ongoing threat of violence from groups like the Ku Klux Klan, exposed the extreme danger that Black Americans faced simply for existing in a racist society – the symptom of a broader culture of racial terror that demanded and provoked a strong and organized response.

Finally, the post-World War II period saw a significant increase in Black activism, partly inspired by the Double-V campaign, which called for victory over both fascism abroad and racism at home. The new-found confidence and pride of the Black soldiers who had fought for freedom overseas only to return to a segregated and discriminatory society, created a sense of righteous anger, and a demand for civil rights. These veterans, along with the growing urban Black communities in the North, mobilised by Black civil rights organisations such as the NAACP, CORE, the SCLC and SNCC, formed the backbone of the Civil Rights Movement, as they were more willing and able to challenge the status quo.

The link connecting these factors was supremacist racism, which fuelled the economic disparity, segregation and violence faced by African Americans, and was met full-on by an increased sense of Black pride and assertiveness after WWII, which produced a demand for change that reshaped American society.