One of the most noted turning points in American History is the Civil Rights Movement. Almost every aspect of this country today, would not be the same if it was not for the African American leaders that stood up in their communities during the mid 1900's and preached words of a United States that was free from oppression against people of color. These leaders were fearless, dedicated, well-spoken men who advocated African American strength and pride, as well as the unthinkable acts that were made against people of color during their time. Two main groups of the Civil Rights movement were the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, also known as the NAACP, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, also known as the SCLC. These groups dealt with the harsh laws and crimes that were committed against African Americans during the mid 1900's. The murder of Emmett Till, the Montgomery Bus boycott, were two events that the NAACP and SCLC were involved in and helped make the American public aware of damage caused to people of color during these years. Both groups were the driving force behind the Civil Rights Movement and the leaders at the time.
The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's is considered begin with the court case of Brown vs. the Board of Education. During the 1950's, racial separation in public schools, especially southern schools, was not looked at as a problem for many people. The United States had embraced a "separate but equal" attitude toward black and white education. Children that came from white families and were white themselves would attend school with only white children. Children born of dark skin parents and were dark skin themselves attended school with only dark skin children. Although all the schools in a "separate but equal" community were supposed to be the same, most schools that only allowed African Americans were far inferior to their white counterparts.