The purpose of this essay is to outline the major events of the African-American civil rights movement. Specifically, attention will be focused on the main activists involved in the movement such as Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks and on the large civil resistance campaigns. The Civil Rights Movement refers to movements in the United States aimed at outlawing racial discrimination against Africans. Americans and the Restoration of Voting Rights in the Southern States. African Americans were able to gain rights on issues such as equal access to public transportation, the right to vote, the right to fair trials, and many others. The numerous movements lasted from approximately 1955 to 1968. During this time African-Americans were constantly degraded and reminded of their inferior status compared to whites. where, by law, public facilities, transportation and services such as education were divided into separate "white" and "black" sections, Exploitation; widespread economic oppression of blacks, Latinos, and Asians. They were denied economic opportunities and faced widespread employment discrimination and disenfranchisement in which black voters were forced off the voter rolls until the number of African American voters dropped so significantly that they are unable to elect representatives. During the mid-1950s, the civil rights movement challenged inequality using boycotts, marches, and nonviolent resistance to try to persuade the government to change the laws and get the rights they deserved. The Montgomery Bus Boycott began on December 1, 1955. Segregation on public transportation helped give blacks a daily reminder of their inferior status. After paying your fare at the front of the bus, ... middle of paper ..., religion, sex or national origin" in employment practices and public accommodations. On December 10, 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the youngest man to receive the award at age 35. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for leading nonviolent resistance to racial prejudice in the United States. Works Cited http ://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/civilrights-55-65/index.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_Civil_ Rights_Movement_(1955%E2%80%931968)http:/ /en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_NixonThe Civil Rights Movement - Nigel RitchieMartin Luther King Je - Anita Ganerihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki /James_Peck_(pacifist)http:/ /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_on_Washington_for_Jobs_and_Freedomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_a_Dream