A Comprehensive History of 1960s Protest Movements in America

Abstract

Book Review: The Movement and the Sixties Protest in America from Greensboro to Wounded Knee Introduction “The Movement and the Sixties” is an inspiring article with a comprehensive history of various social and political movements in America in the mid-20th century. Racial bias is the central argument that enhances the flow of topics within this article. Ever since time immemorial, the race has played a pivotal role in determining privileges entitled to Americans. Unfortunately, due to the long witnessed dominance of white supremacy, the American minorities suffer a considerable blow of inequalities, humiliations and injustices in almost all odds of life. While compiling "The Movement and the Sixties", Terry H. Anderson, a historian at Texas A&M University, offered a detailed analysis of the civil rights movement, the anti-war movement, the women's liberation movement and farm workers movement, among other activities to enlighten the target audiences on the effects of racial segregation leading to a fight for equality for all through such movements. Though the book explores the relationship of the mentioned-above movements, which proves a significant strength for the article, it lacks in-depth analysis of the individuals involved, thus perfect for an introduction to what went down during the 60s through 70s within America. One can argue that Anderson's arguments remain based on why rather than who. The article generalizes its way of analyzing events that took place during the Greensboro sit-ins and the Wounded Knee rebels. To the author, the need to understand the events that transpired in the long-witnessed racism of the American minority proved more significant in the article's analysis than a mere consideration of an individual that experienced the humiliation in the two areas of concern; Greensboro sit-is and rebelling at wounded knee. For this reason, Anderson aimed to understand and respond to why millions of Americans became activists and took to the streets during the mid-20th century. Starting with the Greensboro sit-in, Anderson took the initiative of suitable sourcing materials to consider while compiling the report. Drawing on interviews, one can argue that the author aimed at getting the available information from the horse's mouth or real witness of the event but fails to account for their references as an individual but rather generalizes the responses. Though the target audience gets the interview responses, it is not certain that these primary sources were part of the movements or victims of the racial bias but at least offer insight into what transpired during the period. Anderson expresses a great sense of neutrality as neither sides with the whites nor the people of color in all the arguments. Instead, he offers a neutral analysis of events making the article a compelling and fascinating account of the national history of the era under consideration. Underground manuscripts collected at campuses and archives throughout America also significantly offered Anderson great information about the two areas of concern. Based on these primary and secondary sources, it is clear that white supremacy fostered both Greensboro and Wounded Knee events. The American minorities were tired of the unequal treatment from the whites and aimed at proving their worth, especially of belonging. It hurts to live in an area where one feels odd out not because of limited potential but based on color, gender, and religion, among other characteristics. For this reason, the people of color believed that the mid-20th century was the right time to overturn the inferior stereotype that whites used to define them in all areas of life. In a brief analysis of the Greensboro event, it is clear that besides demanding areas like employment, education and health, even minor social joints like eateries embraced racial discrimination leaving the people of color subjected to unequal treatment regardless of their potential to pay for service delivery. Anderson argued Greensboro sit-in was a civil rights protest that started in 1960. The event expressed some severe effects of racial discrimination involving young African American students. Though an international brand, Woolworth failed to enhance equality and subjected the four American minorities to unequal treatment to their white counterparts. It is an encounter that paved the way for a severe sit-in movement that spread to college towns throughout the south, making it unbearable for Woolworth to ignore the racial discriminative approach embraced within their service delivery. Though the movement led to the arrest of some African American students for disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace and trespassing, the core mission of the movement served as the key. It was delivered to the fullest, changing the perception of such a brand toward people of color. Anderson's arguments, though, do not dig deeper into personal experiences and involvement in such a movement. It offers a precise analysis of what stirred the Greensboro sit-in and its effects on Woolworth and African Americans. The analysis provides the reader with a clear picture of the determination of the four African American students in the fight against racial bias in areas that demanded their attention. It is the right of every American to enjoy the American Dream that the nation anticipated from immemorial time. However, with racial discrimination, then the dream remains unachieved by many while others leap from the privileges associated with the realization of the same dream. Touching on the Wounded Knee massacre, it is clear that racial discrimination led to the death of thousands of innocent people. In 1890, heartless white American soldiers killed hundreds of Lakota men, women and children while attempting to suppress a religious movement. Unfortunately, the American government rewarded such cruel soldiers for their success in the cold-blood murder of innocent people of color. While compiling "The Movement in the Sixties" article, Anderson noted that Wounded Knee rebels treated this site as a rallying cry for...