The start of the Civil Rights Movement is thought to be marked by one brave woman’s refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1, 1955. Recognized as the “mother of the modern-day Civil Rights Movement,” Rosa Parks' decision served as a catalyst for change. In the following years, Black people and their allies fought hard to achieve equal rights under the law for African Americans, a group of people disenfranchised and largely regarded as second-class citizens. Their efforts led to the signing of legislation, like the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the integration of schools, and other notable achievements.
Next semester, the Pulse section of the Student Movement will be doing a twelve-part series on the impact that the Civil Rights Movement has had on Andrews University. We will have pieces about the University’s complex history with racism and discrimination, what was done in the way of achieving civil rights for all individuals on campus, and its effects today. The Civil Rights Movement served as a blueprint for countless other social justice movements and its impact is far-reaching. Stay tuned for more.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.