The Civil Rights And Black Power Movement - 2608 Words

The topic of my paper concerns how particular movies reflected the views and progress of the Civil Rights/Black Power movement of the 60s. The two films that are being examined are Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) and Nothing But A Man (1964). Both films feature African-American characters as more than subservient supporting cast members such as maids, and servants. It reflects America’s progressing social attitudes as a result of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. Throughout this paper, I will argue that films like the aforementioned reflect America’s changing social attitudes about race around this time and work to incorporate and expose the African-American experience into the American film industry in a positive manner. In order to further prove my point, I will analyze the presence of African-Americans in film prior to the 1960s, in conjunction with the lack of civil rights at the time. Prior to this era, roles for Black people were extremely lim ited, and often served as menial and demeaning roles. As the Civil Rights Movement picks up steam, I will examine how the film industry naturally started to adjust its color barriers to accommodate society’s changing attitudes. Nothing But A Man was made in 1964, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, by a white man, but the film seems to have a heightened sensitivity to the injustices in America at that time. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is a highly regarded film made in 1967 that sheds light on aShow MoreRelatedBlack Power And The Civil Rights Movement1675 Words   |  7 Pagesthe growth of Black Power was the most important factor in the weakening of the civil rights movement in the 1960s? Black power is a political slogan that was aimed to promote the ideas of the black racial group. There have been mixed views on weather it weakened the civil rights movement or strengthened it, this involved many factors. Some of the thing’s that weakened the movement was the use violence, organisation and leadership and the CORE ideas and the message of the black power. However someRead MoreThe Black Power Movement And The Civil Rights Movement1468 Words   |  6 PagesThe Black Power movement began towards to the of the Civil Rights Era. The Black Power Movement began in the 1950s and 1960s, many African Americans grew tired of the ineffective, peaceful protests so they turned to violence. Although it was not a formal movement and it contributed to a big turning point in history. The goal of the Black Power movement was to gain equal rights with whites. Even though it was violent many people thought it was necessary to the equal rights African Americans deservedRead MoreBla ck Power And Civil Rights Movement1580 Words   |  7 PagesThe nuanced historical debate over the concept of black power divides Civil Rights movement historians into two distinct categories. One grouping of historians interpret the issue of black power as a vague top-down strategy utilized to incite controversy. The other group of historians promote a bottom-up approach to black power, arguing that the statement reflected the already present ideals of the black community and best encompasses the path to their liberation. The former group likewise criticizesRead MoreDid the black power movement help or hinder the civil rights movement?1753 Words   |  8 Pageslonger need to rely on men or marriage for support. The increase in never married single mother now accounts for about 40% of all lone parents. Although Britain has become more diverse single parenthood is still not accepted by everyone. The new right thinker Charles Murray (1984) argues that the increase in lone-parents is due to the over generosity of the welfare state as they have provide for both the parent and their children. Murray argue that this creates ‘perverse incentive’, that is rewardingRead MoreCivil Rights Movement and Black Nationalism Essay1210 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish 1302.044 March 3, 2000 Militant and Violent Acts of the Civil Rights Movement and Black Nationalism The rights of African-Americans have been violated since they were brought over to America as slaves in the late 1600s to the land of the free. Great political gains for African-Americans were made in the 1960s such as the right to vote without paying. Still, many African Americans were dissatisfied with their economic situation, so they reacted with violence in the form of riots. OtherRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement : Martin Luther King, Jr. And Rosa Parks1546 Words   |  7 PagesThe Civil Rights Movement is often remembered in American history as an era of unity and struggle. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks are often the figures that get the most recognition from this period. However, there are many leaders from the Civil Rights Movement that get overlooked. Even MLK toward the end of his life is glossed over for the â€Å"version† that gave the famous â€Å"I have a dream† speech. In truth, there was a fair amount of division between the Black Power Mo vement and the IntegrationRead MoreAfrican Americans Need To Understand â€Å"The Necessity, As1562 Words   |  7 Pagesamong civil rights historians, which creates and reinforces a lack of detachment that has characterized the civil rights scholarship since its inception. While Eagles acknowledges that the activist standpoint is not likely to disappear in the near future, his call for more objectivity in how historians of the civil rights movement conduct their research has not received the attention it deserves. In the article, which was released five years before Jacqueline Dowd Hall’s call for a long civil rightsRead MoreEssay on Nonviolence or Violence: Which Was More Effective?1425 Words   |  6 PagesThe Civil Rights Movement brought many accomplishments to African Americans such as the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The key issues that African Americans fought for were voting rights, integration and racial equ ality. They were tired of the discrimination and humiliation they received as a result of the segregation laws imposed on them. â€Å"State laws mandated racial separation in schools, parks, playgrounds, restaurants, hotels, public transportationRead More The Civil Rights Movement and the Kerner Commission Essays1423 Words   |  6 Pages The civil rights movement was a period of time when blacks attempted to gain their constitutional rights of which they were being deprived. The movement has occurred from the 1950s to the present, with programs like Affirmative Action. Many were upset with the way the civil rights movement was being carried out in the 1960s. As a result, someone assassinated the leader of the movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Many blacks were infuriated at this death so there were serious riots inRead MoreBlack Power Movement774 Words   |  4 PagesThe words of ‘I am Black and I am proud’ was an anthem that filled the 1960s. A time period which saw the militancy of Malcolm X, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and a student movement that would push forward an agenda of black culture empowerment that would change America. This movement arose from civil activism of the 1950s with leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X during the Civil Rights movement and then Stokely Carmichael. The Black Power Movement arose from males who