Power of Words in Civil Rights Movement Essay Example

How can words inspire change? In the 1960s’s words were a very important part of the Civil Rights Movement. Words inspired many to change their beliefs and to promote the end of segregation in the south. Words also helped many to take action and actually protest to get equality in America. Words in addition can make people come together, in churches, in homes, in schools, in protests, anywhere where words can make people come together. Words can inspire change by changing people’s emotions, bringing people together, and making people take action.

To begin with, words can motivate people or a group to take action. In February of 1960, a group of people, called the Greensboro Four, did a nonviolent protest advocating for segregating lunch counters and restaurants between whites and blacks. After doing the initial sit-in, the next day another twenty students joined in and participated in the sit-in as well. After a week, 300 had come out and joined them in the nonviolent protest. States across the US also decided to join in, and within two months of the first sit-in, fifty-four cities in nine different states had movements, like this, of their own. This event shows that words and actions of others can inspire people to decide to also join in and stand up for what they believe is right. The Greensboro lunch counter was desegregated six months later. It worked! Another situation where words inspired people to take action was, The Children’s Crusade. In 1963, a group of more than one thousand children skipped classes and gathered at Sixth Street Baptist Church to do a protest of their own. Many children that day were arrested, sprayed with fire hoses, tear-gassed, and attacked with dogs. This movement caused headlines across the world and made people want to take action. Some may call the Children’s Crusade “the turning point of the Civil Rights Era.” The Children’s Crusade, many believe, is the whole reason why segregation ended. It changed the people to finally decide to take action and actually end segregation in America. “The Children’s Crusade had worked!” (Joiner). Words made people take action and actually decide to end segregation after many years.

Words can also bring people together. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech gathered many together, even some who were on the opposing side. More than 200,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial to hear this incredible speech. Words brought numerous together and inspired many to change their views and end segregation against African Americans. In addition, the story, “Sheyann Webb” ,describes the experience of a child in the Children’s Crusade. After the protesters marched, they all gathered together and started singing in the church. “We was singing and telling the world that we hadn’t been whipped, we had won” (Sikora). Many gathered together that night, and their singing carried and brought many to join in and come together. Words brought many people together during the Civil Rights Movement and helped inspire many to change. 

Words can inspire people’s emotions to change. After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Robert F. Kennedy made a speech that would shock many across the world. People gathered that day presuming that they were attending a campaign speech, but they would be false. Kennedy delivered the line, “Martin Luther King was shot and killed tonight.” and the crowd immediately bursted into a group of screams and gasps. The screams lasted around a minute and a half, and after the anguish, Kennedy continued his speech. After this speech, people across the country were outraged, many cities erupted in chaos and violence. All except for Indianapolis, where the speech was given. People’s emotions were changed and many were outraged because of these words. Lots of different people across the world mourned the loss of MLK who was an inspiration and role model for many. In addition, another time where people’s emotions were changed was the Children’s Crusade. After people across the world saw this in headlines of the news, they were outraged and sympathetic for the children involved. Many all over the world were angry that these police officers did these cruel actions to these poor innocent children. They wanted change. In “1963: The Year That Changed Everything”, it states that the news started writing more and more about what was happening and it changed people’s views to see that the stuff that was happening was wrong. Words made many people’s emotions change and promoted change in the Civil Rights Movement.

Words have caused and inspired many to change. The Civil Rights Movement depended on words to have change in what they wanted. Words are very important and can make a difference in the world that we live in. Words can inspire change by bringing people together, changing people’s emotions, and inspiring people to take action.