The Pros And Cons Of The Civil Rights Movement

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Years later, after the Kennedy Administration has ended their actions are still being criticized, as in relation to the Civil Rights Movement. Kennedy was not trying to muzzle the Civil Right Movement, at his core philosophy, he was fighting for it, but because of different circumstances, he was unable to focus on it solely. Kennedy did not have malicious intent to stifle the Civil Rights Movement. None of the actions levied against protesters came directly from the Executive Office. Kennedy was upholding the laws passed by Congress and the actions of state officials; such as the role of President. It was Congress that actively muzzled Civil Rights leaders and protesters. In fact, the President blunted the actions of Congress and local officials …show more content…

The "Freedom Riders ' was a group of African-American and white young adults who ride public buses in the South to protest against segregation of public transportation. The Supreme Court had ruled segregation on public buses was unconstitutional; however in the South, the ruling was not being enforced. The "Freedom Riders" would ride the bus in the South with the bus desegregated. The riders were met with a great deal of resistances from the white southerners. In Montgomery, Alabama the violence broke out into a complete riot and the "Freedom Riders" and other Civil Rights activist became trapped in a church. The President was called and he had to put the state under Martial Law and send in the National Guard troops to get the city under control, so the "Freedom Riders" could leave the church. After leaving the church the "Freedom Riders went to Jackson, Mississippi where they were arrested for disturbing the peace. Years later, information surfaced about Kennedy 's compromise with the Jackson police the compromise Kennedy made was the "Freedom Riders could not be harmed, but they could be arrested by the Jackson police. As Commander-in-Chief Kennedy did the right thing by calling the troops in to stop the riot and restore peace

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