For a hundred years following the abolition of slavery in 1865, generations of Black Americans continued to be systemically denied equal standing under the law, the right to vote, and in many cases, to own property, and faced vicious racism and discrimination, both legally codified and extralegal.
Though the struggle for basic dignity and essential human rights has persisted in some form since the very beginning of slavery, most historians mark the beginning of the Civil Rights Era in 1948, with President Harry S Truman’s executive order eliminating racial segregation in the armed forces. Six years later, the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education effectively desegregated public schools. Still, some defied the order—such as in the case of Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus, and his showdown with President Eisenhower over the integration of Little Rock Central High. Incidents like these, along with the arrest of Rosa Parks in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man; the brutal lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till, became catalysts of a renewed push for equal rights.
In 1957, the Civil Rights Movement gained momentum with the formation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), led by Dr. Martin Luther King and other prominent leaders, which emphasized nonviolent protest. Sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and marches soon followed, including the 1963 March on Washington, where Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The images of violence against peaceful protestors—the attacks on demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama, and “Bloody Sunday” in Selma shocked the nation and drew widespread support.
The result of these efforts culminated in significant legislative victories, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to dismantle systemic barriers that prevented Black Americans from voting. Despite these milestones, the struggle for racial equality continues.
The Counterculture Museum will provide a deeper understanding of this history and the people who risked their lives to fight for equal rights, while exploring how the Civil Rights Movement became a powerful force for societal change and continues to inspire new generations in the ongoing fight for justice and equality.