The Civil Rights Explosionin America

A Multidimensional

Fight AgainstInequality

Who Engaged in the Civil Rights Struggle?

Race & National Origin Groups• African Americans• Mexican Americans• Puerto Rican Americans• American Indians• Asian Americans• Pacific Island Americans• Africans• Asians• Latin Americans

Other Groups• Women• Non-Christians• Persons with Disabilities• Farmworkers• Low-Income Families• Senior Citizens• Young Adults 18-20 Yrs. Old• Limitied English Speakers• LGBT Community

What was the Civil Rights MovementAll About?

Institutions and Policies• Segregated Housing• Poverty• Citizenship• Voting• Immigration• Employment• Salaries and Promotions• Labor Unions• Public Education • All Government Services• Marriage

Public Accommodations• Restaurants• Shopping Centers / Stores• Theaters• Hospitals• Parks / Swimming Pools• Hotels / Motels• Neighborhoods & Housing• Beauty Shops• Public Restrooms• Etc.

Did the Civil Rights MovementWin or Lose?

Every Grouphas achieved important

gains toward greater equality

in virtually every area.

• High percentage of schools remain racially segregated.

• Women continue to make significantly less than men.

• Leadership roles in most sectors continue to be dominated by males.

• While same sex couples have won the right to marry, discrimination against LBGTQ continues to be legal in many states.

• Etc., etc.

At least one lesson…

All civil rights progress was achieved because people were willing to fight, to persist, and to engage in the politcal

process!

Let’s transition

from the histories of democracy . . . .

. . .to political engagement

They are related!

What is Politics?• In a democracy, how things are done reflects the will of the

people.

• But, “the people” have a variety of values, attitudes, life experinces, and visions for the future.

• So, “the people” have a large variety of conflicting opinions on what should and should not be done.

• POLITICS is the name for all the different processes and activities that are undertaken to decide whose values and opinions will be followed in determining how things will be done.

• And, to engage in politics is to try to influence peoples’ thinking and decisions about how things should be done.

• Politics occur in all human social systems.

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We live in many social systems

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Identify Some Political Issues

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How Can We Engage in Politics?

¸ Study and analyze an

issue

¸ Distribute information

leaflets

¸ Conduct an information

or strategy workshop

¸ Set up an information

booth

¸ Organize a teach-in

¸ Participate in a

community fair or forum

¸ Run for office

¸ Campaign for a candidate

¸ Make political posters

¸ Vote

¸ Lobby an elected office

holder

¸ Organize or participate in

a boycott

¸ Organize or participate in

a march

¸ Participate in a rally

¸ Solicit media coverage of

a story

¸ Organize a sit-in

¸ Publish an article or a

book

¸ Produce a poem, song,

play, mural, painting

¸ Form a coalition

¸ Join an advocacy

organization or club

¸ File a law suit

¸ Get signatures for a

referendum

¸ Sign a petition for a recall

vote

¸ Write a check to an

advocacy organization

¸ Deliver a speech

¸ Support a labor strike

¸ Sponsor a coffee clutch to

discuss an issue

¸ Engage in civil

disobedience

¸ Picket

¸

¸

¸

¸

¸

¸ Use your imagination

Using Your Computer to Engage in Politics

• Websites• Email• Blogs• Facebook• Twitter• Text Messages• Youtube• Other

Please share your examples of college students engaging effectively in online

politics.