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History

Civil right movements in the United State were a major turning point for the nation.

Highlighting the inequalities that the minorities were subjected to catalyzed the transition of their

lives and more importantly their liberties into the current state. These inferior groups consisted

primarily of blacks who were the most undermined. Our textbook highlights the major movements

that were key in elevating the status of blacks and women such that they are now accorded with

liberties such as voting and even interracial marriages (Foner 1022). Conversely, Judith Rollins

article, paints a ubiquitous nature of the movements (Rollins 61-70). The upsurge of civil rights

movements is portrayed as an American revolution by Eric Foner while Judith Rollins

demonstrates how the aforementioned revolution was part of a worldwide revolution whereby the

colonized sought liberation. Judith’s portrayal which is more comprehensive presses that not only

was there a global revolution but that it was steered by a need for economic freedom. In my view,

civil rights movements were indeed catalyzed by an economic imbalance hence a difference in

content between both accounts.

To demonstrate the fact that rather than there being an American Revolution, Rollin

showcases similar changes outside America that inspired movements within the nation. In her

article, “Part of the Whole: The Interdependence of the Civil Rights Movements and other Social

Movements”, Judith notes that the Montgomery bus boycott that took place in 1955 aligned with

Ghana’s independence in 1957, Nigeria’s in 1960 and Tanzania’s in 1961 (Rollins 62). Black

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America is said to have watched even prior to the decolonization of these African nations as nations

such as Kenya had their Mauamau struggle for liberation. Even the dark-skinned person of India

had struggled and gained liberation in the 1940s. Judith acknowledges leaders such as Malcolm X

who were instrumental in instilling black pride in the U.S (Rollins 62). However, the freedom of

other nations made the granting of liberties to black Americans more realistic and probable.

There are points of convergence between both accounts. Notably, both accounts

acknowledge that black civil rights movements has the effect of inspiring other movements.

Following black civil rights movements was that of women’s suffrage leading to the rise of

feminists, gay liberty movements pressing that they too were American citizens who only differed

with regards to their sexual orientation, and even Puerto Ricans advocating for equity as a majority

of them were unemployed. Red Power for Indians pressed their plight while movements such as

Black Power inspired African Americans (Foner 1019). As aforementioned, the role of leaders

such as Marvin Gaye, Malcom X and Martin Luther King are portrayed as being primary to the

demand for equity. These leaders were at the fore front of advocating for the rights of the inferior

group of African Americans and assuring them that they deserved and could be granted these

rights.

The focal points of these two accounts are however very different. Foner’s account

emphasizes on the need for liberty from the constraints of the American constitution as having

inspired social movements. However, Rollins presses that all movements, within and outside of

America sought economic freedom. She uses the example of third world countries seeking control

over their minerals and other sources of economic sustenance. By highlighting the use of the term

third world Americans, Rollins acknowledged that these groups mainly consisting of the

underprivileged blacks equating themselves to third world nations (Rollins 65). Due to their

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oppression, both groups could not prosper economically. Third world nations were against

capitalism and its constraints hence their rebellion as were black Americans who were denied the

right to property ownership and limited in their admission into the best learning institutions, the

economic aspect of the rise of civil rights movements cannot be undermined as human prosperity

relies heavily on economic prowess. Furthermore with regards to inspiration for people of color,

Rollins attributes the battle of Dien Bien Phu and Bandung as being focal (Rollins 62-64).In this

way, Rollins expands on the scope of the subject of liberty movements.

Thus far, Eric Foner and Judith Rollin’s interpretation of the advent and effect of civil

rights differ. In “Give me Liberty”, Foner interprets the onset of nation-wide movements as

following of the black activists. To him, blacks demanding for equality and their integration into

national systems such as work and education fostered other minority groups into similar action.

They inspired movements varying from women groups to gay groups and even environmentalists.

Those who felt unrepresented and disadvantaged in America began fighting for their rights.

However, when juxtaposed with Rollins’ interpretation, it is clear that Rollins perceives the

granting of liberties to these minor groups as a means of avoiding embarrassment (Rollins 64). She

presses that America feared the criticism that it would accrue had it not succumbed to the demands

of its underprivileged. Its role in the Vietnamese war and even contradiction with its declaration

of independence were already accruing doubts from the outside world.

Lastly, both accounts differ in style. Eric Foner’s account overtly omits the role that the

international world had in inspiring movements for equality and extension of rights. Civil

movements’ uprisings are treated as independent cases with emphasis on their effects. While the

textbook account remains intent on highlighting the erroneous nature of America, Rollins account

is void of these vital point. For instance, Environmentalists in America fostered citizens to partake

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in environmental decisions that affected them. There were presses for state and church

independence and even a peace approach being the last resort for America after having succumbed

to the effects of war such as that of Harlem (Foner 1000). Even the role of politicians in the

American Script is highlighted, Foner’s account s thus more narrative in terms of its style while

Rollins takes a more factual approach.

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Works Cited

Foner, Eric. "Give Me Liberty." Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty. n.d. 1022.

Rollins, Judith. "Part of a Whole: The Interdependence of the Civil Rights Movements and Other

Social Movements." Phylon (2013): 61-70.

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