Civil Rights Day – January 20, 2025

History of Civil Rights Day

America was inhabited by the Aztecs, Mayans, and the Incas before the Europeans came in while searching for spice. Instead, when they found silver and gold they decided to stay and build their kingdoms in the new territory while committing genocide against the natives. When people from other areas learned of the riches of this land, they too traveled to America but what happened to them? They were sold as slaves, particularly those transported from Africa to labor for the Europeans.

This slavery continued and rose to its peak during the American Civil War when conditions for anyone who was not white and European were brutal. Slavery as an institution came to an end with the Civil War’s conclusion, but for people of color, it was likely merely a change in the status quo. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution were ratified during the Reconstruction Era, and every slave was emancipated and granted the constitutional status of a free American citizen. However, this was not how the rest of the world saw them.

Despite the constitution’s promise of equal civil rights, African Americans were disproportionately targeted for social discrimination, followed by persons of other races such as the Red Indians. Even though the Civil War ended in 1865, civil rights campaigns had to begin a century later to bring about any probable change in the living situations of such people. Martin Luther King Jr. founded the Civil Rights Movement in 1954 to eradicate racial segregation, discrimination, intolerance, and brutality.

The movement lasted 14 years, in which it not only gained support from the entire African American community but also from other racial minorities living in the U.S. During this time, five federal laws and one constitutional amendment (24th amendment) were passed by Congress and many federal institutions were set up to end the racial conflicts.

On April 4, 1968, while planning a national occupation of Washington D.C. in a Poor People’s Campaign, he was assassinated allegedly by James Earl Ray. Riots followed in every state and many conspiracy theories emerged, but the entire point was and always has been to get equal civil rights for all citizens of America without segregation and discrimination. Since 1971, Civil Rights Day is celebrated as a national holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and his efforts in the Civil Rights Movement. One of the ways that many organizations are attempting to increase diversity is by providing funding to minorities and people of color.  To increase the number of Black students in various academic and professional fields organizations establish scholarships for Black students to help them afford college or university.