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Difficulty: HardThe Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s

"We march today for jobs and freedom, but we have nothing to be proud of. For hundreds and thousands of our people are not here. For they have no money for their transportation, for they are receiving starvation wages...

We support the administration's civil rights bill, but we support it with great reservations... This bill will not protect young children and old women from police dogs and fire hoses in Mississippi and Alabama... As it stands now, the voting section of this bill will not help the thousands of black people who want to vote...

We must have a legislation that will protect the Mississippi sharecropper and the Alabama domestic..."
— John Lewis, Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 1963

Which of the following developments within the civil rights movement of the 1960s is most directly illustrated by the reservations expressed in the excerpt?

  1. The growing tension between grassroots activists and mainstream leadership over the moderation and pace of federal civil rights initiativesAnswer
  2. B
    A consensus among civil rights organizations to abandon legal reforms and domestic political lobbying
  3. C
    The universal transition of youth activist groups toward armed self-defense and Black Power ideology
  4. D
    The swift implementation of Great Society economic reforms across Southern rural communities

Answer

The growing tension between grassroots activists and mainstream leadership over the moderation and pace of federal civil rights initiatives
The correct answer is correct because John Lewis's speech, representing the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), voiced significant dissatisfaction with the moderate pace and scope of the federal government's civil rights proposal. This reflects the internal friction between grassroots activists, who demanded direct federal protection for rural southern blacks, and mainstream leadership, who favored working within established political channels to pass national legislation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the historical context and author of the excerpt
The excerpt is from a 1963 speech by John Lewis, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), at the March on Washington.
Identifying the speaker and the organization provides crucial context regarding their position within the civil rights movement.
2
Analyze the specific arguments and reservations made in the text
Lewis expresses reservations about the federal government's proposed civil rights bill, arguing it does not go far enough to protect voters and sharecroppers.
This reveals a critique of federal moderation and the limitations of the proposed legislative solutions.
3
Evaluate the options to find the one that best connects the text to broader 1960s civil rights trends
The critique demonstrates a clear division and tension between grassroots activists (who wanted more radical, immediate federal action and protection) and mainstream leadership (who prioritized compromises to secure passage of the bill).
This shows how the movement was not a monolith and possessed internal debates about tactics and goals.

Key Concept

The internal debates over strategy and philosophy within the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s

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