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Difficulty: MediumThe Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s

Source: Bayard Rustin, civil rights activist, "From Protest to Politics," 1965

"The decade spanned by 1954–1964 was the decade of the classical civil rights movement... We are challenged now to broaden our social vision. We must look beyond the simple demands of desegregation to the more complex problems of economic exploitation, substandard housing, and inadequate schools. The movement must transition from a protest movement targeting legal discrimination to a political movement capable of reforming the basic socioeconomic structure of the nation."

Which of the following developments in the mid-to-late 1960s best represents the transition in the civil rights movement described in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The introduction of New Deal programs to guarantee federal employment for African American workers
  2. The growing focus of civil rights leaders on economic inequality and poverty in northern and western citiesAnswer
  3. C
    The emergence of a broad consensus among civil rights groups to pursue a single nonviolent political strategy
  4. D
    The redirection of civil rights campaigns to support containment policies and military mobilization in Vietnam

Answer

The growing focus of civil rights leaders on economic inequality and poverty in northern and western cities
The correct answer is correct because the excerpt calls for the civil rights movement to transition from fighting legal segregation to addressing systemic economic issues. In the mid-to-late 1960s, leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and organizations like the SCLC and SNCC shifted their focus toward urban poverty, de facto segregation, and economic exploitation in cities outside the South, such as Chicago.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document to identify the central argument.
The author argues that the civil rights movement must transition from focusing solely on legal desegregation (the goals of the 1954–1964 phase) to tackling broader socioeconomic inequalities such as housing, schooling, and economic exploitation.
Understanding the author's primary thesis is necessary to find the corresponding historical development.
2
Evaluate the historical developments of the mid-to-late 1960s against the author's argument.
Following the passage of major civil rights legislation in 1964 and 1965, the movement expanded its focus to target urban poverty, housing discrimination, and economic inequality, exemplified by campaigns like the Poor People's Campaign and the Chicago Freedom Movement.
Connecting the theoretical shift described in the text to actual historical events of the era identifies the correct answer.

Key Concept

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s

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