Historical Frame of Reference
African Americans in the 1940s-1950s lived in a world where segregation was a major, major issue. Blacks had little rights, and were severely segregated from whites, especially in southern states and cities. Montgomery, Birmingham, and Selma were major cities in which civil rights protests were performed. The sign to the left shows such discrimination, as "colored" people and white people were required to drink at different water fountains. Edgar Nixon was one of many blacks who were mistreated due to the color of their skin.
Edgar Nixon was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. Along with Selma and Birmingham, Montgomery was a main city in the South which promoted and protested for black rights. The map to the right shows the location of Montgomery in Alabama. In Montgomery, Nixon worked in the NAACP, MIA, and launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
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Civil Rights leaders', during this period of time, main goal was to regain their guaranteed 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendment rights. These three very important amendments secured African Americans the freedom from slavery, civil rights, and the ability to vote. Once these three rights were "taken away," through discrimination, leaders such as E.D. Nixon, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King Jr. fought to gain them back.
ABOVE: Graphic of 13th, 14th. and 15th Amendment rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
SOURCE: Pinterest.com
SOURCE: Pinterest.com