When you think of the term “civil rights movement,” images of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s may come to mind. The civil rights movement of the ’50s and ’60s may be the most famous in the history of the nation because it effected tremendous change in the United States. This movement, however, was not the only civil rights movement in the nation’s history. In fact, there have been segments of the American population whose civil rights have been limited or restricted throughout history.

In this resource, you will trace the development of civil rights movements in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. You will also identify political organizations that played a role in promoting civil rights throughout the United States’ history.