Televisionbecame a major part of American life in the 1950's with over 90% of homesowning a television. Blacks fight against racism was shown all over America andto the rest of the world, but how much of an affect did it have on the lawspassed?

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Daniel Sibley

The main reason for the ending of segregation was the TV, do you agree?

Television became a major part of American life in the 1950’s with over 90% of homes owning a television. Blacks fight against racism was shown all over America and to the rest of the world, but how much of an affect did it have on the laws passed?

During the 1950’s, as television grew, there were several big segregation incidents in the south. First Brown versus the Education Board, 1954, which led to the end of segregation in schools. Despite this, it did not attract the media they needed. Next came the Bus Boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, 1955. After a year of resisting to use buses a new law was passed ending segregation on transport. This protest, lead by Martin Luther King, brought the first Television media. The third was Little Rock, where blacks wished to enter a white school but the Governor stopped them, which caused violence between whites and blacks. Television shocked the world with the truth of segregation. President Eisenhower had to act. This led to the civil rights act of 1957, making discrimination illegal.

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After the 1950s, the civil rights movement had gained in strength. April 1963, a peaceful demonstration, Birmingham, Alabama, King was arrested and chief of police, Bull Connor, ordered his men to attack. Over 3,300 peaceful protesters were attacked with tear gas, fire hoses, dogs and cattle prods. Television showed innocent people being brutally hurt, which stirred public opinion.

In August 1963 250,000 people marched on Washington for civil rights. The 28th August would be the day when King revealed his ‘I have a dream’ speech. This was broadcast around the world persuading people that blacks deserved rights. This persuaded ...

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