Mlk

A Timeline of the Moments in the Civil Rights Movement that were Helped by Religious Involvement

By histproj

  • The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is Formed

    Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other Baptist leaders form the SCLC to serve as a civil rights organization. The organization, as can be seen even from its name, was founded in Judeo-Christian ideals and sustained by Christian leaders.

  • The Birmingham Campaign

    The SCLC created the Birmingham Campaign in the spring of 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. More specifically, the campaign was organized by the Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth in his Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. The campaign, although aided by youth members of the movement, was completely founded in religious principles and headed by religious leaders.

  • Letter from Birmingham Jail

    Dr. King's letter, written during his time in jail in Birmingham after being arrested, continuously cites religious texts. This letter quickly became famous for its eloquence and is still studied today. Dr. King references various religious idols, but the most impressive mention of God and/or religious beliefs is his simple statement: ". . . .the judgment of God is upon the church as never before."

  • The Civil Rights March on Washington

    Clergy members involved themselves deeply in the Civil Rights March on Washington in 1963. This was the same march where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. The event was televised and the religious involvement caused a rise in the number of people attending the event. Dr. King's religious background and familiarity addressing crowds due to his work as a minister also aided his delivery of the speech.

  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Delivers his "I Have a Dream" Speech

    During the Great March on Washington, Dr. King delivered this famous speech, which drew on the speaking styles of religious leaders/gospel and sporadically mentioned religion ("Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children"). His last line was, famously, "Thank God Almighty, we are free at last." The gospel-like deliverance of this speech and the intermittent mention of God makes this work rooted in religion.

  • The 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing

    The 16th Street Baptist Church had been a local meeting place for those involved in the Birmingham Campaign of 1963, so bombing it was an effective way to harm the Movement.The bombing killed 4 black girls. The reason this violent event helped the Civil Rights Movement is because it encouraged the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, in consideration of the amount of violence taking place against the black community.

  • Malcolm X Delivers his "Message to the Grass Roots"

    Malcolm X challenged the method of civil disobedience using religion. His use of religion as a medium to gather followers was essential to his cause, and though he believed in a different kind of revolution, he rallied support to the Civil Rights Movement in general. He used the qu'ran as an inspirational tool by making claims such as this: "There is nothing in our book, the Koran, that teaches us to suffer peacefully. . . An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth... That's a good religion.

  • Malcolm X Founded the Muslim Mosque, Inc.

    After leaving the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X founded the Muslim Mosque, Inc. for religious activists.

  • Malcolm X's Pilgrimage to Mecca

    Malcolm X's Pilgrimage to Mecca caused him to rethink his strategy in the Civil Rights Movement, and to use Islam as a means of overcoming racial divisions instead of using it to promote black power. Though he died before he could further spread this message, his change of heart further united members of the movement who disagreed on how to best further their cause.

  • The Selma-to-Montgomery March

    A March from Selma, AL to Montgomery, AL demanding voting rights for African-Americans drew several thousand clergy.

  • James Reeb is Killed

    On March 9, 1965 Minister James Reeb, a white member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, was clubbed during the Selma to Montgomery march. He died two days later. His death was, like the 16th Street Baptist Bombing, disheartening to the movement at the time but ultimately helpful for the national outcry it caused. It drew attention to the violence being directed at protesters and even elicited a response from the President.

  • James Forman's "Black Manifesto"

    James Forman wrote a "Black Manifesto" which he presented to the National Black Economic Development Conference. In it he demanded that churches pay upwards of $500 million to members of the black community as a form of reparations for slavery. Though the sum was never paid, this demand came as a sign of unity from the black community.