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This course examines the development of the American Civil Rights Movement from roughly the Reconstruction era through the early twenty-first century, paying particular attention to the ways the movement unfolded in the American South, the region of the country that served as the tactical, political, and intellectual epicenter. We will examine the social, cultural, political, and economic climate of the movement and consider how Black people and their allies navigated the titanic changes that occurred during a period many refer to as the “Second Reconstruction.”

Specifically, the course will focus on various individuals and organizations and the strategies they implemented to effect change; the tension between local and national initiatives; the impact of gender on the formulation of civil rights struggles; the significance of major events, such as World War II; Brown v. Board of Education; the founding of key organizations like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC); legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and the continued quest for equality and self-determination in the contemporary moment. Additionally, we will grapple with the varied responses to the Black Freedom Struggle over the course of this continuous quest.

COURSE CONTENT

• Twelve lectures
• Primary source readings to complement the lectures
• A certificate of completion for 15 hours of professional development credit

Readings: The suggested readings for each session will be listed in the “Resources” link on the course site. You are not required to read or purchase any print materials. The quizzes are based on the lectures.

Course Access: After your purchase, you may access your course by signing into the Gilder Lehrman website and clicking on the My Courses link, which can be found under My Account in the navigation menu.

Questions? Please view our FAQs or email selfpacedcourses@gilderlehrman.org.

LEAD SCHOLAR: Charles McKinney

Charles W. McKinney is an associate professor of history at Rhodes College. He is a scholar of the Civil Rights Movement and has a special interest in illuminating the under-researched phenomenon of mass-based protest and community struggle that takes place far removed from the urban centers of the South. McKinney has published three books on the Civil Rights Movement and is currently working on a project that explores the life and career of George Washington Lee, an African American Republican operative and civil rights activist who lived in Memphis in the mid-twentieth century.