Achieving Civil Rights, 1960–1965

Following Martin Luther King’s model of nonviolent protest, civil rights activists held sit-ins, boycotts, marches, and demonstrations throughout the 1960s. The process of breaking down Jim Crow was not easy. But by 1965, federal civil rights legislation guaranteed equal access to public accommodations and the polls. In this chapter we’ll read stories of protest and change from North Carolina and across the South.



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Artifacts

Black protestors gather outside a large legislative building.


In this 1963 photo, black Americans gather outside of North Carolina's Legislative Building to protest for equal rights. Image is copyrighted. All rights reserved by News and Observer (Raleigh, NC). Published here with permission.


Black protestors chant and stand in protest.

A group of black protesters chanting and clapping on the lawn of the Executive Mansion in Raleigh, North Carolina. Image is copyrighted and owned by the News and Observer (Raleigh, NC).