Have you ever wondered how segregation was abolished and how African Americans truly gained their freedom? Well, several important figures, including Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, and Thurgood Marshall, made a huge difference in the movement. Their morals and values ​​were that one day people could look at each other the same way and not see color, but rather a human being. They showcased these values ​​in their courageous actions such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the “I Have a Dream” speech, which paved the way for our great country to this day. Therefore, the Civil Rights Movement was an important event for the African American community because it marked the end of segregation, uplifted African Americans, and elevated the history of the United States forever. First and foremost, in the mid-1960s, was legal segregation. , also known as Jim Crow laws, were successfully ended by the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Then-President John F. Kennedy called for a legislation saying “give all Americans the right to vote.” right to be served in establishments open to the public –” as well as “greater protection of the right to vote” in his 1963 civil rights speech (Kennedy). The Civil Rights Act prohibited racial discrimination in hiring, promotion, and firing in employment and public accommodations. Additionally, the Voting Rights Act protected all voting rights for Americans of all races, not just African Americans. However, prejudices were still alive and present, especially in the south. Not everyone agreed with the new laws being developed, but blacks nevertheless did not lose hope. They continued to preserve and fight for their rights in hopes that change would come... middle of paper ... color. It is for this reason that it is the most important event in African American history and culture because of its great achievement in the freedom of black people and the end of all discrimination for all. Works cited by King Jr, Martin Luther. Letter from Birmingham Prison. Publisher Weekly 260.25 (2013) 170. Literary Reference Center. Internet. March 6, 2014.King Jr, Martin Luther. Martin Luther King, Jr. I have a dream. American rhetoric. Estate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Intellectual Property Management One Freedom Plaza. August 28, 1963. the web. March 5, 2014. Sanders, Viv. Boycott of Rosa Parks and Montgomery buses. History Review 55 (2006): 3-8. MasterFILE elite. Internet. March 6, 2014. Vernell, Marjorie. Black civil rights leaders. San Diego: Lucent Books, c2000. Print.Woog, Adam. Flight Renewed: The Civil Rights Movement. Thomson Gale 35-36. Print. March 7. 2014