For many Americans, the 1950s were a time of unprecedented prosperity. But not everyone experienced this financial well-being. In the “other” America, about 40 million people lived in poverty, untouched by the economic boom. How could this happen in a land of plenty?

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In many ways, the events of World War II set the stage for the civil rights movement of the 1950's. The demand for soldiers in the early 1940s created a shortage of white male laborers. That labor shortage opened up new job opportunities for African Americans, Latinos, and white women. After the war, Black men who had fought against fascism now worked to ensure that the long-standing practices of intolerance and discrimination in our own nation would come to an end. Were they successful?

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This video thoroughly describes the process of "redlining," and what it means for people of color.

After watching the video, answer the Quick Write and submit your response to Dr. Vargas at nav6916@lausd.net.

Despite violent opposition from segregationists and police, the civil rights movement of the 1950's led to federal legislation which protected voting rights, desegregation in public education and housing, and equal opportunity in the work place.

Dr. Martin Luther King used non-violent protest to gain public support for the civil rights movement. By the mid 1960's, other Black leaders emerged who felt Dr. King's methods were too conservative to effectively end racial discrimination. With King's assassination in 1968, the civil rights movement saw a radical shift to address the grinding poverty and emerging political power of the Black community in America.