There are things I learned following the Civil Rights Movement about lessons learned in the process. For example, people cannot change what others think, but at the same time they can change how they act. Therefore, their actions will change the way they think. Also, people are their own downfall. Our forefathers brought African- Americans here. Yet, we blame them for being here. They are part of the history of the greatest nation in the world. But we hated and despised them and still do and for years the "United" States went nowhere. People realized that this was an obstacle that they themselves needed to find a way through, as opposed to jumping over it or going around. America still struggles when it comes to equity and equality.
During Dr. King's speech many hearts and minds were touched. He focused on the future and how our possibilities to get there as a nation were endless. Many people were convinced, white and black. But some still wanted segregation. Activists like Dr. King sparked the decisions of the government to change laws that were pro-segregation, such as the Jim Crow Laws. These laws changed how people were treated, for example, by making public places and accommodations necessary for intergrated uses, regardless of race and color. Soon enough people started to accept the fact that they had to be intergrated and forget about their hatred toward blacks.
America's struggle to acheive equity and equality still balances our lack of accepting differences in all its forms. "Equality is not synonomous with equity and, thus, rather than striving for equality amongst groups of people we should work toward equitable inequalities that reflect the needs and strengths of the various groups" (Jay Hill). Hill was referring to educational purposes but this statement is true in more of a broad view and can be applied when talking about equity and equality.
http://mste.illinois.edu/hill/papers/equity.html
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