Radical Change
Post World War 2, the United States saw a massive push for civil rights for minorities across the country. This sparked big time especially during the Vietnam War, when so much about the United States as a whole was talked about, recognized, and past the line. However, this era of radical change saw other things such as new waves of immigration of people from around the world.
Civil rights (1953-1963)Activism and groups: Many civil rights groups that battled for social justice and equal rights were based in New England. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), for instance, had a strong presence in Boston and actively promoted civil rights and opposed segregation. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) were also active in the area, planning rallies, sit-ins, and other acts of civil disobedience.
School desegregation in Boston: In the 1970s, Boston turned into a flashpoint for school integration initiatives. As African American kids were bused to predominately white schools to end segregation, racial tensions were at an all-time high. This resulted in rallies, disputes, and protests—among them the iconic "busing riots" that brought the New England civil rights movement to the attention of the country. Figure 11 - A new wave of immigration (picture from Wikipedia, source 3) #
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Figure 10 - Protests for Civil Rights (picture from Audrea Jones Dunham's "Boston's 1960s Civil Rights Movement: A Look Back") #
Immigration movement in New England
European settlers, especially the Pilgrims who founded the Plymouth Colony, arrived in New England in the 17th century, beginning a long history of immigration. Other European ethnic groups, including the English, Dutch, Irish, Italian, and French, moved to the area over time, adding to the region's unique cultural legacy. Many of these early immigrants came in search of spiritual or professional possibilities.
Refugees from numerous conflicts and persecution across the world have also found sanctuary in New England. For instance, New England made a large contribution to the resettling of refugees from Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, who had been uprooted by the Vietnam War, throughout the 1970s and 1980s. New England has recently taken in refugees from nations including Somalia, Sudan, Iraq, and Syria, among others. |
Sources for this page
1) Open Vault from GBH, Audrea Jones Dunham, Boston's 1960s Civil Rights Movement: A Look Back, accessed April 15th 2023, openvault.wgbh.org/exhibits/boston_civil_rights/article
2) American Ancestors, Lynn Betlock, New England's Great Migration, 2003, accessed April 15th 2023, www.americanancestors.org/new-englands-great-migration
3) Wikipedia, Arriving at Ellis Island, January 1rst 1915, Accessed April 15th 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_immigration_to_the_United_States#/media/File:Arriving_at_Ellis_Island_LCCN2014710703.tif
2) American Ancestors, Lynn Betlock, New England's Great Migration, 2003, accessed April 15th 2023, www.americanancestors.org/new-englands-great-migration
3) Wikipedia, Arriving at Ellis Island, January 1rst 1915, Accessed April 15th 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_immigration_to_the_United_States#/media/File:Arriving_at_Ellis_Island_LCCN2014710703.tif