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ESPRITPage19ByYMSSGTEmmaLangleyLewisandClarkWATheCivilRightsMovementencompassedsocialmovementsintheUnitedStateswiththegoalofendingracialsegregationanddiscriminationagainstblackAmeri-cansandenforcetheirconstitutionalvot-ingrights.Thecivilrightsmovementwasaturn-ingpointinourcountryshistory.Itshowedthatnomatterhowoppressedapersonorraceisiftheyarewillingtoperseveretheywillbeabletoovercomeanything.Whiletherearemanyimportantdatesandactsofcivilresistancethattookplacebe-tween1955and1986IwillfocusonthreeofthemTheMontgomeryAlabamaBusBoycottwhichtookplacein1955thein-uentialGreensborosit-insinNorthCaro-linain1960andtheSelmatoMontgomeryMarchesin1965.TheMontgomeryBusBoycottbeganonDecember11955whenRosaParksre-fusedtogiveherseatonabustoawhitepassengerwhenthebusdriverJamesBlakeattemptedtoforcehertodoso.ShewasarrestedforhercrimeandvowedtoneveragainrideabusdrivenbyBlake.E.D.NixonthepresidentoftheNationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofCol-oredPeopleNAACPsawthisasanop-portunityforMontgomerysblackcitizenstochallengethepracticeofsegregationoncitybuses.AsaresultofthisboycotttheblackcommunitynallywontheirlongandhardstruggleonDecember201956whenthecitypassedanordinanceallow-ingblackbuspassengerstositvirtuallyanywheretheychoseonbuses.TheGreensboroSit-InbeganonFebruary11960.ThesewereaseriesofnonviolentprotestsaimedattheWoolworthDepart-mentStoresracialsegregationpolicy.Theybeganwhenfourstudentswerere-fusedserviceatalunchcounter.Whenaskedtoleavetheyrefusedandstayeduntilthestorewasclosed.Theamountofparticipantsgrewfromfourtomorethan300peopleinfourdays.Assit-insspreadaroundthestatemoreandmorepeoplebecameawareoftheirstruggleforequal-ity.Despitetheseeffortsthestoresre-mainedsegregateduntil1965.TheSelmatoMontgomeryMarch.AlsoknownasBloodySunday.This1965marchandtwomarchesthatfollowedmarkedthepeakoftheAmericancivilrightsmove-ment.AllthreewereattemptstomarchfromSelmatotheAlabamacapitolinMontgomery.TherstmarchtookplaceonMarch71965andbecameknownasBloodySunday.Sixhundredmarch-ersprotestingtheshootingdeathofcivilrightsprotestorJimmieLeeJacksonbyanAlabamaStateTrooperaswellasongoingexclusionfromvotingwereattackedbystateandlocalpolicewithclubsandteargas.ThesecondmarchwasheldthefollowingTuesdayMarch9thandresultedin2500protestersturningaroundaftercrossingtheEdmundPettusBridge.ThethirdmarchoccurredonMarch16.Themarchersaveraged10milesadayalongU.S.Route80knowninAlabamaastheJeffersonDavisHighway.Protectedby2000soldiersoftheU.S.ArmymembersoftheAlabamaNationalGuardunderFederalcommandandmanyFBIagentsandFed-eralMarshalsmarchersarrivedinMont-gomeryonMarch24andattheAlabamaStateCapitolonMarch251965.Intheendtheblackcommunitysuc-ceededingainingequalityandworkedtoeliminateracialsegregationintheUnitedStates.Ihopethatthisarticlehasmadeyouthinkabouthowevenwhenputupagainstim-possibleoddsyoucanstillstandupforwhatyoubelieveinandwin.AmericanValuesTheCivilRightsMovementTuskeegeeAirmenMontfordPointMarinesandHistoryByYMCplMariahHenkYMCplMaceBondandYMLCplCaseyBondSpeedwayINInobservanceofBlackHistoryMonthourunitwasinvitedtoattendameetingandawardceremonyfortheTuskegeeAirmen.AlthoughthetermTuskegeeAirmenreferstoallthemenandwomenblackorwhitewhowereinvolvedintheTuskegeeexpe-rienceIbelievetheoriginalTuskegeeAir-menweresquadronsofBlackpilotswhoewmanycombatmissionsduringWWII.ThesemembersoftheArmyAirCorpswereunfortunatelysegregatedbythelawsofthattime.Theywereeventuallyrec-ognizedassomeofthebestpilotswhoservedduringWWIIandformedthe323rdFlightGroupandthe477thBombardmentGroup.KnownastheRed-TailAngelsfortheredpaintonthetailsoftheirairplanestheyboastedsomeveryimpressivecombatrecords.OurUnitattendedameetingoftheTuske-geeAirmenonSundayFebruary23rd.TheguestspeakerwastheonlylivingTuskegeeAirmaninIndianaArthurCarterSr.AlsoatthismeetingwasoneoftheoriginalMontfordPointMarinesSgtMajWashing-ton.SgtMajWashingtonreceivedaCon-gressionalGoldMedalatthismeetingandourunitwitnessedthisexcitingmoment.TheoriginalMontfordPointMarinesweretherstAfricanAmericanstoentertheMarineCorps.TheseMarinesfoughtinWWIIandareanimportantpartofMarineCorpshistoryandUnitedStateshistory.ShortlyafterPresidentTrumanendedmili-tarysegregationin1948CampMontfordPointwasshutdownandlaternamedCampJohnsonaftertheMarineCorpsrstblackdrillinstructor.ThenumberofMontfordPointMarinesarequicklyfadingastheyearsgoonOurunitiscommittedtolearningasmuchaspossibletokeeptheirhistoryfreshinthemindsofyouthandadults.Wegivethankstoallveteransofourarmedforces.With-outyourstrugglesandyourtriumphsthiscountrywouldbeverydifferenttoday.SpeedwayYoungMarinesUnitCommanderDavidHulettaddsWewerehumbledbythepresenceofthesegreatmenandwerepresentwhenoneoftheMontfordPointMarineswasawardedaCongressionalGoldMedal.SeveralpeopleattendedthisceremonyandweatSpeedwayYoungMarineshad80ofourunitinattendance.TheYoungMarineswereatalossforwordsmeetingandtalkingwiththesemenaswasI.SeeingtheglimerintheireyesastheyspokewiththeYoungMarinesgavemeconrmationthatweweresupposedtobethere.AnIndianaStateRepresentativeKarleeMacerattendedandspentseveralminutesgettingtoknowthekidsaswell.ItwasaheartwarmingeventandIbelievewemadesomeeverlastingfriends.ThankyoutotheTuskegeeAirmenandtheMontfordPointMarinesfortheinvitationandwethankyouforyourserviceyoursacricesandforpavingthewayforsomany.IencourageeveryonetolearnaboutboththeMontfordPointMarinesandtheTuske-geeAirmentheyareanimportantpartofMilitaryandU.S.History.AnIndianaUnitwasInvitedtoParticipateinaSpecialEvent