This single-volume work provides a concise, up-to-date, and reliable reference work that students, teachers, and general readers can turn to for a comprehensive overview of the civil rights movement-a period of time incorporating events that shaped today's society. * Includes primary documents such as the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 accompanied by introductory essays that provide key historical context * Supplies entries on a broad cast of actors, ranging from Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X to Septima Clark, Virginia and Clifford Durr, Rosa Parks, and The Last Poets, thereby capturing the diversity of those who fought for racial equality * Provides sidebars and carefully selected images that bring this people's movement to life for high school readers-personal stories; descriptions of lesser-known individuals, organizations, and speeches; connections to popular culture; and maps of the freedom ride route.

An A-to-Z examination of the civil rights movement in America. The majority of the entries are biographies of the most important men and women who comprised the movement. Others examine events that made clear that race was a national problem, not just a southern problem. Also included are key documents such as laws, speeches, and FBI files.