1972 (Exploring Civil Rights: The Rise)

Book excerpt: Learn about the key events of the civil rights movement in the latest installment of this exciting and informative series. The year 1972 was one of major accomplishments in the civil rights movement. In January, Shirley Chisolm became an inspiration as the first African American to seek the presidential nomination of a major political party. In February, Wilt Chamberlain won the NBA title for the Los Angeles Lakers and was named the Most Valuable Player, securing his place as one of the most talented athletes in the history of sports. The National Black Political Convention was held in March with a crowd of ten thousand African Americans to discuss and advocate for Black communities that were in economic and social crisis across the country. And in November, Andrew Jackson Young Jr., of Georgia, and Barbara Jordan from Texas became the first African Americans in the twentieth century elected to Congress from the Deep South. This detailed account explains why 1972 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement. ABOUT THE SERIES: The years from 1967 to 1978 were critical to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for even more progress in the coming decades. Discover how this specific time period brought about change and how it still affects us as a society today. With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.