Sitting at Barnes and Noble, or Starbucks, with a coffee and a delicious blueberry muffin, doesn't seem so complicated. One problem that might arise: Is there an electrical outlet nearby to plug in the lab top in case the battery runs low? Pretty simple, the coffee is perfect and the internet is up and running. What better morning could there be? Such simple freedoms that everyone takes for granted, without ever questioning whether it is allowed? Who can buy food and drinks here? Is my skin color the right one? Stop thinking about what are my civil rights? How did we get here, to a time where an individual has civil rights? Looking back, do we realize that the hard work of those who stood up to injustice was for a reason? Thus, future generations could enjoy their lives, their families and their right to be treated as human beings. Now try to adapt to the mentality of the 50s and 60s. Until that time, the personal rights of African Americans were different from those of the white people around them. They were expected to do everything separately from white people, including dining out, going to the bathroom, and sitting in the back of the bus. Until this time, the majority of black Americans remained in their place, disliking it and not knowing how to change the status quo. In the beginning, it took personal courage for the individuals who started the civil rights movement. This courage was demonstrated on February 1, 1960 when four students from a local college in Greensboro, Alabama, entered the Woolworth's and sat at the lunch counter waiting to be served. They were denied service, which sparked the sit-ins, sparking the start of the movement for their human rights. Historically, African Americans ...... middle of paper ...... helped King produce the "Birmingham Letter." Jail,” which was African Americans’ response to the “Alabama Clergyman’s Declaration.” King spoke for all who sought equal rights, he spoke for the young, the elderly, the men and women of African blood who were now citizens of the United States, but were still considered non- humans. King was the right person at the right time, which made all the difference. In the present, where are we? Although civil rights exist, the United States still has equal rights issues. We now have not only black Americans, but also Asian Americans, Mexican Americans, and, of course, Native Americans. As the minority slowly becomes the majority, the white contingency now expresses its issues with equal rights or lack thereof. Can there be a definitive answer that would resolve the question of equal rights? No, there is no.