Social Justice Activism

Contributions of the Civil Rights Movement
During the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, activists participated in a social
movement that created a unified atmosphere and advocated goals of social justice and
equality. The community organization and the social values of the era have translated to
the Environmental Justice movement.
Similar Goals and Tactics
The Environmental Justice movement and the Civil Rights Movement have many
commonalities. At their core, the movements' goals are the same: "social justice, equal
protection, and an end to institutional discrimination." By stressing the similarities of the
two movements, it emphasizes that environmental equity is a right for all citizens.
Because the two movements have parallel goals, it is useful to employ similar tactics
that often emerge on the grassroots level. Common confrontational strategies include
protests, neighborhood demonstrations, picketing, political pressure, and
demonstration.
Existing Organizations and Leaders
Just as the civil rights movement of the 1960s began in the South, the fight for
environmental equity has been largely based in the South, where environmental
discrimination is most prominent. In these southern communities, black churches and
other voluntary associations are used to organize resistance efforts, including research
and demonstrations, such as the protest in Warren County, North Carolina. As a result
of the existing community structure, many church leaders and civil rights activists, such
as Reverend Benjamin Chavis Muhammad, have spearheaded the Environmental
Justice movement.
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