"At the end of her work day on December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks took a seat on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. This began a journey that would change America, when a weary Parks chose to defy the system of racial segregation by refusing to give up her seat, as required by law, to a white passenger. Her refusal to move to the back of the bus resulted in her arrest--and ignited a citywide bus boycott by black riders, that in turn sparked the civil rights...

"James Farmer was one of the most influential leaders in America's fight against racial discrimination. A Methodist minister, Farmer formed the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in 1942 to orchestrate a campaign of nonviolent direct action for an integrated society. Holding defiant yet peaceful protests for the purpose of ending segregation in housing, restaurants, and other public facilities, the organization emerged as a major force in the civil...

"The Reverend Jesse Jackson is one of the most articulate and recognizable figures of the civil rights movement. Working with Martin Luther King Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), his organizational skills and mesmerizing speaking style brought him national attention. Jackson waged groundbreaking campaigns for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988. In recent years Jackson has continued to draw attention...

Traces the life and historical impact of the noted abolitionist, detailing his birth into slavery and harsh upbringing, his subsequent escape, and his emergence as a leader.

The Reverend Al Sharpton is a flamboyant and controversial figure who for decades has led protest marches and demonstrations to draw attention to injustices committed against the African-American community. During the 1980s and 1990s Sharpton's high-profile cases occurred mainly in the New York area, but today he is a nationally recognized figure. Sharpton has been the target of violence, including an assassination attempt. Yet he has persisted in...

Profiles the Black Muslim leader who encouraged the use of violence in the quest for civil rights for African Americans.