organized many sit-ins.
In 1961 a group called the Congress of
Racial Equality began sponsoring Freedom
Rides through the South. African
Americans and whites traveled together
to make sure buses and stations were
integrated. Some Freedom Riders were
beaten or arrested. In Alabama a bus was
bombed.
In August 1963 about 250,000 people
gathered in Washington, D.C., to urge
Congress to pass a civil rights law. The
people sang “We Shall Overcome,” and
King delivered a powerful speech
known for the phrase “I Have a
Dream.” The event was called the
March on Washington.
The civil rights movement won major
victories with the passage of new laws in
1964 and 1965. The Civil Rights Act of
1964 was the most extensive civil rights
law in U.S. history. It outlawed discrimi-
In 1958 a group of African American children
take part in a protest against a restaurant
in Oklahoma. The restaurant had
refused to serve African Americans.
Crowds of people protested for civil rights
at the March on Washington in 1963.
130 Civil Rights Movement BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
nation in public places, in hiring, and in
government programs. It also ended
registration requirements and other
obstacles to voting. The Voting Rights
Act of 1965 ended other voting restrictions
and led to a great increase in the
number of black voters.
Beyond the Civil Rights
Movement
Some African Americans were not
satisfied with the progress made by the
civil rights movement. Frustration led
to rioting in several cities between 1965
and 1967. Some blacks formed groups
that were willing to use violence to win
racial justice. Malcolm X was an early
leader of this “black power” movement.
In 1968 King was assassinated in
Memphis, Tennessee. His murder ended
the civil rights movement as a unified
effort.
In the years that followed, however,
many civil rights leaders continued to
work for racial equality by running for
political office. The number of black
public officials grew dramatically. Black
leaders sought to help African Americans
by supporting affirmative-action
programs. These programs tried to make
up for past wrongs by assuring economic
and educational opportunities for
blacks, women, and other groups.
#More to explore
African Americans • Du Bois,W.E.B.
• King, Martin Luther, Jr. • Marshall,
Thurgood • National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
• Slavery
CivilWar,
American
#see American Civil War.
CivilWar,
Spanish
#see Spanish Civil War.
Clam
#see Bivalve.
Classical Music
The term classical music has several
meanings. Many countries call their own
traditional or ancient music classical
music. However, inWestern parts of the
world people use the term classical
music to refer to art music.
Art music, or classical music, is different
from popular and folk music. Classical
music is more complex. It is usually
written down in a form that classical
musicians can read off the page. Classical
musicians do not frequently improvise.
To improvise means to make up
music while playing it.
Instruments and Forms
People called composers write classical
music. They write classical music for
different types of instruments. The
music may require stringed instruments,
wind instruments, keyboard instru-
Much of the
classical music
that is performed
today
was written
hundreds of
years ago.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Classical Music 131
ments, or percussion instruments, or a
combination of any of these.
Composers usually decide how many
instruments should play a musical work.
A musical work may be written for only
one instrument, a few instruments, or a
large group of instruments. An orchestra
is a large group of instruments.
History
Classical music developed in Europe
over hundreds of years. Much of the
earliest classical music was used in religious
ceremonies. Later, nonreligious
music became more popular. Musicians
often performed classical music to entertain
audiences in royal courts.
Classical musical grew and changed rapidly
from the late 1500s to the mid-
1700s. The modern orchestra was
formed during this time. Also, musicians
created new types of classical music,
such as opera. One of the greatest composers
of this time was Johann Sebastian
Bach.
Music experts call the time from about
1750 to 1820 the classical age. In this
period, musicians developed a number
of musical forms. One of them was the
symphony, a long musical composition
for an orchestra. Another was the string
quartet, a musical composition for two
violins, a viola, and a cello. Some important
composers from the classical age are
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig
van Beethoven.
Beethoven’s music influenced many
classical composers of the 1800s. Much
classical music during this time was dramatic
and emotional. Some of the most
famous composers from this period are
Peter Tchaikovsky and Johannes
Brahms.
The 1900s were a time of great experimentation
in classical music. Composers
used new forms and even new instruments.
For example, electronic instruments
opened up new ways of
expression for composers and musicians.
Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky, and
John Cage were important composers of
the 1900s.
#More to explore
