Who was the leader of the civil rights movement during the 1960s?

The leader of the civil rights movement during the 1960s was Martin Luther King Jr. He was pivotal in advocating for nonviolent protest as a means to achieve racial equality and justice in the United States. His leadership was characterized by powerful oratory, including his famous "I Have a Dream" speech delivered during the 1963 March on Washington, where he called for an end to racism and for civil and economic rights for African Americans.

King's strategies were instrumental in major civil rights milestones, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, both transformative pieces of legislation that aimed to eliminate racial discrimination. He emphasized love and peace as powerful tools for social change, making a significant impact not only in the U.S. but around the world.

In contrast, while Malcolm X was a prominent figure advocating for the rights of African Americans, his approach was often considered more militant and separatist compared to King's philosophy of integration and nonviolence. Rosa Parks is celebrated for her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, but she did not lead the movement as a whole. Frederick Douglass was an earlier key figure in the abolition movement in the 19th century, long before the civil rights