Civil Rights Movement

noun

variants or less commonly American Civil Rights Movement
: a movement (see movement sense 2b(1)) for racial equality in the U.S. that came to prominence in the 1950s and 1960s

Examples of Civil Rights Movement in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, a Smithsonian affiliate, features exhibits and galleries that promote an understanding of Birmingham's role in the Civil Rights Movement. — Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2026 That march, an inflection point in the Civil Rights Movement, also came at a fraught moment for the country, when economic headwinds, civil unrest, political division and the war in Vietnam bitterly divided Americans. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 That march, an inflection point in the Civil Rights Movement, came at a fraught moment for the country, when economic headwinds, civil unrest, political division and the Vietnam War bitterly divided Americans. — Matt Brown, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Clayborn Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church, which played a leading role in the Civil Rights Movement. — Jason Wollschleger, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Civil Rights Movement

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Civil Rights Movement was in 1872

Rhymes for Civil Rights Movement

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Browse Nearby Words

civil rights
Civil Rights Movement
civils
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Cite this Entry

“Civil Rights Movement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Civil%20Rights%20Movement. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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