What was the primary focus of the Birmingham Campaign in the late 1950s and 1960s?

The Birmingham Campaign primarily focused on nonviolent protests for civil rights, aiming to address the systemic racial discrimination and segregation prevalent in Birmingham, Alabama, during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Organized by civil rights leaders and groups like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the campaign sought to highlight the injustices faced by African Americans, particularly in public accommodations, employment, and transportation.

By using nonviolent resistance tactics, including sit-ins, marches, and boycotts, the campaign aimed to draw national attention to the need for civil rights legislation and to challenge the oppressive social order directly. The choice of Birmingham was significant due to its reputation as one of the most segregated cities in the United States, thus making it a focal point for the civil rights movement. The campaign's bold actions and the violent backlash they provoked, including police brutality against protestors, were pivotal in galvanizing public support for the civil rights movement and ultimately led to significant legislative changes, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964.