ABSTRACT
In the 1950s and 1960s, a powerful social movement for civil rights for African Americans transformed American politics. In the 1970s, the feminist movement made similar demands for women, with much success. Although neither blacks nor women enjoy full equality in American society today, their demands for civil rights have led to substantial progress. In the 1980s and 1990s, lesbians and gays have also mobilized to seek civil rights protections from the national government.
