The Evolution of the Mexican-American Civil Rights Movement American Civil Rights was a movement against racial segregation and discrimination in the Southern United States during the decade of the 50s. Thanks to these series of protests, minorities began to gain greater independence and greater equal rights. For this reason, many groups such as Chicanos, La Raza Unida and Los Cinco were formed with the aim of obtaining equality and freedom. Therefore, many court cases have emerged to change discrimination. The Chicano movement was a cultural as well as political movement, helping to construct new and transnational cultural identities. The farmers' movement demanded better wages and protection against discrimination. The farmers' group that played an important role in equality rights in Texas was called La Raza Unida. The 14th Amendment states that all people in the United States have equal rights and cannot discriminate against people or groups of people randomly. Thus, in the case of Hernandez v. Texas, Mexican Pete Hernandez was wrongly accused of murder. He was tried only by white jurors, who falsely accused Pete of being Mexican. Hernandez thought it was unfair because it wasn't a jury of his peers. Therefore, he argued that if people who don't like Mexicans judged him, then they would clearly say he was guilty. The case ended up before the Supreme Court, and Mexicans and other minorities were finally allowed to serve on the jury. This court case helped establish Mexicans as a separate ethnicity from whites and blacks. Another notable court case was Mendez v. Westminster School District, which set a precedent for racism in schools. Mendez immigrated from Mexico to Orange County ... middle of paper ... the federal government sent voter registration officials to areas with high rates of discrimination. Black people continued to exercise their right to vote regardless of the consequences, because they knew that the moment they gave up, they gave up. Finally, the civil rights movement was certainly significant to our growth as a nation. Americans who have experienced any type of discrimination are protected by the laws. Minorities have equal rights and although there is still racism today, it is much less widespread than it was then. Thanks to Mendez, Hernandez and all the people who created anti-discrimination groups, American society today is just and fair, fair to all. Additionally, the Civil Rights Act made racial discrimination in hotels, motels, restaurants, schools, and public accommodations illegal. He also created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.