Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

The Civil Rights Movement and Cold War occurred concurrently, yet the two events represent entirely different moments in American history. While one marked a moment of immense social growth, the other illustrated how widespread paranoia can influence a nation’s decision making. This thesis centers on an examination of how the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (”NAACP”) utilized international bodies, like the United Nations (“UN”), to bring global attention toward the mistreatment of those of African descent. My analysis relied on internal documents from the NAACP’s offices, and the organization’s magazine publication, The Crisis. I examined volumes 55-68 (1948-1961), to analyze the shift in the NAACP’s view towards the Soviets and utilizing the UN to pursue racial equality in the US.

I assert that the NAACP effectively had no choice in its decision to align with the US in the Cold War, as the organization could only continue to fight for those of African descent worldwide if they were loyal to the US in its fight against the Soviet Union. Through internal documents and The Crisis, it is clear the Cold War offered the NAACP an opportunity to expand its efforts in the international arena. The global community’s response to the American practice of racial segregation empowered the NAACP to call attention to the treatment of all people of African descent. In this sense, the Cold War allowed the NAACP to evolve into an international organization, and fight for black liberation in countries beyond the US.

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