How did a relatively powerless minority bring down the entire system of racial segregation in the United States within a single generation? This brand new edition of The Civil Rights Movement chronicles the growth of the mass movement from its origins after the Second World War to the destruction of segregated society, before charting the movement's path through the 20th century. It challenges the view that the Movement died in 1968 and that coalitions with other groups damaged the gains of the African American community. Fully revised throughout, it now includes in-depth analysis of Barack Obama's presidency, further exploration of cultural and gender history, and an examination of contemporary issues, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2016 election.  An established introductory textbook that provides students with a compelling overview of the growth of the mass movement from its origins after the Second World War to the destruction of segregated society, before charting the movement's path through the twentieth century up to the present day. This is an ideal core text for modules on Civil Rights History or American History since 1945 - or a supplementary text for broader modules on American History, African-American History or Modern US Politics - which may be offered at the upper levels of an undergraduate History, Politics or American Studies degree. In addition it is a crucial resource for students who may be studying the Civil Rights Movement for the first time as part of a taught postgraduate degree in American History, US Politics or American Studies.