Final answer:
The civil rights era really began in the 1950s with the Brown v. Board of Education case, which sparked a wave of activism. It gained momentum in the 1960s with protests and campaigns, leading to the passage of significant civil rights legislations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The civil rights era can be said to have really begun in the 1950s, with the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This decision sparked a wave of activism and protest, leading to the emergence of the civil rights movement.
In the 1960s, the civil rights movement gained significant momentum with various protests, marches, and campaigns. The activism reached its peak in the late 1960s, with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These legislations were major steps towards achieving racial equality and ending racial discrimination in the United States.
Overall, the civil rights era can be seen as a period of grassroots activism, where ordinary people played a crucial role in pushing for change and the federal government responded to their demands.