The desegregation of the United States was a long and complicated process that involved

the efforts of many individuals and groups. However, it can be argued that individuals played
a more important role than groups in this process. This essay will explore the contributions of
Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP), and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to support this argument.

Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most well-known figures in the civil rights movement of
the 1950s and 1960s. MLK was a charismatic leader who inspired millions with his speeches
and his tireless efforts to achieve racial equality. King's role in the desegregation of the
United States cannot be overstated. His nonviolent tactics were instrumental in bringing
about change.

King's efforts were not limited to speeches and demonstrations, however. He was also
involved in the organization of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which began in 1955 after Rosa
Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a
white passenger. The boycott lasted for over a year and was a significant victory in the fight
against segregation. King's leadership during this boycott helped to galvanize the civil rights
movement and bring the issue of segregation to the forefront of national attention.

Rosa Parks is another individual who played a crucial role in the desegregation of the United
States. Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus was a pivotal moment in the
civil rights movement. Her arrest and subsequent trial sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott
and helped to mobilize the African American community in the fight against segregation.
Parks' bravery and determination inspired many others to take action, and her legacy
continues to be celebrated today.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was one of the
most prominent civil rights organizations in the United States. The organization was founded
in 1909 and played a key role in the legal battles against segregation. The NAACP's legal
team, which included Thurgood Marshall, successfully argued before the Supreme Court in
Brown v. Board of Education that segregated schools were unconstitutional. This landmark
decision helped to pave the way for desegregation in the United States.

While the NAACP was undoubtedly an important organization in the fight against
segregation, it can be argued that individual members of the organization played a more
significant role than the organization as a whole. Thurgood Marshall, for example, was a key
figure in the legal battles against segregation. Marshall was the lead attorney in Brown v.
Board of Education, and his arguments before the Supreme Court were instrumental in the
Court's decision. Marshall went on to become the first African American Supreme Court
Justice, and his legacy continues to be celebrated today.

The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was another important civil rights organization.
CORE was founded in 1942 and was one of the first organizations to use nonviolent tactics
in the fight against segregation. The organization was involved in many significant protests,
including the Freedom Rides of 1961, in which activists rode buses through the South to
protest segregation in interstate travel.
While CORE played an important role in the fight against segregation, it can be argued that
individual members of the organization were more significant than the organization as a
whole. James Farmer, for example, was a key figure in CORE and was instrumental in
organizing the Freedom Rides. Farmer's leadership and courage inspired many others to
join the fight against segregation, and his legacy continues to be celebrated today.

In conclusion, while the desegregation of the United States was a complicated process that
involved the efforts of many individuals and organizations, it can be argued that individuals
were more important than groups in this process. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks
were both instrumental in mobilizing the African American community and bringing the issue
of segregation to national attention. Thurgood Marshall and James Farmer were also key
figures in the fight against segregation and their contributions to the cause cannot be
overstated. While organizations like the NAACP and CORE were important in the fight
against segregation, it was individual members of these organizations who made the most
significant contributions. The legacy of these individuals continues to be celebrated today,
and their efforts serve as a reminder of the power of individual action in the fight for justice
and equality.