The study of the Civil Rights Movement generally focuses on events that occurred between 1954 and 1968, but the struggle for social change began long before that. The quest for equality is almost as old as America itself.

Wealthy, land-hungry Europeans needed large work forces to operate their New World plantations. They enslaved thousands of Native Americans, but they needed more labor - cheap labor - and they turned to international slave traders to meet the demand. Human cargo was transported from the African continent, ships sailed to Europe filled with the agricultural riches of America, then returned for more slaves. The route became known as the African Triangle and Florida was very much at the heart of it.

Captives were transported under unspeakable conditions. They had no personal possessions. but they had a strong cultural heritage, courage and a passion to regain their freedom. Slaves found common ground in the shared experience of bondage, in music, art and the color of their skin. They developed creative ways to resist and to pursue liberty. Quilts, like the one pictured here, incorporated symbols, patterns and threaded knots to indicate escape routes.

The Civil War decided the issue of slavery, but it did not establish equality. "Black Codes" and "Jim Crow" laws prevented people of color from enjoying the full benefits of citizenship. Legalized segregation continued to tear our nation apart.

Millions of Americans supported change and participated in the Civil Rights Movement. Ordinary citizens, powerful leaders, politicians and students faced danger and made personal sacrifices to improve the lives of others. Individuals of all faiths and skin colors fought for the rights of people they had never met. The path to freedom was long and painful. The story of that journey is complex, but it is also filled with hope and triumph.