The movement characterized by the struggle for civil rights and equality in the United States is known as the Civil Rights Movement. Spanning the 1950s to the 1970s, this movement focused on ending racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans. Key events included the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington, and various protests against Jim Crow laws. Influential leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X emerged, advocating for nonviolent resistance and social justice, ultimately leading to significant legislative changes like the Civil Rights Act of 1964.