The NAACP, or National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was very important during the Civil Rights Movement. Here’s how they helped:

1. Legal Support

   • The NAACP set up a Legal Defense Fund in 1940 to fight against unfair segregation laws.
   • A famous case, Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, helped change things. The Supreme Court decided that separating schools by race was wrong. This affected over 3 million African American students.

2. Helping Voters

   • The NAACP worked hard to get more African Americans to register to vote, especially in the Southern states.
   • By 1960, the number of eligible African American voters who registered grew a lot, from about 12% in 1940 to around 60%.

3. Raising Awareness

   • The NAACP organized many protests and campaigns to inform people about civil rights.
   • One big event was the March on Washington in 1963, which had more than 250,000 people showing their support for civil rights.

4. Involving Young People

   • The NAACP Youth Councils gave young people a chance to lead and make a difference.
   • Their involvement helped the movement grow and inspired many young leaders.

Through all these actions, the NAACP played a huge role in changing laws and raising awareness about civil rights in the United States.