SS AssignmentPeople always say that I didnt give up my seat because I was tired but that isnt true. I was not tired physically … No the only tired I was was tired of giving in.”–Rosa Parks Interest groups and social movements can and have significantly affected public policy. Interest groups are non-profit voluntary organizations that seek to affect public policy. Although there are a number of ways to classify interest groups for the sake of simplicity we shall use this model: Social movements are civically engaged groups of people who wish to affect a public policy concern. There are three types of social movements: Often interest groups lead social movements. The United States 1942-1968 Civil Rights Movement is a prime example that illustrates how interest groups led a social movement. In this case the civil rights movement advocating for equal rights and social justice were led by a number of ideological interest groups: Source: (ICNC n.d.) During the Civil Rights Movement thousands of Americans black and white came together in various locations to advocate for public policy change that then segregated African Americans from white society: segregated schools segregated drinking fountains segregated housing segregated public facilities etc. These courageous men and women engaged in several civic engagement activities including boycotts voter registration drives in the South marches sit ins and general civil disobedience. These were all in an attempt to shine a light on the disparity in the treatment of African Americans. In the end the civil rights movement was a success because of the actions of famous figures (Dr. King Rosa Parks Ralph Abernathy) and less famous individuals (anonymous housewives schoolteachers college students and factory workers) interest groups and an American society challenged as a result of the social movement (Williams 1987). References