The primary focus of the Civil Rights Movement that emerged after the Civil War was to secure equal rights and opportunities for African Americans, particularly in the areas of voting, education, and public accommodations.

Activists sought to dismantle Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation and discrimination, advocating for legislative changes such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The movement aimed to ensure that the promises of freedom and equality made during Reconstruction were realized, striving for social justice and civil rights across the nation.