The civil rights movement showed America how it was actually treated African Americans, and what they had to live with. Much of the protesting that was done was peaceful and didn't deserve the brutality that given to the protesters. One example was of the issue at Central High school in Little Rock.
Martin Luther King was one of the main advocates of the civil rights movement. He and other leaders were an example of non-violent protest and how to gain attention to a problem. The Montgomery Bus Boycott was one of the main peaceful protests and soon after that sit-ins began to take place all over the country.
One famous enemy to the Civil rights movement was Bull Connor. He is known to have been extremely violent with protesters in Birmingham. Although his acts were incredibly harsh, it allowed the public to see how the African Americans were being treated.

Cruelty in the Birmingham protests
Cruelty in the Birmingham protests