Washington dc street view 4x realistic shot, 1950s civil rights movement and urban renewal two big things happening at this time were (the civil rights movement) and (urban renewal) in the 1950s post-war era, it was peaceful and prosperous but a nation without any enemy it breads insurrection and so this marked the beginning of the civil rights movement. because the movement helped lead to social changes in the city. the urban renewal projects aimed to modernize the city, resulting in the demolition of some historic neighborhoods. (mainly black neighborhoods)