Name two prominent women who contributed to the Civil Rights Movement and describe their roles.

• A. Ella Baker — grassroots leadership and SNCC; Septima Clark — Citizenship Schools and voter education
• B. Rosa Parks — bus sit-ins; Coretta Scott King — anthem advocacy
• C. Diane Nash — medical assistance; Bernice King — youth outreach
• D. Rosa Parks — civil rights icon; Hillary Clinton — political advocacy

Answer: (A)

Think about two women who broadened participation in the Civil Rights Movement by building leadership from the ground up and by teaching people how to exercise their rights. Ella Baker emphasized grassroots organizing and helped shape the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, encouraging ordinary students and community members to take on leadership roles rather than relying only on famous figures. Septima Clark created the Citizenship Schools, which taught literacy and civics to Black adults so they could pass literacy tests and register to vote, directly expanding voter participation and empowering communities.

These roles—one about fostering local leadership and collective action, the other about practical voter education—fit the movement’s effort to broaden participation and sustain momentum beyond a few well-known leaders. The other options mix prominent figures with descriptions that don’t align as closely with their well-documented work in organizing, education, and voting rights, so they don’t capture these core contributions as clearly.