there were a few major waves of pursuing liberty in near modern history:

1, renaissance, pursuing liberty from God and its agent: the church.
The result is freedom of thinking, and respect to human dignity.

2, French revolution: liberty from the King and the society structure supporting it, aristocracy. The result is a civil society where citizens are born equal.

3, American revolution: liberty from the British tyranny. The cause was one simple but troubling question: how was my tax dollar spent? The result is a new social experimental ground for all humans, "no taxation without representation".

4, American civil war: liberty from slavery,

5, colonies declaring indpenence after WW2,

6, 1960 Civil right movement. You are right that's one significant era, (and I today also mentioned Rosa Parks who stood up against bigotry). It was pursuing liberty from the discrimination against one's origin. Sexual revolution complimented the civil right movement in that it seeks the equity in sexes.

7, one small but interesting piece: anti-trust law. Seeking liberty from economic czars.

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so, it's human seeking freedom from God, from church, from King, from master countries or personal masters, from priviliged or advantaged groups, and lastly, equity with men,