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1960
Four African American college students stage a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro NC, sparking a wave of similar protests throughout the South -
1961
Civil Rights activists ride interstate buses throughout the South to challenge segregation laws and practices, facing violent resistance from local authorities and white supremacists -
1963
More than 250,000 people participated in a Peaceful protest in Washington D.C. where MLK delivers his famous "I have a dream" speech. -
1964
The U.S. Congress passes the Civil Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in Public accommodations, employment, and education -
1965
Civil Rights Activists led by MLK march from Selma to Montgomery AL. to demand voting rights for African Americans, facing violence and repression along the way -
1966
The Black Power movement emerges, emphasizing African American self-determination and cultural pride, and advocating for more militant tactics in the struggle for civil rights -
1967
The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down state laws banning interracial marriage, affirming the constitutional right to marry regardless of race -
1968
Civil Rights leaders MLK & Robert F Kennedy are assassinated, causing widespread shock and mourning among activists and the broader public -
1968
African American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise their fists in a black power salute during the metal ceremony at the Olympic Games in Mexico City, drawing attention to racial inequality in the United States. -
1968
The U.S. Congress passes the Fair Housing Act, prohibiting discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin