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International Slave Trade Banned
The US Banned the International Slave Trade, in part because of pressure from other countries. It forced Southern colonies to resort to having slaves give birth to other slaves and increased demand for slaves in the Southern colonies -
Emancipation Proclamation Signed
The Emancipation Proclamation declared all slaves free-including in the Confederacy. It further angered Confederate citizens, who feared there could be no peaceful end to the Civil War -
First African American Representative and Senator
Hiram Revels became the first African American Senator and Joseph Rainey became the first African American Congressman, paving the way for African Americans to serve in the Federal Government -
15th Amendment-African American Men Gain the Right to Vote
The 15th Amendment is passed, which gave African American men the right to vote. It further increased tensions between whites and African Americans. -
19th Amendment-Right to Vote for Women-Passed
African American gained the right to vote alongside all women with the passage of the 19th Amendment. It increased voting rights within the United States and helped make Thomas Jefferson's statement "All Men are Created Equal" come true. -
Brown v. Board of Education: US Schools Desegregated
The Supreme Court bans the practice of separate schools for minorities and whites. It started with a lawsuit against the Topeka, Kansas Board of Education. It forced schools to desegregate and allow blacks and whites in the same schools, though discrimination in other areas (seating in buses and restaurants for example) still existed. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
It banned people from not hiring others because of race, religion, or sexual orientation. It particularly helped African Americans, who often were denied jobs because of their race. It gave minorities the right to sue or complain to authorities if they were unfairly denied jobs. -
Barack Obama Takes Oath of Office and Becomes President
Barack Obama becomes the first African American President, just over 200 years since the Slave trade was banned in the United States. It led to increased calls for diversity in US Politics and motivated more minorities to run for elected offices across the United States