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The Slave Codes are enacted
The Slave Codes marked the beginning of organized slavery laws and regulations in America. It is important to look at these and see the long lasting effect they had on African Americans up to the ratification of the 13th Amendment. (1) -
Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance is where we see the first large steps to contain and eventually destroy slavery. (2) -
Harriet Tubman is Born
Harriet Tubman was one of the most important figures of the Underground Railroad and the movement of enslaved blacks to the free North in the 1850's and on. She embodies the spirit of the Underground Railroad and all the good it did to bring so many slaves to free lands. (3) -
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Jim Crow
The Jim Crow Laws frther segregated the blacks in America. The system kept them from taking part in many of the freedoms whites enjoyed in this time period. I included this to further show the long standing system of American racism towards the blacks. (4) -
Booker T. Washington is Born
Booker T. Washington is included here because he was a leader for many African Americans in the fight for equality. Though his methods were passive, in that he expressed the need for industrial knowledge and non confrontation to white supremacy, he still garnered a large following and assisted in getting African Americans the freedoms they were promised by America. (5) -
The Emancipation Proclamation
Lonclon's delivery of the Emancipation marked the movement for total abolition of slavery in the North. While the speech was unmoving and not very heartfelt, I still believe it is important to notice the steps America is taking to ensure the freedom of blacks in the near future.(6) -
Slavery is Abolished
With the ratification of the 13th Amendment came the complete abolishment of slavery in the states. This marks the beginning of the road to equality for the blacks in America. (7) -
W.E.B. Du Bois is Born
W.E.B. Du Bois was one of the main characters in the garnering of African American Equality in the 19th and 20th centuries. He played an important role in empowering blacks to stand up for their rights and pretty much directly opposed Washington's model on how to achieve equality. Thanks to the work of Du Bois, we have the NAACP, a group that still fights for the rights of black citizens to this very day. (8) -
The 15th Amendment
With the 15th Amendment, all black males were allowed to vote. This symbolizes the new freedoms that would be enjoyed by the newly free blacks, though they would be hindered by poll taxes and literacy tests. I chose to include this to emphasize the attempts America was making to give freedoms to the blacks through the opportunity to vote. (9) -
Plessy V Ferguson
Plessy v Ferguson pretty much laid the groundwork for the creation of a "Separate but Equal" America. This event is important as it highlights the attempts made by some Americans to keep the blacks as a lower class. It also gave the right for many places, namely the South, to create systems in which blacks could not properly advance themselves in society. (10) -
NAACP is Formed
The NAACP is formed on this date. It is an important organization that is still around today which fights for the rights of African Americans. Groups like these are important to the history of African Americans because they have historically been successful in aquiring many of the freedoms African Americans enjoy to this day. (11) -
Griffith's The Borth of a Nation
D.W. Griffith's The Borth of a Nation sparked life back into the KKK. Though it is not a poitive event in African American History, I feel it is important to notice the revival of true African American hate in the early 20th century to show just how hard it was to try to win equality as a black citizen when the KKK was waiting in the wings to bring them down. (12) -
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The First New Deal
The New Deal is important to African American history as it offered many new opportunities for blacks during the Depresion. Many of the groups and policies put forward here saved a lot of African Americans from starvation and homelessness, and it is because of this that I feel it is important to mention in the timeline. (13) -
Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen are important to the history of African Americans as they were the most decorated African American airmen in WWII. They paved the way for the complete desegregation of the US Military. (14) -
Integration in Baseball
Jackie Robinson was the figurehead for the integration of blacks in American baseball. His work for the Dodgers skyrocketed him to fame as he won rookie of the year and the National League pennant. This is a huge mark for the integration of blacks into all American sports. He preformed so well that blacks were no longer seen as completely inferior in sports. Without Robinson, the complete integration of blacks in all sports wouldnt have happened for a longer time. (15) -
The Lynching of Emmett Till
The lynching of Emmett Till and the aquittal of his murderers after clear testimony from many sources was a big event in African American history. The idea that blacks could still be killed just for talking to a white woman in the South and the killers could get off scot-free was a wakeup call to America. The open casket funeral held for Emmett showed the brutality of what was happening in the South and showcased the need for change. (16) -
Mongtomery Bus Boycott
I included this to show the true power of peaceful nonviolent protest. The attempted removal of Rosa Parks from a seat on the bus sparked the boycott, which in turn hit the bus company very hard to the point where they had to lay off drivers and cancel routes. (17) -
March on Washington
This is a huge event in the Civil Rights movement. Not only did it amass one of the largest turnouts for a rally like this, but it contained MLK Jr's I Have a Dream Speech, one of the most eloquent and inspiring speeches of all time. The outcome of the march was the influence to political leaders to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, one that banned discrimination in public places. (18) -
Black Panther Party
Thought commonly looked at in a negative, militant way, the Black Panthers weren't all bad. They held many community gatherings and assisted in healthcare and provided free breakfasts for the black community. It is important to include them in this timeline as they show the other side of protest, a more openly physical one. That's not to say that they were looking to pick fights, but they certainly would not back down from one if they, or another member of the black community were provoked(19) -
The Assasination of Martin Luther King Jr.
The assasination of MLK was the flame for Civil Rights in the future. The peaceful leader was killed and it outraged people, in fact many riots were started becaue of it. It is important to see the waves that MLK made in his lifetime and even after his death. Many believe the murder of MLK sparked Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1968. (20)
