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Brown Vs. Board of Education
Oliver Brown, the father of a child denied access to public school in Topeka, Kansas due to skin color, filed a lawsuit against the Topeka Board of Education. Brown felt that by denying his child education, the Topeka school board violated the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. The case made it to the Supreme Court, where the court unanimously ruled against racial segregation of children in public schools. -
Significance of Brown Vs. Board of Education
This was so significant because is put an adamant end to the concept of “separate but equal” which was set up by the Plessy vs. Ferguson case. Brown vs. Board of Education set the precedent of desegregation, and set it in what may have been the most important setting; the classroom. -
Emmett Till Murdered
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy from Chicago, was brutally murdered for supposedly flirting with a white woman. The husband and brother of the woman savagely beat Till, gouged his eye out, shot him in the head, and then tossed his body into the Tallahatchie River. Even with definite evidence that the two men had committed the murder, when brought to trial, an all-white jury delivered a verdict of not guilty after less than an hour of deliberation. -
Emmett Till Significance
Though a horrific example of the evils of racism, Emmett Till’s death served an important role in the long journey towards civil rights. By having an open-casket funeral for her son, Mamie Bradley brought to light an example unspeakable acts that came from pure bigotry and hatred. From this, mainstream media covered the death and subsequent trial, outraging many across the country. The public outcry was vast, and a tragic event was turned into a rallying cry for those seeking peace and equality. -
Rosa Parks Sits
When Rosa Parks, a 42 year old seamstress, boarded a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, she did not plan on forever changing American history. She took a seat behind the white section, however the bus soon filled. With the white section full, the bus driver requested that she give up her seat for a white man. She calmly refused to relinquish her seat. She was promptly arrested, not for how she acted, but for violating segregation laws. Parks appealed the conviction, challenging segregation's legallity. -
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Montgomery Bus Boycott
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Rosa Parks Significance
By peacefully protesting unjust laws, Rosa Parks set in motion one of the most successful civil rights protests of all time. A few days after her refusal to give up her bus seat, Martin Luther King Jr. led a complete boycott of Montgomery buses. With African Americans making up about 75% of Montgomery bus riders, and King following Parks example of non-violent protests, the boycott was a resounding success, lasting 386 days until the buses were integrated. -
Greensboro Sit-in
Four North Carolinian college students walked up to a Woolworth diner with intent to get some lunch. They then took a seat at the lunch counter. The only problem was the strict white-only policy that Woolworth had. After being told they would have to move, the students peacefully staid put, striking another blow against segregation. -
Greensboro Sit-in Significance
The significance of the Woolworth sit-in was the resulting, widespread sit-in movement. Spurred by the courage of 4 young men sitting-in, many others began to sit-in at lunch counters, first in Greensboro, then in all of North Carolina, and eventually throughout the nation. Some would stay from opening to closing, only leaving diners when they were forced out by police. The sit-ins had a lasting impact, making Woolworth and many similar establishments change their segregation policies. -
March on Washington
On the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the largest ever demonstration in the nation’s capital took place. The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was set up by the coalition of various civil rights groups, with over 200,000 protestors gathering in D.C. It is estimated that around 75% of those in attendance were black. The march culminated with the famous “I Have a Dream” speech being delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. in front of the Lincoln Memorial. -
March on Washington Significance
The March on Washington was significant because of what it showed about the civil rights movement. Leading up to the march it was unknown just how many protestors would show up and whether or not the march would turn violent. The march was a definite success, with outstanding attendance and little-to-no violence. It showed to the public how passionate and numerous civil rights supporters were. It also showed that such a large group could peacefully protest, improving how the movement was viewed.
