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Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education was a Supreme Court case decided on May 17, 1954. This challenged the constitutionality of racial segregation in public schools. The case involved Linda Brown from Topeka, Kansas. This challenged the "separate but equal" doctrine. The Court ruled that segregated schools were inherently unequal, violating the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. -
Murder of Emmett Till
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy, was murdered in August 1955 in Money, Mississippi. After being accused of whistling at a white woman. His killers were Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam. They were acquitted by an all-white jury. Till's open-casket funeral in Chicago exposed the brutality of his death. It sparked national outrage and fueled the Civil Rights Movement. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was founded in January 1957 in Atlanta Georgia by Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders. It was established to coordinate and support nonviolent protests aimed at ending segregation and advancing civil rights in the South. The organization aimed to promote nonviolent resistance to end segregation and fight for civil rights. -
Little Rock 9
The Little Rock 9 were nine African American students who integrated Central High School. In Little Rock Arkansas in September 1957. Regardless of facing violent opposition and harassment they bravely attended the school as part of the Supreme Court's mandate to desegregate public schools. Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus initially blocked their entry with the National Guard. After federal intervention the students were able to attend. -
Greensboro Sit ins
The Greensboro Sit-ins began on February 1, 1960 in Greensboro North Carolina. Four African American college students Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain, and Joseph McNeil sat at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter. Where they were refused service because of their race. Their peaceful protest sparked similar sit-ins across the South. Which then led to widespread attention and pressure to desegregate public spaces. -
Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges was the first African American child to desegregate at an all white elementary school in the South. On November 14, 1960 Ruby Bridges was barely six years old. She attended William Frantz Elementary in New Orleans. She was escorted by federal marshals for safety. In spite of facing intense protests and hostility her courage made her a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement and helped push forward the fight against segregation in schools. -
Freedom Riders
The Freedom Riders were civil rights activists. Starting in May 1961 they rode buses through the segregated South to challenge racial segregation in interstate travel. They faced violent opposition mostly in places like Alabama. Their courage and determination brought national attention to the issue of segregation and sparked protests across the country. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington took place on August 28, 1963 in Washington D.C., drawing over 250,000 people. It was organized by civil rights leaders like A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin. The march aimed to demand jobs and freedom advocating for racial equality and economic justice. The event is most remembered for Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. The peaceful demonstration helped push for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 -
Civil Rights Act (1964)
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law on July 2, 1964, by President Lyndon B. Johnson in Washington, D.C. It banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public places, employment, and education. The law was a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. The Act banned segregation in public places, outlawed discrimination in employment, and ensured equal access to education, voting, and public facilities. -
Assassination of Malcom X
Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965 at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City while preparing to speak at a rally. He was shot by members of the Nation of Islam, a group he had recently split from due to growing tensions. Three men, Talmadge Hayer, Norman 3X Butler, and Thomas 15X Johnson were convicted of his murder. However, in later years, there have been claims of wrongful convictions and calls for reexamination of the case. -
Selma to Montgomery Marches (Bloody Sunday)
The Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965 were led to demand voting rights for African Americans. On March 7. 600 marchers were attacked by police on Bloody Sunday as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma Alabama. The violence drew national attention and support for the cause. A successful third march occurred on March 21, with 25,000 marchers supported by federal protection. The marches led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
Voting Rights Act (1965)
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965 to eliminate racial discrimination in voting. The law was a response to the disenfranchisement of African Americans, especially in the South. Civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. pushed for the law, which banned discriminatory practices like literacy tests. The act also included federal oversight in areas with a history of voter suppression ensuring equal voting rights for all. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. While standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, he was shot by James Earl Ray a fugitive with a criminal history. King was in Memphis to support striking sanitation workers and was struck in the neck by a single shot. He died shortly after at the hospital. Ray was later convicted of the crime, though there has been ongoing debate about his involvement. -
Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott
On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks an African American woman was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus. Her act led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, organized by civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr. The boycott lasted over a year, with African Americans refusing to ride the buses. This severely impacted the bus system. The boycott ended with a Supreme Court ruling that bus segregation was unconstitutional.