-
Brown V. Board of Education
The Supreme Court says school segregation is unconstitutional. Overruled Plessy V. Ferguson, which set the principle of "separate but equal". -
Period: to
Parks and Montgomery Bus Boycott
After Rosa Parks refused to give up her seet on a public bus to a white men African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama organized a year long strike on public transit.
Parks inspired thousands to boycott which led the Supreme Court to declare Montgomery's segregation laws on buses unconstitutional. -
Asian-American First In Congress
Dalip Saund of California became the first Asian-American in Congress and was vocal about issues such as communism and civil rights, including segregation. -
Little Rock Nine
Nine African American students attended Little Rock Central High School after Brown V. Board of Education.
President Eisenhower sent the National Guard to the school to protect them as they desegregated the school. This marked the first support for integration in high schools. -
Non-violent Protests
University students in Greensboro stage sit-ins to protest the segregation laws in restaurants.
Two important organizations emerged that practiced Civil disobedience and non-violence, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). -
Martin Luther King Jr.
King Writes "Letter from Birmingham Jail" after being arrested for protesting. Later Martin Luther King Jr. gives his famous "I have a dream" speech.
He sets new determination towards the civil rights movement. -
The Civil Rights Act
Legislation signed by President Johnson that prohibits discrimination in all public places.
Non-white individuals are equal to vote, attend schools, employment, and public accommodations. -
The Voting Rights Act
Singed into law to prohibit racial discrimination in voting. In addition, federal registrants were sent to the South to help register voters. -
Delano Grape Strike
Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee began the five-year-long Delano Grape strike in Cali. Led by Filipino-American Larry Itliong.
This promotes a global grape boycott in which later on Cezar Chavez and Latino workers join. -
Immigration and Nationality Act
President Johnson sings the immigration and Nationality Act, which puts an end to immigration policies in a wave of Asian immigrants who had been banned from entry. -
Asian-American Political Alliance
Students from all around the country like UCLA, Yale, Colombia, University of Illinois, Oberlin, and University of Michigan, strike for the development of ethnic studies programs. -
Third World Council
APO and AAPA member, Richard Aoki accompanied by others protested for 3 months and were sent to jail for demanding classes that were relevant to their communities.
Later on UC Berkeley agreed to create an ethnic studies department.