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Brown v. Board of Education
Oliver Brown wanted his daughter, Linda Brown, to have a good education. He took her to a all white school but ended up getting rejected. Brown would later take it to court. -
Murder of Emmitt Till
Emmett Till was accused of whistling at a white woman. Three days later, Roy Bryant along with others kidnapped him. They detached his eye, cut his ear off, wrapped bad wire around his neck, weighed him down with a 75 pound cotton gin fan, and threw him into the water. -
Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks was arrested for failing to move seats with a white man on the bus. She was fined $10. After that, flyers were sent out to boycott the bus system. On December 5th, the buses ran empty for 381 days. The Supreme Court then ruled that buses had to let Blacks ride. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
A meeting of Black pastors were to coordinate events for black people. Martin Luther King was elected the 1st president. The group used a nonviolent strategy. This group also registered blacks to vote, opposed the Vietnam was and provided better jobs for blacks. -
Little Rock 9
Nine students wanted to go to a white school. The Governor of Arkansas called the National Guard to stop them. President Eisenhower calls in 1,200 military men to escort these students from home to class. In 1959, all schools became fully integrated. -
Greensboro Sit Ins
Four college students go to Wodworth’s to buy items. The group went to go sit at the lunch counter. They were refused service and are told to leave, but they stayed. Day after day they would come back and would do the same thing. The amount of students grew over the days to 1,000. -
Freedom Riders
A diverse group of volunteers from 39 states, most were college students. It started in Washington D.C. go to the Deep South to desegregate bus stations, diners and hotels. They arrived in Anniston, Alabama blocked by the KKK. Their tires were slashed, they were fire bombed, buses were burned and they were beaten, town after town. -
March on Washington
250,000 people marched in Washington D.C. It was peaceful and respectful protest for jobs and freedom. Martin Luther King gave his “I have a Dream” speech. MLK was the last speaker of the day. -
Civil Rights Act (1964)
Lyndon B. Johnson convinced enough Republicans to support the bill over Democratic opposition. It enabled the Federal Government to prevent racial discrimination and segregation. Based on race, color, religion or national origin in private businesses or public facilities. -
Assassination of Malcolm X
Malcolm Little, known as Malcolm X, was a Civil Rights leader who was part of the Nation of Islam. He wanted black people to believe in themselves and start their own businesses. Malcolm was shot 21 times and died from his wounds at the age of 39. His killer, Thomas Hagan, was convicted of murder. -
Selma to Montgomery Marches (Bloody Sunday)
March led by John Lewis. Black marchers wanted to walk 54 miles to Montgomery to register to vote. At the Edmond Pettus Bridge, 600 marchers were brutally beaten by the troopers. The marchers were unarmed, and four people were unfortunately killed. -
Voting Rights Act (1965)
Enabled the right to vote of African Americans any discrimination in voting. It was now a federal matter not a state matter. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King
Striking sanitation workers protest in Memphis, Tennessee. MLK went back to the Lorraine Motel. He was shot in the lower right side of his face with a Remmington Rifle. His killer, James Earl was sentenced to 99 years. The death of Martin Luther King marked the end of the Civil Rights Movement.