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Brown vs Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was a landmark 1954 Supreme Court case in which the justices ruled unanimously that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. Brown v. Board of Education was one of the cornerstones of the civil rights movement, and helped establish the precedent that "separate-but-equal" education and other services were not, in fact, equal at all. -
Emmett Till
He was a 14 year old black African American boy, who was
accused of whistling at a white woman (Cardyn Bryant), 3 days later, Roy Bryant and other kidnapped, eye detached, ear cut off, bar wire wrapped around his neck, weighted down by 75 pound cotton ginfan, thrown into water. This all occurred in Money Mississippi. The funeral was open casket and about 50,000 people came to see Emmet TIll. Roy Bryant and JW Milam were both arrested for the nursery and were found not guilty by a white jury. -
Rosa Parks/ Bus Boycott
Rosa parks was arrested for failing to more seats on the bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She is fined $10. MLK Jr and the church then later sends out flyers to boycott the bus system on December 5th. The buses remain empty for 381 days.
The Supreme Court later on ruled buses had to let blacks
ride. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
A meeting of about 60 Black church pastors to coordinate events for black people. MLK was elected the 1st president.
This group used a nonviolent strategy. This group also registered blacks to vote, opposed Vietnam War and provide better jobs for blacks. This took place in Atlanta, Georgia. -
Little Rock 9
Nine students wanted to go to a white school. The Governor of Arkansas callout the National Guard to stop them. President Eleanor calls in 1,200 military men to escort these students from home to class. 1959 all schools fully intergrated. This took place in Little Rock, Arkansas and involved NAACP and 9 black students. -
Greensboro Sit-ins
There were 4 colleges students who go to Woolworths to buy items. Then they go sit at the lunch counter. They are refused service and told to leave, but they end up staying. Day after day they would come back and did the something. The amount of students grew over the days to 1,000s. Woolworth's lost $1.8 million so they decided to serve the black community. This took place in Greensboro, North Carolina. -
Freedom Riders
A diverse group of volunteers from 39 states, most ro en were college students. They arrived in Anniston, Alabama blocked by KKK. Trees slashed, fire bombed, buses burned and beatings, town after town. This involved 436 individuals in 60 separate freedom riders. They first started in Washington D.C then go to the Deep South to desegregate bus stations, diners and hotels. -
March on Washington
250,000 people marched in Washington D.C. It was a peaceful and respectful protect 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 of 1964
This Act enabled the federal government to prevent racial discrimination and segregation based on race, color, religion or national origin in private businesses or public facilities. This Act took place in Washington D.C. This law was signed by Lyndon B. Johnson and MLK was the reason it was signed. -
Assassination of Malcom X
Malcolm X was shot 21 times (once in the chest) and was killed by Thomas Hagan and Muhammad Abdul Aziz. He used a sawed-off shotgun, 2 semi automatic pistols. Malcolm died of the age of 39 in New York, NY in the Audubon Ballroom. -
Selma
Black marchers wanted to walk 54 miles to Montgomery to register to vote. At the Edmond Bridge, troopers brutally beat them. This happened in Selma, Alabama and included 600 marchers and John Lewis. -
Voting Rights Act (1965)
This act enabled the right to vote of African Americans. Also prohibited any discrimination in voting and any form of racial discrimination would be punished by law. Literacy test- voting a federal matter not a state matter. It was signed by Lyndon B. Johnson and it took place in Washington D.C. -
Martin Luther King Jr
Striking Sanitation workers protest in Memphis, Tennessee. MLK went back to the motel and while on the balcony he was shot in the lower right side of face, with a Remington Rifle. James Earl Ray was the killer and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. MLK's death marked the end of civil rights movement.