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Brown v. Board of Education
In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education rules out racial segregation in schools. This caused the separation of children in public school based on their race to be unconstitutional. Some people were glad to see there was some progress being done against segregation. Others were filled with anger with their mindset still being that segregation was the "best decision" for everyone. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Due to the arrest of Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat and constant threats of violence, there was a boycott at Montgomery Bus Station. The boycott showed how buses did benefit off of African Americans who rode the bus. They also showed how they could protest without violence, but unfortunately this didn't end segregation. A year later, the boycott ended after the Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision that's stated it was unconstitutional to discriminate a public transit. -
Little Rock Nine
In 1957, the governor Faubus called the Arkansas national guard to prevent nine African American students enter Little Rock Central High School. 18 days later, the students returned with federal troops protecting them and allowing them to enter the school. Due to the harassment and the violence the students experienced, only 8 out of the 9 completed the school year. -
Greensboro Sit-in
Four African American college students agree to sit down in the "whites only" counter and refused to leave until served. They were refused service but still remained at the counter until the store closed. The next day more students joined the sit-in. Before anyone knew, the sit-ins spread to other businesses and lasted until July 1960. The sit-ins in Greensboro inspired similar sit-ins across the south and also brought attention to the issue of segregation. -
Freedom Rides
Freedom riders would ride interstate buses in the south in mixed racial groups to challenge local laws that enforced segregation in seating. They would protest segregated bus terminals and attempted to use facilities made for "whites only". They were eventually arrested in Jackson in the bus depot for violating segregation laws and were taken to jail. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington was to bring attention upon the few opportunities that colored individuals had when it came to jobs and freedom, and protest the racial discrimination. The march also ended with the Martin Luther King Jr speech "I Have a Dream". The march resulted in being a key factor for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act, first proposed by JFK was later signed by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. The intention was to end discrimination in employment, voting public spaces based on race, color, religion, and ethnicity of an individual. Although this was still frowned upon by many it helped set a firm ground for future generations and the rights they received. -
Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The purpose of this act was to overcome the barriers that were preventing the colored races from practicing their voting rights. Which resulted in the suspension of literacy tests which had been used to determine voter eligibility. Flash forward to the future in 2013, Shelby County v Holder took a wild effect on the Voting Rights Act, allowing states to enact restrictive laws which could make it harder for colored to vote.