-
World War II ends
The United States and the Soviet Union emerge as superpowers, marking the beginning of the Cold War. -
World War II ends
The United States and the Soviet Union emerge as superpowers, marking the beginning of the Cold War. -
Period: to
1940´s
-
Truman signs Executive Order 9981
Desegregating the U.S. military -
Truman signs Executive Order 9981
Desegregating the U.S. military -
Cold War intensifies with the Berlin Blockade
Marshall Plan to aid Western Europe's post-war recovery -
Cold War intensifies with the Berlin Blockade
Marshall Plan to aid Western Europe's post-war recovery -
Korean War begins
Further heightening Cold War tensions -
Period: to
1950´s
-
Period: to
1950´s
-
Landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education
Rules that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. -
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat
On a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott. -
Civil Rights Act of 1957 is signed into law
Establishing the U.S. Civil Rights Commission -
Little Rock Nine face resistance
As they integrate Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas -
The U-2 Incident
U.S. spy plane is shot down over the Soviet Union, increases Cold War tensions -
Period: to
1960´s
-
John F. Kennedy establishes the Peace Corps
-
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his famous "I Have a Dream" speech -
Civil Rights Act of 1964 is signed into law
Prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin -
Voting Rights Act of 1965 is passed
Eliminating barriers to voting for African Americans -
Black Panther Party is founded
In Oakland, California. -
Civil Rights Movement begins to evolve into the Black Power Movement
With various leaders advocating for more radical approaches to achieving civil rights -
Signing of the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I)
The continous fight of the US and the USSR keeps moving forward -
Period: to
1970´s
-
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is passed by Congress
Prohibiting discrimination based on sex. -
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
Escalating Cold War tensions -
Ronald Reagan is elected President of the US
Ushering in a conservative era in American politics -
Period: to
1980´s
-
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Established as a Federal holiday -
U.S. Congress passes the Anti-Apartheid Act
Imposing sanctions on South Africa to protest apartheid -
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty is signed
Leading to the elimination of certain nuclear weapons -
Period: to
1990´s
-
Cold War officially ends
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December, Gorbachov resings -
Crown Heights riot in New York City
Highlights ongoing racial tensions and violence. -
Rodney King riots erupt
In Los Angeles after the acquittal of police officers involved in the beating of Rodney King -
Nelson Mandela becomes president of South Africa
The first black person in achieving this -
The Million Man March takes place
In Washington, D.C., calling for racial unity and justice -
President Bill Clinton signs the Welfare Reform Act into law
Which affects low-income communities, including many African Americans -
U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of affirmative action in higher education
In the case of Grutter v. Bollinger. -
James Byrd Jr. is brutally murdered in a racially motivated hate crime
Leading to renewed discussions on hate crime legislation