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Brown vs Board of Education
This Supreme Court ruling ended school segregation. This ruling overturned "Plessy vs. Ferguson" which allowd segregation in public education. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery bus boycott began after police were called when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man. African Americans in Montgomery led a boycott of buses to protest this practice. -
Little Rock Crisis
In September 1957 nine African American students were allowed to attend Central High School in Little Rock Arkansas. Great violence erupted in the school due to the decision. President Eisenhower sent the National Guard to protect the nine students. -
Black Power
The Black Power movement was a struggle for blacks to take control of their own future. This included controlling their struggle for social, political, and economic power. Malcom X, one of their leaders, gave a speech entitled "The Black Revolution" which supported separating from the white society. -
Violence in Birmingham
Martin Luther King Jr. organized protests in Birmingham ,Alabama hoping that President Kennedy would be more supportive of civil rights. The protest grew violent and Dr. King was arrested and from jail wrote the "Letter from Birmingham Jail". -
Feminist Movement
The Feminist movement was also knows as the women's movement. This movement's goal was to have women have a more important rule in society outside the home. This movement was strengthened by the Equal Pay Act which said that women must be paid the same as men for the same job -
March On Washigton
For the March on Washington more than 200,000 demonstrators of all races gathered at the nations capital. The purpose of the March was to gain support for the civil rights bill. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave power to the federal government to stop racial discrimination. This made segregation in most public places illegal. -
Selma March
The march in Selma, Alabama was in support of voting rights for African Americans. Police beat the protestors when they refused to leave. This brutal attack was known as "Bloody Sunday". -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
An act which sent federal workers to register voters, and eliminated literacy tests. This led to many more African American voters. -
Latino Movement
During the 1960's Latinos worked to improve their economic situation and to prevent discrimination. A major goal in the work force was to have better conditions for Mexican farm workers. The United Farm Workers boycotted grape growers until they raised wages and improved working conditions -
Bilingual Education Act
This act made schools have classes for immigrants in their language while learning English. There was concern that this made it difficult for Latinos to become part of American society. -
Martin Luther King Jr. Assasination
The killing of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee led to a period of mourning and rioting. After Dr. King's death the Civil Rights Act of 1968 was passed -
Counterculture
The Counterculture of the 1960's included groups of people known as "hippies". This group of people went against main stream culture by their dress, music, and lifestyle. A major music festival was Woodstock which attracted hundreds of thousands of people. -
Roe vs Wade
This court case designated the first three months of pregnancy as a women's right to privacy during which she could choose to have an abortion. This decision began the Right-To-Life movements whose goal is to protect the life of the unborn.
