Civil Rights

By Toby_Hi

  • Brown vs. Board of Education

    The Brown vs. Board of Education case is hugely important in the history of Civil Rights. It is known for overturning Plessy vs. Ferguson. This stopped the segregation of black and white kids by not allowing there to be only white or black schools. The first 7 black kids to go to a white school was major news and they had to be escorted so they weren’t in danger from an angry mob. Linda Brown was one of these kids. Her father, Olivia Brown, and a NAACP lawyer were involved in this case.

  • Murder of Emmet Till

    It all started when Emmet Till was visiting his family in Mississippi. He whistled at a white woman and then her husband, Roy Bryant, and his friend, J.W Milan, kidnapped him. They tortured and murdered the 14 year old black boy. They were taken to court when his body was found. Even though they confessed to doing the crime, they were not found guilty by the all white jury. Emmet Till’s mother held an open casket funeral to show the world what they did to her son.

  • Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott

    Rosa Parks was most famously know for the courage she showed when she didn’t give up her bus seat. She was very brave for doing this as it was considered very dangerous at the time and could get you in trouble with the police. This small action caused a huge boom in the civil rights movement and led it to big and better things. It gave many people hope and showed that segregation was coming to an end. She was not credited for her achievements until a few years before she died.

  • Souther Christian Leadership Conference

    Martin Luther King Jr and many other civil rights leaders met in Atlanta, Georgia. The group SCLC was formed and organized by multiple black churches. They led many major protests. These protests included the Montgomery Bus boycotts.

  • Little Rock 9

    9 students from Little Rock, Arkansas transferred to a white school. There was a huge mob of white people that formed around the school to protest the black kids being integrated into the school. These 9 kids were chosen by the NAACP because of their impressive academic knowledge.

  • Greensboro Sit Ins

    There were 4 black students that sat at a lunch counter and were refused service because of their skin color. They protested this by sitting in chairs and refused to move unless they were provided service. This protest surged throughout the country and gained huge popularity.

  • Ruby Bridges

    Ruby Bridges was the first black child to be integrated to a white school. White parents would pull their kids out of the school because of Ruby Bridges. A mob of angry white people formed around the school and Ruby had to be escorted into the school.

  • Freedom Riders

    436 different people and many groups like CORE, SNCC, and NAACP participated in freedom bus rides. These bus rides were from Washington D.C to Louisiana. These buses would be attacked by white mobs. Many of these black people were injured in the 60 separate rides.

  • March On Washington

    Over 250,000 people participated in a march on Washington D.C. It was a peaceful march where Martin Luther King Jr. announced his famous speech. His “I have a dream” speech was given next to the Lincoln Memorial.

  • Civil Rights Act

    President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. This forced the government to prevent any discrimination in private and public facilities. This happened in Washington D.C.

  • Assassination of Malcom X

    Malcom X was a famous civil rights activist. He is said to have does more to contribute to civil rights than Martin Luther King Jr. He was assassinated in the Audubon Ballroom, New York. Thomas Hagan, Norman Butler, and Thomas Johnson were involved in his assassination.

  • Selma to Montgomery Marches (Bloody Sunday)

    Alabama troops attacked peaceful protesters in a march in Selma. It was televised and it brought attention to how African Americans were being mistreated. This showed many more people about how poorly African American’s would be treated.

  • Voting Rights Act

    President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the voting rights acts into effect. It banned poll tax and literacy tests before being able to vote. These voting rights acts also made made voting a federal right rather than a state right.

  • Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

    Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated by James Earl Ray. Some people speculate that he is actually innocent. They say that he was used as a scapegoat for the crime. Martin Luther King Jr. by a sniper’s bullet while he was in a motel.