Civil Rights Movement

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision

1954

The Supreme Court reverses Plessy by stating that "separate schools are by nature unequal". Schools are to desegregate "with all deliberate speed".
ome.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/chart.civrights.html

Montgomery bus boycott

1955

Rosa Parks ignites 381-day bus boycott organized by Martin Luther King, Jr.
http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/chart.civrights.html

Desegregation drive in Birmingham

1963

King and SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) oppose local laws that support segregation. Riots, fire-bombing, and police are used against protestors
http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/chart.civrights.html

24th Amendment passed

1964

Black voter registration increases and candidates begin to turn away from white supremacy views in attempt to attract black voters
http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/chart.civrights.html

Civil Rights Act passed

1964

Congress passes law to stop racial hatred in many areas of life, including hotels, voting, employment, and schools

Selma to Montgomery march

1965

King leads 54-mile march to support black voter registration marchers reach Montgomery. Pres. Johnson addresses nation in support of marchers.
http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/chart.civrights.html

Voting Rights Act approved

1965

After passage, southern black voter registration grows by over 50% and black officials are elected to various positions. In Mississippi, black voter registration grew from 7% to 67%

Watts Riots

1965

In first of more than 100 riots, Los Angeles black suburb erupts in riots, burning, looting, and 34 deaths

Malcolm X assassinated

1965

Rejecting integration and nonviolence, Malcolm splits off from Elijah Muhammad's Black Muslims and is killed by black opponents

King assassinated

1968

While supporting sanitation workers' strike which had been marred by violence in Memphis, King is shot by James Earl Ray. Riots result in 125 cities