Civil Rights

By lauranguyen

  • Executive Order 9981

    Executive Order 9981 is issued by President Harry Truman to end segregation in the Armed Services.

  • Brown v. Board of Education

    Supreme Court case ending racial segregation in public schools. Although, many schools still remained segregated.

  • Emmett Till

    Emmett Till is murdered in Mississippi for allegedly flirting with a white woman. The murderers were acquitted, and Jet magazine published a photo of Emmett Till's injured body. This brought international attention to the civil rights movement.

  • Rosa Parks

    Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. This act prompted a year-long Montgomery bus boycott.

  • Coordinating Protests

    60 Black pastors and civil rights leaders (including Martin Luther King, Jr) met in Atlanta, Georgia to coordinate nonviolent protests against the issues of racial discrimination and segregation.

  • Little Rock Nine

    Arkansas asked for volunteers from all-Black high schools to attend a formerly segregated school. 9 Black students (Little Rock Nine) began classes there but were met by violence. They attempted to attend the school again but were removed for safety reasons. President Dwight D. Eisenhower intervened by ordering troops to escort them to and from classes. Despite this, the students continued to face harassment on racial grounds, bringing attention to the issue and evoked protests on both sides.

  • Civil Rights Act of 1957

    President Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 to help protect voter rights. This law allowed federal prosecution of those who suppressed other people's right to vote and created a commission to investigate voter fraud.

  • "Whites only" lunch counter

    4 African American college students; Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain, and Joseph McNeil in North Carolina refused to leave a "whites only" lunch counter without being served. They were then referred to as "The Greensboro Four" and inspired other similar "sit-ins" of nonviolent protest within the city and within other states

  • Boynton v. Virginia

    Boynton v. Virginia was argued on October 12, 1960 and decided on December 5, 1960. It declared that racial segregation in public transportation was illegal and unconstitutional as it violated the Interstate Commerce Act.

  • Freedom Riders

    13 "Freedom Riders" consisting of 7 Black activists and 6 white activists took bus trips through the South to protest against segregated bus terminals and testing Boynton v. Virginia's declaration of the segregation of interstate transportation facilities being unconstitutional. They faced violence from police officers and white protesters, drawing international attention to their cause.

  • March on Washington

    ~250,000 people take part in The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Martin Luther King delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech.

  • Civil Rights Act of 1964

    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed. It guaranteed equal employment for all, limited the use of voter literacy tests and allowed federal authorities to ensure the integration of public facilities.

  • Bloody Sunday

    In the Selma to Montgomery March, approximately 600 civil rights marchers walked to Selma, Alabama to Montgomery protesting Black voter suppression. Local authorities blocked and attacked them. They later fought in court for their right to march. Martin Luther King and other civil rights leaders then led 2 more marches and reached Montgomery on March 25.

  • Voting Rights Act of 1965

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed. It prevented the use of literacy tests as a voting requirement. This allowed federal examiners to review voter qualifications and allowed federal observers to monitor polling places.

  • Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968 leading to emotionally-charged riots. This put more pressure on the Johnson administration and additional civil rights laws.
    James Earl Ray was convicted of the murder in 1969.

  • Fair Housing Act

    The Fair Housing Act was signed, providing equal opportunity housing regardless of race, religion, or national origin.