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Emancipation Proclamation Issued
Issued by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the 10 rebelling states. The Proclamation set the stage for the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery. -
13th Amendment Ratified
The 13th Amendment officially outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude. The Amendment freed millions of slaves, which was ultimately the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. -
14th Amendment Ratified
The 14th Amendment states that all people born and/or naturalized in the United States are citizens. Because African-Americans are now considered American citizens, it opens up the argument of what rights they are entitled to. -
15 Amendment Ratified
The 15th Amendment states that a citizen can't be denied the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude". Now, African-American men are, by law, allowed to vote. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
On June 7th, 1892, Plessy bought a first-class ticket on a train in a whites-only section. When he was arrested, Plessy argued that the arrest went against his 13th and 14th Amendment Constitutional rights. However, it was found by the court that Louisiana had not violated his rights. The case set the foundation for the idea of "separate but equal", meaning that Blacks and Whites would have segregated facilities, but in equal condition. -
Brown v. Board of Education
In 1951, a suit was filed against the Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas, stating that the schools, though separate, were definitely not equal. African-American students attended school in a shabby building, while white students enjoyed nice facilities. When taken to the Supreme Court, it was decided that separate public schools for children of different races was not allowed. The integration of black and white children was a monumental event in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Murder of Emmett Till
After alledgedly flirting with a married white woman, Emmett Till was taken from his bed during the night by the woman's husband and his friend. The two men beat and tortured Emmett, and disposed of his body in the river. When found, he was sent to his mother in Chicago. Thousands of people saw Emmett's mutilated body, sparking national outrage. Emmett Till's murder truly exposed the horrible way in which blacks were treated in the South, thus propelling the Civil Rights Movement further. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a protest against the racial segregation on public transit in Montgomery, Alabama. After a Supreme Court ruling, it was decided that racial segregation on public transit was inconstitutional. The Boycott was followed nationally, and gained a lot of support for the Civil Rights Movement. -
Greensboro Sit-Ins
Four black boys from the A&T College in North Carolina sat in a whites-only counter at the local Woolworth's, and refused to move when denied service until the store closed. The sit-in movement spread throughout the South, and soon many stores were forced to abandon their previous segregation policies. This nonviolent protest was a positive way of asserting African-American rights. -
Freedom Rides
To test the Supreme Court's ruling that segregation on public transit was illegal, CORE sent a group of whites and blacks on a bus "trip". The Riders left Washington DC, and headed for New Orleans. They never made it. Throughout their ride, they challenged local transit rules and were even attacked multiple times. The Ride inspired other rides, and captured media attention nationally. -
March on Washington (1963)
The March on Washington of 1963 was a call for Civil Rights. It was the place where Martin Luther King Jr, delivered his "I Have a Dream Speech". Many people credit the March with the passing of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. -
Passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
After many years of determination, the Civil Rights Act was finally passed. It outlawed racial segregation, discrimination, uneuqal voting rights, and segregation in schools, workplace, and public facilities once and for all. -
Passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Essentially reinstating the 15th Amendment, the Voting Rights Act outlawed racial discrimination in the right to vote. Up to this point, blacks had been given a hard time about voting, but this act opened many doors.
