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Brown v. Board of Education Decision
Supreme court rules that separate schools are by nature unequal. Schools are ordered to desegregate with all deliberate speed. This decision overturned the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision which legalized segregation in schools. Finally, African Americans were able to get a good education in schools that weren't rundown. This decision was a huge step toward racial equality, not just in schools but in society. Desegregating schools created hope for breaking down more segregation barriers. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
This 13 month protest all started after Rosa Parks refused to give her seat up on a bus to a white man. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy are two important figures that participated in the protests. Both had preached to the African American community to stop taking busses in retalliation to segregation. About 40,000 African Americans walked rather than taking the bus to get to work, school, home, and more. This boycott challenged segregation, pushing for racial equality. -
Freedom Riders
The Freedom Riders opposed segregation by taking buses to the south, protesting bus station segregation. Many Freedom Riders were greeted with riots and beatings. Some buses were even firebombed but the Freedom Riders pushed on. Contrary to Southern rule, African Americans sat in the front of the bus and mingled with Caucasians. This brave protest against segregation led to bus segregation being outlawed as well as raising more awareness on racial inequality. -
24th Amendment Passed
Poll taxing was used to prevent African Americans from voting by making them have to pay to vote. Once the 24th amendment was passed, poll taxing became outlawed.This enabled African Americans, despite their financial standing, to have a say in the governemnt. The ability of African Americans being able to vote also pushed politicans to appeal to the African American communities needs. Having politicans geared more towards racial equality also helped push for more freedoms for African Americans. -
Civil Rights Act passed
Congress passes law forbidding racial discrimination in many areas of life; hotels, restaurants, voting, employment, schools, etc. Passing the Civil Rights Act was a major step in racial equality; it outlawed racial discrimination. Despite being illegal, African Americans were still discriminated against in the South. Eventually the police began to enforce the Civil Rights Act, cracking down on racial discrimination. The Civil Rights Act finally gave African Americans the equality they deserve.
