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Segregation in schools becomes illegal
The Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional. This event was one of the first major steps in the desegregation process. -
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat
Rosa Parks, an african-american woman, refused to give up her seat to a white passenger when the bus was filled. Because she refused to give up her seat she was arrested. This event helped lead to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
African-American citizens in Montgomery, Alabama boycott the city bus system in response to Rosa Parks' arrest. This event is important because it proved that the African-Americans were willing to make sacrifices to prove their point and would persevere. -
Little Rock Nine
The Little Rock Nine were a group of African-American students going to school at a previously all white high school in Little Rock, Arkansas. The integration was heavily resisted, and the army was called in to protect the students as they attended the school. This event is one of the first times integration was attempted in schools. -
First Sit-In
A sit-in is a form of protest that was used when African-American people would go to stores and restaurants and sit in the whites only sections. The first sit-in was in Jackson, Mississippi. The protesters were abused as they sat in a store. People poured food on them and injured them. This is another of the non-violent methods of protest which African-Americans used to end segregation. -
March on Washington
On August 28, 1963, more than 200,000 people of all races marched on the nation's capital. It was the largest civil rights demonstration ever held in the United States. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Signed into law on July 2, 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned descrimination in employment and in public accommodations. This act was a major step in the desegregation process. -
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Assassination
Dr. Martin Luther KIng Jr. was assassinated as he stood on the balcony of his motel. The tragic loss of the civil rights leader led to riots as African-Americans reacted to the murder. This event caused the civil rights movement to take a more violent turn, as several people broke away from and formed their own groups with more violent methods.
