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Emmett Till
Emmett Till was a 14 year old boy who was visiting family in Mississippi when 2 men kidnapped and beat him up after supposedly flirting with a white woman 4 days earlier. The 2 men were tried for murder and were left off free of charge because of all all white, male jury. His open casket at his funeral galvanized the Civil Rights Movement. His generation were the ones who pushed for change the most. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
13-month black protest against the bus service. This movement was sparked by the arrest of Rosa Parks. African-Americans didn't use the bus during this time. The boycott ended when the Supreme Court said segregation on public buses was unconstitutional. Rosa Parks, who was in her twenties, was a member of the NAACP who had set up her protest on the bus. -
Little Rock Nine
A group of 9 black students that were to be enrolled into an all-white school, Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. One the first day of school a white mob and the National Guard kept them out. Thurgood Marshall, a NAACP lawyer, won a federal district court that allowed for them to go to the school on September 24th. This began desegregation of schools. Federal troopers told the state officers to let the children in. Public schools shut down the year after to avoid desegregation. -
Youth Movement
The Youth Movement was away for children to get involved in social change. The SNCC, or Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, was founder in April 1960 after the sit-in protests on February 1st by four black college students. These protests were started by student meetings. It was a way for them to become future leaders in society. Less to lose, if they get arrested they don't have jobs. Ella Baker didn't let children join SCLC- made them start something themselves. -
Freedom Riders
Freedom Riders were a group of 13 African-American and white activist who gave Freedom Rides, which were bus trips to protest segregation of bus terminals. This began May 4th, 1961. They went around using their opposite race facilities such as the bathroom, which led to violence from white protesters. In September 1961 segregation of bus and train terminals was not allowed. State troopers followed buses for protection but they peeled away when they knew one of the buses was going to be mobbed. -
James Meredith and Ole Miss
After a legal battle James Meredith tried to enroll in Ole Miss, the University of Mississippi. This resulted in chaos and riots that left two people dead and hundreds wounded. -
Project C and Children's March
In 1963, Project C (a confrontation) was a campaign and series of sit-ins led by American Civil Rights activists. This took place in Birmingham, Alabama and was a nonviolent action against segregation in the city and to provoke arrests. When the group started to lack members, they trained children in nonviolence and brought them into the group. -
The Philosophy of Non-Violence
The King's philosophy on non-violence was written during his time in Birmingham Jail. He says that nonviolent resistance is how to go about racism. He goes into the steps of non-violent social change in his letter. This letter is in result of some clergymen writing in the paper that told MLK to be patient. "It is not waiting it is denying justice." -
March on Washington
Being a key moment in the rights movements, this was a rally in Washington D.C. for jobs and freedom. This is where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. This march keeps up pressure on JFK. -
Freedom Summer
This was a voter registration drive that increased voter registration in Mississippi in 1964. Freedom Summer was comprised of black Mississippians and 1000 out of state white men. This group faced abuse and attacks from the police and even the KKK. 3 civil rights activists were killed. -
Civil Rights Act
A civil right legislation signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, etc. All riots previous were in order to obtain this act. It took a while to have this act being applied to the South. Gives Federal officers the ability to stop these discriminations. -
Malcolm X
Malcolm X was a civil rights leader and black nationalist from NY who said that blacks need to rid of racism by "any means necessary", including violence. Willing to fight back. "Don't turn the other cheek." He was assassinated February 21st, 1955. -
Selma to Montgomery March
Selma, Alabama was the focus point for creating more black voters in the South. A march led by MLK from Selma to Montgomery(the capital of Alabama) faced violent resistance. However, due to the protesters being protected by the National Guard, they made it to Montgomery after 3 straight days of walking. This raised a lot of awareness for the struggle black voters faced in the South. -
Voting Rights Act
Also signed by Lyndon B Johnson, the Voting Rights Act allowed for African-Americans to vote because of their rights under the 15th amendment. This legislation got rid of racial discrimination in voting.
