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Brown vs Board of Education
The case all started with Linda Brown, an 8-year-old in Topeka, Kansas, who just wanted to go to school near her house as all her white neighbors did. But in Topeka, schools were 'separate but equal' on the basis of race, and Linda had to cross town to attend school. Her parents sued the district court, which ended up getting the case to the supreme court. Justices there condemned the racial segregation of schools as "unconstitutional" and called for them to be desegregated. -
Little Rock Nine
Little Rock Nine was the group of nine African American students who enrolled in Little Rock Highschool, a once segregated school. They were determined to assist in integrating schools, putting their safety at risk to be one of the first to do so. On their first day, the students were faced with angry mobs of both parents and students, along with racial discrimination in the school by students and teachers. Military aid was eventually needed to allow the kids to continue going to school safely. -
JFK is Elected
Democratic candidate in the 1960 election, John F. Kennedy was popular amongst most African Americans. Kennedy helped to get Martin Luther King Jr. out of jail after he was arrested at a protest in Atlanta, leading to King's outward support towards him. As one of the most influential people of the period, the black community followed King and his support to JFK, their votes ultimately winning him the election. Kennedy also helped with the Children's March, taking Bull Connor out of his position. -
The Children's March
In Birmingham, Alabama, children decided to march on what they called D-Day to protest civil rights. They skipped school, marching to 16th Street Baptist Church. Though a peaceful protest, city commissioner, Bull Connor, issued the children to be sprayed with fire hoses. These incidents were broadcasted on live television, gaining the attention of President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy went on TV to speak about the events, eventually leading to Bull Connor's forcible step down as commissioner. -
March on Washington
To show their support for the civil rights movement, 250,000 Americans marched to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. for a peaceful protest. Led by Martin Luther King Jr. and Philip Randolph, both black and white protesters showed their support, engaging in songs and speeches, one of the most known, King's "I Have A Dream" speech. The march was allowed hesitantly by President Kennedy, who was pressured by the outcome to create change toward civil rights in the law.