Civil Rights Movement

Dred Scott V. Sandford

1857

Dred Scott was an African American who was enslaved in two free territories. Mr. Scott felt that if he lived in two free states that he should be considered a free man. Dred took this case to court; however, the court decided against him. Keeping Mr. Scott and enslaved man.

13th Amendment

Jan 31, 1865

This amendment abolished all slavery in the US. You also did not have to work for someone if you did not chose to. However, you could make someone do a job as a punishment. This could be for no pay or for very little. (example prisoners).

14th Amendment

Jul 9, 1868

This amendment grants citizen citizenship to everyone that was born in the united states. This gave African American equal civil rights and legal rights. No state can enhedge their life, liberty or pursuit of happiness.

15th amendment

Feb 26, 1869

15th amendment prohibited the states and federal law denying anyone that wants to vote based on their skin color, religion, sex or history in their family. However, there was states that would emplace different types of test to still keep people from voting.

Plessy v. Ferguson

1896

This case is also knowns as “separate but equal” case. This Supreme Court ruling stated that the segregation is a fair thing to do as long as the segregated facilities where equal to the white side of things.

White Primaries

1896

This was used by white Democrats and was practiced in the southern United States and which only white voters were allowed to participate. It was outlawed by the supreme court in 1944; however, they used grandfather clauses to keep African Americans from voting.

19th Amendment

Aug 18, 1920

The 19th amendment was passed to allow all citizens to vote and no one can be denied based by their sex. Even though the 14th amendment touch based about anyone and everyone can vote, most states still prohibited Women from voting in elections.

Brown v. Board of Education

May 17, 1954

This was a Supreme court ruling stating that the segregation of school are not constitutional even if they are equal. There is many instences that a child of color would have to walk miles to get to school even though there was one across the road, but it was a white school

Affirmative Action

1961

Affirmative action was emplaced that way it increases women in the workplace where it is male dominated. This Action also applies to minorities giving them job opportunities that they would have not had before.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

1964

This act tried to make segregation not become a thing by prohibited any segregation in any public places like restaurants and schools. This also made employment discrimination illegal.

24th Amendment

Jan 23, 1964

It banned any poll taxes that kept people from voting for their federal officials. This allowed lower income families to be able to vote and not endinge on their rights. This abolished jim crow laws.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

1965

This act prohibited many rules that the states had in place to keep African Americans from voting. Like many voting places had confusing test, literacy test and other practices that was impossible for African Americans to vote. This act would help African American to vote.

Reed v Reed

1971

There was a code they had to follow that chose males over women when appointing estates after someone dies. However, in this case the Reed’s son had passed away and the two parents where fighting over who got it. Sally though it was unfair they chose the husband just because he was a male. She took this to the supreme court to challenge it.

Equal Rights Amendment

Mar 22, 1972

After the passing of the 19th amendment allowing women to vote in the elections, women felt that it was right if they were equal in everything. It was first proposed by National Woman’s political party in 1923, but it was not put into place until 1972.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

1978

Bakke was a white man who was not admitted to a school because all of the spots for white people were filled up. However, there was spots reserved for minorities and their scores did not come close to how high Bakke scores were. Bakke filed that this is violating the 14th amendment and that reserving spots to for an amount of minorities needed to be accepted is not legal.

Poll Taxes

1980

These were payments that citizens would have to pay to be able to vote. These were emplaced to keep African Americans from voting in the elections

Bowers v. Hardwick

Jun 30, 1986

Hardwick was charged with the act of sodomy due to a police officer looking into his house and witnessing Hardwick doing things with a person of the same sex. This case was upheld by the Supreme court saying that it did violates Georgia’s law. The voting of this case was 5-4.

Americans with disabilities Act

1990

American with Disabilities Act also known as ADA is a civil rights act that keeps companies from discriminating people that have disabilities. This act also covers public places like transportation, schools and anywhere that is open to the public. This organization will help you fight a case if someone is discriminating you based on your disabilities

Lawrence v Texas

Jun 26, 2003

This court case ruled that American laws prohibiting private homosexual is constitutional and if any states have these laws should be removed. The voting in this court case was 6-3. This case reaffirmed the right to have privacy in peoples own homes.

Obergefell v. Hodges

Jun 25, 2015

A couple of same sex wanted to get married, but most states would not recognize their marriage. They argues that same-sex marriage is protected under the Due Process and Equal Protection and the Supreme Court agreed with them with a ruling of 5-4.