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13th Amendment
The 13th amendment abolished slavery. This specifically allowed slaves to not be property. It was a good step in the equalization of races and impacted society by altering the economy and disrupted politics. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment granted equal protection for all citizens. The equal protection clause was the basis for the Brown vs Board of Education that helped end racial segregation. It also was the basis of another important case titled Roe vs Wade that protects womens' rights to abortion. -
15th Amendment
The 15th amendment prohibited the federal and state governments from not allowing any person to vote because of race. Former slaves, or African Americans in general, This didn't have much effect because of poll taxes and literacy tests that were put upon them. -
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Jim Crow Era
Jim Crow laws were laws that mandated racial segregation in public places, such as different bathrooms and water fountains. Colored people would recieve worse treatments in public institutions -
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Poll Taxes
Poll Taxes were requirements of people to pay to be able to vote. Many minorites didnt have the money to pay for this. Though the 15th amendment granted African Americans the right to vote, it legally prevented many of them the ability to vote. -
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Literacy Tests
Literacy Tests were tests given to people, if they didnt pass them then they could not vote. Many slaves were illterate, due to it being illegal that they could read. Majority of former slaves could not vote in the election. -
Plessy V Ferguson
This case required segregation in public places. The idea of "separate but equal" was thought of as constitutional at this time. This impacted the African American culture by forcing them to recieve lower quality restroom usage, educational opportunities, and remained heavily discriminated against. -
19th Amendment
This amendment prohibits being denied to vote based on sex. This sparked the end to women suffrage. Women began getting jobs that men had, jobs in politics, and more respect in general. -
Korematsu v. United States
This was a case brought to the Supreme Court concerning the constitutionality of internment camps. The Supreme Court ruled with the government saying that they could put Japanese people in internment camps. This showed that national security can override civil liberties. -
Sweatt v. Painter
This case challenged the idea of "Separate but Equal", A black man wanted to get into school, but was rejected admission. When he took the case to court, they realized they were wrong, but instead of admitting so directly, they made a school that was a lesser version of the one he tried getting admission to. This impacted many African Americans, one reason by providing them schooling, and it made them one step closer to equality. -
Brown v Board of Education
This case was huge in racial equality. It overturned the decision of the Plessy v Ferguson case, declaring that the idea of "Separate but equal" was not constitutional. This allowed black to have much better rights. They could now use the same toilets as white people, same water fountains, schools, and had much better of an opportunity to be successful. Unfortunately there were people that still didnt believe in integration, some decided to shut down school rather than desegregate them. -
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Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a boycott that took place after the Rosa Parks incident. Many African Americans would refuse to ride buses because of the incident. It lead to Browder vs Gayle, where the supreme court decided that laws requiring segregation on buses was unconstitutional. -
Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges was the first African American woman to attend a white school. She attended William Frantz Elementary school and was discriminated against harshly. While walking to the school, many people yelled at her innapropriate comments regarding her race. Her courageous actions resulted in an advancement in education equality. People soon followed her footsteps and black people started attending white schools. -
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Affirmative Action
Affirmative Action was first introduced as effort to counter racial discrimination by employers and the hiring process. Affirmative Action was later expanded to not just race discrimination, but also to sex discrimination, It now also includes discrimination in the college admission process. -
24th Amendment
The 24th amendment prohibited congress and the states from enforcing a poll tax on federal elections. Many people who once couldnt afford the taxes could now vote. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The civil rights act of 1964 outlawed all types of discrimination. This resulted in an end of some previous voting requirements, segregation, and facilities in the general public. -
Civil Rights Act of 1965
This piece of legislation was designed to enforce voting rights from the 14th and 15th amendments. This has been known as one of the most effective pieces of legislation of all time. After this, all races had free rein to vote. -
Loving v. Virginia
Invalidated laws that prohibited interaccial marriage. People of different races could now marry anywhere in the U.S. without breaking any laws. -
Robert Kennedy Speech in Indianapolis Following the Death of MLK
Robert Kennedy's speech following the assasination of MLK is considered one of the best speeches of all time. He was campaining in Indiana and after his flight into the Indianaplis area he was informed that MLK had been shot. Rather than campaining he discribed his sorrow, and how it touched his heart because his brother was assasinated. This speech helped alleviate some sadness, and most likely prevented a riot in Indianapolis. -
Reed vs Reed
The case of Reed vs Reed was between a separated couple that fought for the right to their deceased sons' home. it initially was going to go to the man (solely because he was a man), then it became an Equal Protections case. The lawyer of the women said that it was unconstitutional to have preference based on sex. The court ruled that the administrators of states cannot be determined based on the persons' sex. This backed up womens' rights, now cases today are equal based on sex. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was never passed, but its purpose was to grant women equal rights. It was close to being ratified, but 5 states rescinded their votes, stopping it from going through. It angered women that wanted equal rights. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
A landmark decision by the Supreme Court that upheld affirmative action in college admission policies. Gave minorities more of an opportunity to get into college, while it also gave white people less of an opportunity. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
This case upheld the constitutionality of a law in Georgia making oral and anal sex illegal in private between consenting adults illegal when they are homosexual. This ruling was eventually overturned in 2003. Many people felt that this was a privacy issue and were upset. -
Americans With Disablilities Act
This Act made discrimination against disabled people prohibited. This act also made that all establishments were required accessible. People with disabilities had equal oppurtunites to get jobs after this was established. -
Lawrence v. Texas
In Texas, the court stuck down a sodomy law, which also invalidated sodomy laws in 13 other states. This made same sex activity legal in several states. -
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Fisher v. Texas
This was a case concerning affirmative action in the college admission process of the University of Texas. Abigail Fisher argued that the court had not upheld strict scrutiny on affirmative action in the admission process. Multiple times the court ruled in the Universities favor and this was relief to many civil rights activists who feared the court was going to end affirmative action soon. -
Indiana's Gay Rights Court Battle
The state of Indiana filed an appeal with the Supreme Court asking the Supreme Court whether or not gay marriage should be legal in all 50 states. Indian currently has a ban against same sex marriage and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that ban unconstitutional.
