-
The Murder of Emmett Till
The catalyst of the modern Civil Rights was through the hideous murder of the young African American Emmett Till. A victim -
Montgomery Bus Boycotts
In 1955, after the refusals of Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks to give up their front seats in public buses, the Montgomery Bus Boycotts emerged as a seminal moment in history. The boycotts consisted of Africans Americans in the area using other means of transport other than the common bus, which led to the boycott having an economic effect and the goal of desegregation in buses being achieved. -
The Sit Ins
From 1958 to 1960, the nonviolent protest method of "Sit Ins" was used by African Americans to desegregate public food services, By 1960, it had managed to desegregate much of the South's food services -
Birmingham Campaign
In an attempt to desegregate what was considered at the time by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr the most segregated city in America, both nonviolent and violent protests transpired, with the local government responding with harsh police brutality. As a result, the event came to garner the world's attention, significantly increased Dr. Kings popularity as a leader in the Civil Rights movement, and led to the city being desegregated. -
The March on Washington
In addition to having over a quarter of a million marchers, the event is renowned for Dr Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream" speech, which influenced not only the movement, but the entire country's culture with it expressing the disenfranchisement felt by much of the country. -
Deviations in the Movement
By 1964, new leaders and ideals towards the goal of Civil Rights had emerged. The most famous and perhaps controversial was Malcolm X, with his favorable views towards black nationalism, violent opposition towards the repression, and his strong emphasis on self reliance in the black community. The influence would be felt all throughout the community, molding the views of future generations and creating contrasting views to those such as Martin Luther King Jr. -
The Signing of the Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson into law, which established that discrimination based on ethnicity, nationality, sex, or religion in employment, voting, and schooling were all now illegal -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Established by President Johnson, the act prevented the violations ethnic minority's voting rights through local governments. Prior to this, local governments, particularly in the South, would deprive blacks of their voting rights through social blocks such as literacy tests, which the act outlawed. -
Civil Rights Act of 1968
Shortly after Martin Luther King's death, President Johnson implemented this act, which would be better known as the Fair Housing Act, which eliminated one of the most problematic forms of discrimination for African American generations which were the methods used in housing markets to profit off of blacks difficulties in buying homes. It came to prohibit the discrimination of minority groups through selling, renting, and financing homes.
