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Harry Truman issues the Executive Order.
President Harry Truman issues the Executive Order. This was important because it ended segregation in the armed forces. -
Supreme Court Case
There was a supreme court case, Brown v. Board of Education, and the court decided on May 17 that "separate but equal" schools cannot be equal and are basically are unequal. This was important because it makes any legal school segregation unconstitutional. -
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus for a white passenger which caused the bus boycott. This was important because she was standing up for her rights and it started the bus boycott. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Martin Luther King and two other guys establish the Southern Christian Leadership Conference where King was made their president. This was important because it became a huge force in helping to organize the civil rights movement. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1957
The Civil Rights Act of 1957 is passed by Congress. This event is important because the Justice Department is authorized to look into African Americans being deprived of their voting rights. -
Ruby Bridges and the New Orleans School Integration
Ruby Bridges goes to school in New Orleans and when she was brought to school, there were angry mobs waiting for her there. Every day that she was there, white students left the school. This was important because she was standing up for her own rights and after she went to school, other black students went to other white schools. -
Equal Pay Act
The Equal Pay Act is passed. This event is super important because after it was passed, African Americans and white people had equal pay. -
Martin Luther King goes to jail
Martin Luther King is arrested for protesting segregation. This is important because others followed in his footsteps and he was standing up for his rights. -
I Have a Dream Speech
Martin Luther King gives his "I Have a Dream" speech where 200,000 people join him. This event was extremely important because 200,000 joined him in fighting for African American's rights. -
President Kennedy is assassinated
Kennedy is assassinated and his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, takes over and uses the country's anger to pass a law. This was important because he passed the civil rights legislation. -
24th Amendment
The 24th amendment gets rid of poll tax which had originally had been in 11 southern states after Reconstruction. This was important because before the 24th amendment, it was really hard for African Americans to vote. -
President Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act
President Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act. This event was important because it got rid of things like literacy tests and other things that prevented African Americans from voting. -
March to Montgomery
Blacks start a march to Montgomery in support of voting rights but they're stopped by a police blockade. Many blacks are hospitalized since the police used tear gas, whips and clubs against them. This became "Bloody Sunday" by the media. This was important because it showed that police had power and it could've scared people into not rising up against them. -
Martin Luther King is shot and killed.
James Earl Ray shot Martin Luther King. This was really important because he was a really influential person who stood up for his race and helped get African Americans their rights. -
President Bush signs the Civil Rights Act of 1991.
President Bush signs the Civil Rights Act of 1991. This was an extremely important event because it ended segregation and made white people and black people equal.
