Civil Rights Movement Timeline

By micaeladalia

  • Jackie Robinson Integrates Major League Baseball

    Jackie Robinson became the first African American person to play in Major League Baseball. He started for the Brooklyn Dodgers. This broke the racial barrier in baseball and led to the increase in African Americans in professional sports.

  • Sweatt v Painter

    Sweatt was an African American that applied for University of Texas Law School. The state law said that this university was for whites only and Sweatt's application was denied. It went to court, where it was decided that this action violated the Equal Protection Clause and Sweatt would be required admittance to the university.

  • Brown v Board of Education

    Several students were denied admittance to public schools due to laws that allowed segregation in public education. They argued that it was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause. The Court reasoned that the segregation of public education based on race instilled a sense of inferiority that had a negative effect on the education and personal growth of African American children.

  • Rosa Parks Refuses To Give Up Seat

    Rosa Parks was asked to give up her seat on the bus for a white man. She refused and was kicked off the bus. She boycotted the bus system for a year until buses stopped their segregation policy. The way that Rosa Parks stood up for her race was a huge moment in the civil rights movement.

  • Little Rock Nine

    NAACP chose 9 students to enroll in Central High School, an all white public school in Arkansas. When trying to enter the school, they were prevented from entering. President Eisenhower had to send troops to escort the students into the school. This showed that the Brown v. Board of Education verdict was not widely accepted.

  • Civil Rights Act of 1957

    This act allowed for African Americans to vote and stated that whoever tried to prevent them from doing so would face serious consequences. This was an emphasis on the protection that the African Americans needed to get from the federal government.

  • March on Washington

    Martin Luther King Jr. lead a march to advocate for the civil and economic rights of African Americans. During this march, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have A Dream" speech. This was one of the largest political rallies in history and it was an immense moment for African American and United States history.

  • Civil Rights Act of 1964

    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a very important act in history. President Johnson signed the act, outlawing discrimination based on race, color, sex, or religion.