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15th Amendment Ratified
The 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution granted African American males the right to vote. While African Americans exercised their right to vote throughout the 1880s, steps were taken in the 1890s to ensure 'white supremacy'. Social and economic segregation became more present, and soon, the policy of 'separate but equal' was enacted, which guaranteed separate facilities for blacks and whites. (National Archives) -
Brown v. Board of Education Graph
"Despite the end of legal segregation, the American school system remains only partly integrated to this day. In 2002, the Harvard Civil Rights Project found that schools were more segregated in 2000 than in the 1970s."
(Brown v. Board of Education, SAVAAS) This lower number is due to the fact that the black population of the United States in the 1970s was 22,580,289 people, while the overall black population in the 2000 census was 4,695,600 people. (United States Census) -
Brown v. Board of Education
The Supreme Court ruled in the 'Brown v. Board of Education' case that the de-facto segregation ideals of "separate but equal" were unconstitutional, due to the fact that they deprived black children of equal educational opportunities, although the facilities that the children were using were supposedly the same. This deprivation of equal education violated one of the children's basic constitutional rights, depicted in the 14th Amendment. -
Murder of Emmett Till
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy was kidnapped and murdered by 3 white males for supposedly whistling at a white woman. A primary quote from a 'Jet' Magazine Article titled, "Nation Horrified by Murder", written on September 15, 1955 stated that, "Calling the Mississippi white people "horrified by the act," white Greenwood newspaper editor Tom Shepherd described the killing as "nauseating" and "way, way beyond the bounds of human decency." (Murder of Emmett Till, SAVAAS) -
Rosa Parks Arrested
Rosa Parks was a well-respected assistant tailor in a local department store who was an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as well as a supporter of school desegregation. She was arrested for refusing to move out of her seat on a public bus for a white person. This simple act of defiance against the unjust law sparked a movement across the city of Montgomery. Soon after, the Montgomery bus boycott began. (Rosa Parks's Arrest, SAVAAS) -
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Montgomery Bus Boycott
After Rosa Parks's arrest on Dec 1, 1955 (Rosa Parks's Arrest), the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) was formed to organize a 1 day bus boycott. 26-year-old Martin Luther King Jr. was chosen as the president, and thousands of people began to participate. African Americans walked, carpooled, and used taxis to avoid using the city buses. After 381 days, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation of city buses was unconstitutional, and the bus boycott ended (Speech Ending Bus Boycott, SAVAAS) -
Montgomery Bus Boycott Photo
This is a photo taken in Montgomery, Alabama in February of 1956. It shows African Americans walking to work instead of taking public transportation, depicting their dedication to the civil rights movement throughout the entire boycott. (Montgomery Bus Boycott, SAVAAS) -
Little Rock School Desegregation Photo and Personal Account
The NAACP kept an eye on the students but could do little to protect them. Elizabeth Eckford was one of the 9 students who volunteered to integrate Little Rock High School, and was just 15 years old at the time. A quote by Eckford after her 1st day said, “...I approached the guard he directed me across the street into the crowd. It was only then that I realized that they were barring me, that I wouldn’t go to school.” Now, she is working as a probation officer in Little Rock High School. -
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Little Rock School Desegregation
In 1954 the Supreme Court outlawed school segregation, throughout the desegregation process 9 African American students volunteered to attend Little Rock High School. The federal national guard was enforced to protect the 9 students from physical harm. In 1958 there were discussions about shutting down Arkansas schools due to the resistance of desegregation, the students broke a psychological barrier for many and this was something that was necessary for change. -
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Ongoing Inequality (1960s - present time)
The civil rights movement helped individuals across the nation, but the economic gap between African & white Americans still remains. Banks redline individuals due to racial demographics, high risk areas, & properties in certain regions. Banks are supposed to justify giving an individual a loan based on their economic stance, but are still denying people loans because of race, religion, & sex. People are struggling with many problems & hopefully with time the U.S. can resolve these issues. -
Greensboro Sit-Ins Map
This map details the states that had major SNCC chapters and held sit-ins. The participants of these sit-ins were arrested and endured jeers, insults, and physical assault from onlookers, while they protested peacefully without violence. -
The Greensboro Sit-Ins (Sit-In Movement)
4 college students ordered donuts at Woolworth's lunch counter, where they were denied service b/c race. They refused to move or leave the shop, and this act of rebellion sparked a movement across the South. By the end of the week, 300+ protesters had joined. This movement was led by CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) sparked the creation of SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), which was created to grow movements to defeat racism and obtain equality. (Greensboro Sit-Ins, SAVAAS) -
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Freedom Rides
Civil rights activists; the ‘Freedom Riders’, traveled through the South to protest segregation at bus terminals, restrooms & other travel facilities due to the 1960 Supreme Court ruling that ‘transportation facilities were desegregated’. This was organized by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). As the participants traveled, they encountered many acts of violence against them, including their buses being bombed, being physically attacked, and being thrown in jail while peacefully protesting. -
Freedom Rides - Map and Primary Source
This map shows the path the Freedom Riders took. A primary source document titled “A Freedom Rider Speaks His Mind,” by Jimmy McDonald, Freedomways, said,“Now we are trying to take a bus ride, on an interstate carrier, through several Southern states, and the Ku Klux Klan, White Citizens Councils, and their brethren bomb our buses, board them, and bust us; all with the semi-official blessing of the governor of Alabama and the chief of police of the city of Birmingham.”(The Freedom Rides, SAVAAS) -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
As the civil rights movement became televised, people watched as peaceful protesters were treated with violence & anger. On 06/11/1963, Pres. Kennedy gave a speech to the public, urging Congress to take a stand. After Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, Pres. Johnson continued to urge for change. Soon after, the House passed the bill in Feb. 1964, & the Senate followed suit. On July 2, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which included voting rights and anti-discrimination clauses, was signed into law. -
Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated
In 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to Memphis Tennessee to assist in a sanitation worker strike. It was here when he was standing on the balcony of the Loraine Hotel that he was assassinated by James Earl Ray, who was standing in a bathtub in a motel across the street. After his death, "President Johnson called for a national day of mourning...on 7 April...public libraries, museums, schools, and businesses were closed, and...ceremonies and...sporting events were postponed" (Stanford...). -
Shirley Chisholm Elected in Congress
Shirley Chisholm was a New York Representative elected to congress on January 21, 1969. She was the first colored woman elected to congress. Shirley served seven terms, during her time she founded the Congressional Black Caucus & Women’s Caucus (programs to help raise awareness and equity for colored people). Shirley ran for president in the 1972 election, which caused her to become the first black woman to run for a major nomination (Sullivan et al.). -
Black Arts Movement (BAM) (1970s)
Black Arts started to expand in the 1970s, the BAM identified the richness and color of black culture with art music and literature. Musicians began to speak out through their music against racism, poverty, and sexism. Hip-Hop and Rap emerged and gave African Americans hope that they were no longer unheard. Hip-Hop has been criticized for years but many artists choose to ignore the criticism and continue to create music that is enjoyed by many individuals (Black Arts and Culture, Savvas). -
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The National Black Political Convention
The National Black Political Convention or Gary Convention was held in Gary, Indiana. The convention was held to advocate and increase support towards black communities that undergo economic and social crises. Around 10,000 African-Americans including, elected officials, revolutionaries, black nationalists, Muslims, and Baptist. gathered to help discuss various issues. The Gary Convention helped increase the urge for equality between African-Americans and White Americans (American Experience). -
The National Black Political Convention Photo
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The Bakke Case & The Status of Affirmative Action of 1978
Local governments leveled the economic field through programs called Affirmative Action. People who opposed this program claimed it was an unfair advantage towards minorities. Allan Bakke (white male) sued the University of C.A. in 1974, claiming he suffered discrimination because minority students were accepted into college while he wasn’t. The Supreme Court ruled that the school’s application system was unjust & decided that individuals shouldn’t be judged on their race (American Experience). -
Ronald Reagan's Speech declaring MLK Jr. Day a Federal Holiday
The photo demonstrates the signing of a federal document declaring Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday. This is a quote from Ronald Reagan’s speech declaring Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday, “Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Monday, January 16, 1989, as Martin Luther King, Jr., Day,” (National Archives). -
Martin Luther King Jr. Day becomes a Federal Holiday
The federal holiday was declared a federal holiday in 1983 but was declared a national holiday in 2000, celebrated by all 50 states. King’s birthday is January 15, 1929 but the holiday is celebrated on the third Monday every January. MLK Day recognizes the legacy of King, the Civil Rights, and highlights the use of nonviolence to promote change (National Constitution Center). -
Million Women March
The Million Women March was held in Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Around 750,000 women gathered together. Events such as prayer programs, music, and inspirational speeches occurred at the march. The march was viewed as a sign of unity and was considered a “social phenomenon” due to its unconventional method of gathering. The Million Women March continues to inspire people (Booker). -
Election of Barack Obama
Barack Obama was the 44th president of the U.S. He was the nation’s first black American to lead the country. He was the Illinois state senator and served for Illinois as a U.S. senator. Almost fifty years after the civil rights movement the U.S. elected the first colored president, this gave hope to many people that the U.S. has adapted the values of many historical figures. Obama was reelected in the 2012 election and served for another four years. -
Election of Barack Obama Table
This is a table identifying Obama’s first and second election, in his first campaign he won by 8% and in his second campaign he won by 3%. -
George Zimmerman Case
George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin, an African American high school student. Trayvon was walking through a neighborhood one night talking to his friend on the phone, Zimmerman was driving and saw Trayvon in the neighborhood. Zimmerman didn’t recognize Trayvon and felt threatened by his presence. The police report stated that Zimmerman was being attacked by Trayvon and claimed he shot him because of self defense. Zimmerman was charged later that year with 2nd degree murder (Linder). -
George Zimmerman Case Importance
This event was important because it identifies that the civil rights movement has changed the U.S. and the minds of many. If Trayvon was shot during the 1960s there would have been a high chance that Zimmerman could have gotten away with claiming self defense, and although Trayvon’s wound was fatal if he was alive he could’ve been charged with battery or even worse. -
National Museum of African American History & Culture
The National Museum of African American History & Culture was the newest Smithsonian Institution, developed in 2016. The museum is the home to more than 36,000 artifacts representing the culture, life, and history of African Americans. Instead of individuals hiding their backgrounds they are able to go celebrate their differences and learn about different ways of life (Sullivan et al.).