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Brown vs. Board of Education
Brown vs. Board Education was signed into law, calling for the desegregation of schools all over the nation. -
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Civil Rights Movement
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Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned all major forms of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnic, national and ethnic minorities, and women. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 banned discriminatory voting practices that had previously been used against African Americans. -
Defense of Marriage Act signed into law
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was signed into law, defining marriage as a union between one woman and man at the federal level. -
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Marriage Equality: A Brief History
This is a brief history of the Marriage Equality movement in the United States, starting with the signing of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. -
Massachusetts Legalizes Gay Marriage
Massachusetts becomes the first state to legalize gay marriage. -
UK Parliament passes Gay Marriage Bill
The UK moves closer to marriage equality as its Parliament passes a bill legalizing gay marriage. -
Illinois Senate Approves Gay Marriage
Illinois moves closer to marriage equality as a gay marriage bill passes in the state Senate. -
Polls in Minnesota Show Majority Oppose Gay Marriage
Recent polls in Minnesota show a majority of people in opposition to marriage equality. -
GOP Senator Supports Gay Marriage
Ohio Senator Rob Portman, a Republican, becomes the first senator in his party to openly support marriage equality. The decision came two years after finding out his son is gay. -
Marriage Equality on Facebook
The Marriage Equality movement hits Facebook in wake of the Supreme Court hearings on DOMA, as millions change their profile picture to a red version of the Human Rights Campaign logo. -
Supreme Court to Hear Arguments on DOMA
The Supreme Court reconsiders the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act after thirteen years of it as the law of the land. -
Another GOP Senator Supports Marriage Equality.
Mark Kirk (R-IL) becomes the second Republican senator to publicly support gay marriage. His announcement came just a few weeks after Rob Portman of Ohio voiced his support.