Civil Rights Pictorial Timeline

13th Amendment (Amendment)

1865

This amendment abolished slavery, and gave African Americans their freedom.

14th Amendment (Amendment)

1868

Rights of citizenship, due process of law, and equal protection of the law. The 14th amendment has become one of the most used amendments in court to date regarding the equal protection clause.

15th Amendment (Amendment)

1869

This Amendment gave the African Americans the right to vote. A stepping stone in the long journey for African Americans to become equal.

Plessy v Ferguson (Court Case)

1892

This court case will uphold the "separate but equal" doctrine. This made segregation legal. Jim Crow laws are created as a side effect to this court case.

NAACP created (Civil Rights)

1909

This group is a bi-racial en devour to advance justice for African American people. This group is one of the main groups advocating for equal civil rights for all. Still active today.

19th Amendment

1920

This amendment made it legal for women to vote. Major turning point for all of women's rights.

Equal Rights Amendment proposed

1922

This amendment was proposed to make unalienable rights given to everyone regardless of sex, race, or any other uncontrollable basis.

Executive Order 9981

1948

Harry Truman issued this to abolished discrimination on basis of "color, religion" and every other basis. Created the "equal on both fronts" campaign.

Brown v Board of Education

1952

This court case was monumental to the civil rights movement. This court case desegregated school and the basis of color, which in turn overturned Plessy v Ferguson.

Montgomrey Bus Boycott

1955

African Americans boycotted the bus. This created a dent in the American economy, so the government started to listen to the demands of the African Americans.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference formed

1957

Another African American civil rights committee. Martin Luther King Jr. confounded this one. Specialized in southern civil rights.

Little Rock 9

1957

This is the first school to desegregate. State troopers were sent to escort African American students inside the building.

Civil Rights Act of 1957

1957

This established the Civil Rights Division in Justice Department. It specialized with the upholding of civil rights laws.

Greenboro, NC Sit-ins

1960

African Americans refused to leave stores until they were served. The most notable one was the Woolworth store. This ultimately desegregated restaurants.

Freedom Riders

1961

They rode buses into the deep south. This challenged the non-enforcement of the US supreme court. Ultimately, desegregated buses.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

1963

Detailed account of the long road to freedom in a movement largely centered around words and NV protests, which were countered by violent protests.

I have a dream speech

1963

Martin Luther King's famous speech in which he called for civil rights, economic rights, and the end of racism. African Americans marched through Washington DC to make their case. Monumental turning point for African American civil rights.

24th Amendment

1964

This eliminated poll tax. Another major stepping stone. Influenced the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Voting Rights Act of 1965

1965

Further overcame legal barriers that grantee the 15th Amendment. Continued from the 24th amendment.

MLK Assassinated

1968

MLK was assassinated. This turned the staple, NV protests of African Americans into violent protests.