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Brown vs. Board of Education
The Brown vs. Board of Education was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court. This court decision established equal opportunity for people of any race. Non-equal opportunities for African Americans and other minority groups was deemed unconstitutional because it violated the 14th amendment. The 14th amendment guarantees equal protection under law. -
Emmett Till Murder
A 14 year old African American boy was murdered in Money, Mississippi. He was accused of flirting with a white woman 4 days prior to being murdered. Emmett was kidnapped by the wife's husband, Roy, and his half-brother J.W. Milam. The armed men mutilated and shot Emmett in the head. His body was then placed in the Tallahatchie River. -
Rosa Parks & the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks is known for standing her ground in an argument between her and a white passenger. On the bus ride to Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks decided to not comply when a white passenger demanded she moved to a different spot so that he could be seated. Due to her refusing to give up her seat, she was arrested and fined for $10. Rosa Parks sparked a protest that lasted 13 months. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to segregate on public buses. -
The Little Rock Nine and Integration
Nine African American students attempted to attend an all white high-school in Little Rock, Arkansas. As they approached the school, several people within a crowd went as far to shout profanities and throw objects at them. Integration is the process of unification. -
Greensboro Woolworth's Sit-ins
A group of young African American students set up a plan to sit at a segregated sit-in Woolworth's counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. The group of young adults were denied service. Due to this, they refused to leave. The movement soon spread to other college towns throughout the South. -
Freedom Rides
Freedom riders were black and white civil rights activists that would take interstate bus rides into the segregated South. The purpose was to protest segregated bus terminals. The Supreme Court eventually banned segregation in interstate bus travel. -
MLK's Letter From Birmingham Jail
In this letter, Dr. king wants people to recognize that they have a moral responsibility to speak out against the injustice that takes place within the justice system. He encourages individuals to not be patient with injustice. He wants people to take direct action and to not wait. "injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere." -
March on Washington
The march on Washington was a massive protest that occured at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. This was a protest against the discrimination that minorities face whenever it comes down to getting a good job. Minorities were denied job opportunities simply based off of their race. People had to demand a higher minimum wage. MLK encouraged integration and wanted to take down inequalities that affected the opportunities of minorities in the U.S. -
Birmingham Baptist Church Bombing
4 members of the Ku Klux Klan placed 19 sticks of dynamite attached to a timing device beneath the steps of the church. Their motive behind this tragic act was to support racial segregation and racism. Four girls died in the Birmingham Baptist Church bombing. Addie Mae (age 14), Carol Denise McNair (age 11), Carole Rosamond Robertson (age 14), and Cynthia Dionne Wesley (age 14.) -
24th Amendment
The 24th amendment banned any poll taxes in elections for federal officials. The Attorney General had to enforce the right to vote for African Americans. This significantly changed the status of African Americans throughout the South. States such as Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas, decided to maintain poll taxes. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
A law passed by Congress prohibited the use of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Discrimination was officially forbade by Congress. People could no longer prevent hiring or promoting on the basis of one's physical appearance, affiliation, or beliefs. -
"Bloody Sunday"/Selma to Montgomery March
600 civil rights activists gathered together to march in Selma, Alabama that stretched out to 52 miles. The activists were soon physically and verbally harassed by white state troopers and sheriff deputies. 200 people lost their lives due to the use of gun violence by police officers. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Congress finally outlawed the use of discriminatory voting practices used in the South. Congress did not allow the use of literacy test on African American citizens. This law was signed by President Lyndon Johnson. -
Loving v. Virginia
The Loving v. Virginia court case was a landmark case that ruled the prohibition of interracial marriages as unconstitutional. The Supreme Court made the unanimous (9-0) decision that prohibited interracial marriages as unconstitutional because it violated the fourteenth amendment.