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Plessy V. Ferguson
The colored plaintiff Homer Plessy violated a state law and was placed in jail. The law stated that blacks and whites must be separate on public transportation. Plessy was sent in front of Judge John H.Ferguson who held up the state law, one of the court's reasoning was the 13th amendment, the court claimed it had nothing to do with involuntary servitude. Plessy filed for a prohibition to a higher court to strike out the ruling of the lower court. (http://bit.ly/2naye4m) (http://bit.ly/1uuLcJp) -
Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
The Congress of Racial Equality was founded by James Farmer, his intentions were to improve race relations and end discriminatory policies. Protest started with sit-ins and went all the way to public peaceful protest. In the 1950s the south began the next target to challenge the public segregation registration drives for African Americans. Farmer himself survived a Ku Klux Klan murder plan and his leadership contributed to the Louisiana Act and Voting Rights Act. (http://bit.ly/2nZzE5a) -
Jackie Robison
Jackie Robinson broke the colored barrier in baseball in 1947 when he played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson received many death threats and many rude insults. The courage of Robinson had to continue on, insprised many young African Americans questioning the "separate but equal" and helped paved part of the way for the Civil Rights Movement. Robinson broke his emotional and political silence in 1949 and became an outspoken opponent against racial discrimination.
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Sweatt V. Painter
Heman Sweatt, a black mailman, wanted to be a lawyer and appeared on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. Theophilus Painter was the president of the university and he denied Sweatt's appliance since there was no black law school. As a result Sweatt filed a suit against Painter and all of the board members at the university. The Texas legislature allowed a temporary black law school, but Sweatt did not attend. Case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. (http://bit.ly/2nfNYCX) -
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Brown V. Board of Education
Brown filed a case against the board of education due to the fact that she was denied acceptance to a public school, as well as others. The Govern Earl Warren delivered the unanimous ruling in the Brown V. the board of education. The segregation of public schools was in fact a violation of the 14th amendment and therefor was unconstitutional. The ruling finally proved the "separate but equal" was at an end, nearly sixty year after it was already suppose to be gone.
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Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott started with Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat to a white gentleman and her being arrested. Which lead to all African Americans not riding the city buses in Montgomery, Alabama. The boycott started on the day of Park's first court date and lasted a 381 days. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately order Montgomery to integrate the bus systems. As this was proclaimed, Martin Luther King Jr. emerged as the leader of the Civil Rights Movement.
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"The Southern Manifesto"
This denouncement was signed by 82 house representatives and 19 senators, roughly one-fifth of the members of congress. This made it official that the separation of blacks and whites school facilities were inherently unequal. Howard Smith had cooperated with several other Senators to develop the Manifesto and Walter F.George introduced it to the chamber. A small group of southern members rose on the house floor to applaud Smith's brief, none rose against him or the paper.
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Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
The organization established an Executive Board of Directors and elected officers. Among the member and officer there was: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as the President, Dr. Ralph David Abernathy as Financial Secretary-Treasurer and many more were apart this group. During the first convention is when the organization adopted its current name, Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The organization grew nation wide and affiliates with all kinds of programs and people.
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Little Rock- Central High School
At the time, Governor Orval Faubus ordered the Arkansas National Guard to block African Americans from entering Central High School. Faubus was not following the law about public schools being desegregated. The guards got to stay in front of the school and enforce rule. Nine African Americans entered the school to enroll and a full-scale riot broke and Faubus did nothing to stop the violence. Eisenhower finally sent U.S. Paratroopers to restore order in Little Rock. (http://bit.ly/23LxH8m) -
Greensboro Sit-In
Even though there was many advances in the racial equality movement, segregation was still the norm across the Southern United States. The Greensboro Sit-In was a non-violent protest organized by a group of young African Americans. This group of African Americans sat at the counter of a segregated restaurant, which is where they were not suppose to sit. News of the sit-in spread to other towns and started many sit-ins, causing many to change their segregation policies. (http://bit.ly/1MP3Fq) -
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
The group formed to give younger African Americans a voice in the Civil Rights Movement and became one of the more radical branches. After the Greensboro sit-in, Ella Baker and the director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to hold the first meeting of the first meeting of the SNCC. Baker was concerned that the younger blacks were not involved due to Martin Luther King Jr's actions. The members of this group became known as "shock troops of revolution."
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"Freedom Rides"
Thirteen African Americans and white civil rights activists launched the freedom riders, to protest segregated buses. They started in Washington, D.C. and worked their way deep south, along the way they were encouraged bus facilities to integrate. they also tried to use "white-only" bathrooms and other facilities. The group received much hate and lots of violence from white protesters. Commerce Commission issued regulations prohibiting segregation in transportation. (http://bit.ly/1vgaxE1) -
"Letter From Birmingham Jail"
Martin Luther King Jr. was placed in jail for his nonviolent protest against racial inequality. The letter was written for the eight white clergymen who unapproved of King's actions. King's persuasive letter, made it seem like the church should feel bad about what they did to him. Also in his letter he explained why he did what he did and why he wants them to care. He talks about how honored to be called extremist because everyone is extreme, including God and Jesus. (http://bit.ly/2oexY5g) -
Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers was an African American civil rights activist. Evers served in World War 2 before joining the work force at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Evers became the field secretary in Mississippi after the attempt to segregate the University of Mississippi Law School. Evers was threatened because he was seen as the most visible civil rights leader. As a result he was shot to death by Byron De La Beckwith, who had to be tried twice.
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March on Washington
In Washington, D.C. on August 28th, there a was a political rally. There was more over hundred thousand Americans included in this rally to get jobs and freedom. The event was developed by civil rights and religious groups, they designed it to shed light on the political ans social challenges of African Americans that continued across the country. During the rally Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have A Dream" speech, a spirited call for racial justice and equality. (http://bit.ly/1i6tu7Z) -
Bombing of Birmingham Church
Many irritated by the "I have A Dream" speech many were violent and irrational. A bomb exploded before Sunday morning services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, a church with a predominantly black congregation that served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders. Only four deaths happened and many others were injured/outraged by the event. There was a violent clash between the police and protesters which drew attention to the hard fight for blacks.
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Twenty-Fourth Amendment
The twenty-fourth amendment to the civil rights movement was it ended the mandatory poll taxes that prevented many African Americans. Poll taxes, though not a large sum, most poor blacks couldn't afford it, and other clauses were the main reason that African American could not have any sort of political power, especially in the South. There was significant discrimination in the South and the twenty-fourth amendment had allowed some of the discrimination to slow down.
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Mississippi Freedom Summer
The civil rights organizations, the Congress on Racial Equality and Student Non-Violent Committee, organized a voter registration drive to increase voter ratings. This event is commonly known as Freedom Summer but is also known as Summer Project. The Freedom Summer, was made up of black Mississippians and a thousand out of state volunteers. The Ku Klux Klan, police ans state and local started a series of violent attacks but it didnt stop them, it encourage them more. (http://bit.ly/1jCdm18) -
Civil Rights Act Passed
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is considered one of the crowning legislative achievements of the overall movement. This act ended segregation in public place and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. First proposed to President John F. Kennedy but was over ruled by all the southern members of Congress. Lyndon B. Johnson to over the act and in subsequent years the act was expanded and eventually passed by Congress.
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Malcolm X Assassination
Malcolm Little was an African American nationalist and religious leader. June of 1964 he returned to America after being apart of a racial orthodox with Muslims. Once he returned he had a new name, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, and he created the Organization of Afro-Americans Unity, which advocated black identity and held that racism was the greatest foe of the African Americans. Malcolm was assassinated at a meeting of the OAAU by rival Black Muslims in Audubon Ballroom.
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Selma to Montgomery March
Selma, Alabama became the center of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference efforts to register black voters in the South. They were marching from Selma to the state capital of Montgomery. As they were marching they were met by violent resistance by state and local, so they became under the protection of the National Guard. Finally they reached there goal of reaching Montgomery, it was a three day walk and constantly walking around the clock. It raised awareness. (http://bit.ly/1nGD5oz) -
Voting Rights Act Approved
President L. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965. The act was suppose to overcome any legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote under the 15th amendment to the Constitution of the United States. This act widen the franchise significantly and is consider one of the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history. The right to vote for African Americans was a big step.
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James Meredith
James H. Meredith was the first African American to attend the University of Mississippi. Meredith was a former service man in the U.S. Army applied to college and was accepted until they learned of his race. James reapplied and reapplied until they accepted him. Meredith became apart of the public eye once again when he developed a lone civil rights march but unfortunately Meredith was shot and killed by a sniper. After his death the SNCC came to march in his place. (http://bit.ly/1oA25xm) -
Black Panthers
The Black Panther role in the civil rights movement was short but important. They believed in the non-violent campaign of Martin Luther King Jr. had failed and any possible changes to their lifestyles were not coming. The language of the panthers was violent as well as their stance in public. They were willing to use violence to get want they want and would speak out for all those who were oppressed. The FBI destroyed the Black Panthers and their violent movements. (http://bit.ly/1SM5axc) -
King Assassinated
Martin Luther King Jr. was extremely important in the civil right movement. He was apart of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the movement since mid-1950s. King used a combination of powerful words and non-violent tactics such as sit-ins, boycotts and protest marches. Unfortunately King was assassinated causing anger among blacks but the equal housing bill was sped up as well, which was the last significant legislative achievement of the civil rights era.
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