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Brown vs Board of Education
Oliver Brown was denied to take his daughter Linda Brown to a white school. This took place in Topeka, Kansas. This case challenged the racial segregation because it violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. The Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in schools was unconstitutional. This played a big role in the civil rights movement. -
Murder of Emmett Till
Emmet Till went into candy shop one day. He was accused of whistling to a white woman there. So two white Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, men got angry and decided to kidnap him. They beat him, shot him in the head, and threw his body in a river. His mother decided to have an open casket funeral so everyone could see what they did to her son. -
Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks got on a bus and refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery. She ended up getting arrested for not giving up her seat. This lead Martin Luther King Jr to organize a boycott of the Montgomery buses. The boycott put pressure on the bus system. The bus boycott lasted 381 days. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The SCLC was an organization linked to the black churches. 60 black ministers were pivotal in organizing civil right activism. Martin Luther King Jr was elected President. They focused its non violent strategy on citizenship, schools and efforts to desegregate individual cities, It played key roles in the March on Washington in 1963 and the Voting Rights Campaign and March to Montgomery in 1965. -
Little Rock 9
The Little Rock 9 was a small group of black students. These nine black students were the first to enroll at Little Rock Central High School. This school was an all white school. The governor however was against desegregation. These students ended up facing daily harassment. -
Greensboro Sit ins
Four black college students were the ones involved. The sit-ins took place at the Woolworth. This was a segregated lunch counter where black people couldn’t be served. The four students sat in the whites only counter in the Woolworth. They were not arrested but they faced verbal abuse and harassment. -
Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges was a 6 year old. She became the first African American child to integrate to an all white public William Frantz Elementary school. On her first day she was escorted by U.S. Marshals for her safety. There was an angry mob outside the school protesting. Some people refused to attend school with her. -
Freedom Riders
The Freedom riders were a group of activists that were both black and white. They would travel in buses through the south. They would go against the segregation laws and sit integrated. One day a bus was firebombed and the passengers were attacked. Even though the passengers were attacked no one died. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington was a peaceful protest. This March was nonviolent and involved all races. Over 250,000 people showed up. This March is when Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. The March on Washington remains one of the most important moments in the civil rights movement. -
Civil Rights Act (1964)
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was aimed to end discrimination based on race, color, religion, and sex. This helped eliminate segregation in public places. President Lyndon B. Johnson played a big part in getting this law passed. This acted was finally passed in Washington, D.C. This was a turning point in the fight for racial equality. -
Assassination of Malcom X
Malcom X was an African American leader. He was assassinated by three men. They were apart of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X was delivering a speech at a gathering when he was shot multiple times. He was 39 years old when he died. -
Selma to Montgomery March (Bloody Sunday)
A bunch of civil rights activists began a March from Selma to Montgomery. They wanted rights for African Americans. As they crossed the bridge there was a large group of law enforcement. They decided to attack the protesters without warning. They used clubs, tear gas, and whips to attack them. This incident was broadcast on television so everyone saw what happened. -
Voting Rights Act (1965)
The voting Rights Act was mainly focused on Southern states. This act aimed to get rid of barriers that prevented African Americans to vote. This banned things like literacy tests. President Johnson signed this law into effect. This act is considered one of the most important parts in the civil rights movement. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King was a huge leader and advocate in the civil rights movement. He was standing on a balcony of the Lorraine Motel where he was shot in the neck. He was rushed to the hospital but died in Memphis Tennessee. He was 39 when he died. James Earl Ray was the man that assassinated him.