Civil Rights Timeline

By Elewis015

  • 1943-1954: Early Activism

    Local grassroots organizations such as the Montgomery chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) lay the foundation for civil rights activism in Montgomery, Alabama.
  • Period: to

    1950

  • 1954: Brown v. Board of Education

    May 17, 1954: The U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education declares racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, providing inspiration and legal precedent for civil rights activists.

  • 1955: Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

    December 1, 1955: Rosa Parks, a member of the local NAACP, refuses to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. This incident sparks the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
    1955-1956: Montgomery Bus Boycott

  • 1955-1956: Montgomery Bus Boycott

    December 5, 1955: The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) is formed, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as its leader. MIA coordinates the boycott efforts.
    The boycott lasts for 381 days, relying on grassroots organizing, local churches, and community support.
    November 13, 1956: The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Browder v. Gayle, declaring segregated buses unconstitutional, effectively ending the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

  • 1960: Formation of SNCC

    April 1960: The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) is founded, emphasizing nonviolent direct action and grassroots organizing. SNCC becomes a key player in civil rights activism throughout the 1960s.
    1961: Freedom Rides May 1961: The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and SNCC organize the Freedom Rides to challenge segregated bus terminals in the South, facing violence and arrests but drawing national attention to the civil rights struggle.
  • Period: to

    1960s

  • 1963: Birmingham Campaign

    April 1963: The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., joins local activists in Birmingham, Alabama, for the Birmingham Campaign. The use of nonviolent protests and children in marches gains national sympathy and attention.

  • 1964: Civil Rights Act

    July 2, 1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act into law, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This legislative victory is a significant milestone for the movement.

  • 1965: Selma to Montgomery Marches

    March 7, 1965: Bloody Sunday occurs as civil rights activists, including John Lewis and Hosea Williams, attempt to march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The violence attracts national outrage.
    March 25, 1965: The third and successful Selma to Montgomery march takes place, with federal protection, leading to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.