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Brown v. Board of Education
Supreme Court outlaws school segregation in Brown v. Board of Education. The court case that allowed separate but equal facilities was known as Plessy v. Fergusan. Esther Brown's campaign started the Brown v. Board case. The result was slow desegregation acts. -
The Rev. George Lee Killed
The Rev. George Lee killed for leading voter-registration drive. Belzoni, Mississippi. -
Lamar Smith Murdered
Lamar Smith murdered for organizing black voters. Brookhaven, Mississippi. -
Emmett Louis Till Murdered
Emmett Louis Till murdered for speaking to a white woman. Money, Mississippi. -
John Earl Reese Slain
John Earl Reese slain by nightriders opposed to school improvements. Mayflower, Texas. -
Rosa Parks Arrested
Rosa Parks arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man. Montgomery, Alabama. Rosa Parks stood for what she believed in. She was tired after a long day of work, took a seat on the bus and was then told to leave her seat. She was arrested for disobeying a law requiring black people to relinquish seats to the white. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Montgomery bus boycott begins. -
Supreme Court Bans Segregated Seating on Montgomery Buses
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Willie Edwards Jr. Killed
Willie Edwards Jr. killed by Klansman. Montgomery, Alabama. -
Congress Passes First Civil Rights Act
Congress passes First Civil Rights Act since Reconstruction. President Dwight D. Eisenhower passed this law. This law initiated a greater federal role in protecting the rights of African Americans and other minorities. -
President Eisenhower Ordered Federal Troops to Enforce School Desegregation.
Little Rock, Arkansas. In Little Rock, Arkansas President Eisenhower ordered Federal Troops to enforce school desgregation. The government protected the African American students by escorting the students to their classes throughout the entire year. -
Mack Charles Parker Taken from Jail
Mack Charles Parker taken from jail and lynched. Poplarville, Mississippi. -
Black Students Stage Sit-In
Black students stage a sit-in at "Whites Only" lunch counter. Greensboro, North Carolina. -
Supreme Court Outlaws Segregation in Bus Terminals
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Freedom Riders attacked
Freedom Riders attacked in Alabama while testing compliance with bus desegregation laws. The Freedom Riders were brutally attacked by violent, well-armed and organized mobs of Klansmen and other terrorists. Freedom Rides were helped organize by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), a U.S. civil rights group. Freedom Riders consisted of both african americans and whites. -
Herbert Lee Killed
Herbert Lee a voter regestration worker killed by white legislator. Liberty, Mississippi. -
Civil Rights Groups Join Forces
Civil Rights groups join forces to launch voter registration drive. -
CPL. Roman Ducksworth Jr. Taken and Killed
CPL. Roman Ducksworth Jr. taken from bus and killed by police. Taylorsville, Mississippi. -
Riots Erupt (James Meredith)
When James Meredith tried to enroll at Ole Miss riots erupted ending in two dead, hundreds wounded and many others arrested. The governmemt got involved by the Kennedy administration calling out about 31,000 National Guardsmen and other federal forces to enforce order. -
Paul Guihard Killed
Paul Guihard a french reporter killed during Ole Miss riot. Oxford Mississippi. -
William Lewis Moore Slain
William Lewis Moore slain during one-man march against segregation. Artalia, Alabama. -
Birmingham Police Attack
Birmingham police attack marching children with dogs and fire hoses. -
George Wallace Stands in Schoolhouse Door to Stop Segregation.
George Wallace (an Alabama Governor). -
Medger Evers Assassinated
Took place in Jackson, Mississippi. Medger Evers was a civil rights activist who organized voter-registration efforts, demonstrations and boycotts that practiced discrimination. Medger Evers was shot to death while in his driveway outside his home. He was shot by Byron De La Beckwith. -
250,000 Americans March on Washington for Civil Rights
The purpose to the March on Washington was for jobs and freedom. Martin Luther King Jr's 'I Have a Dream" speech was given there that day. -
Schoolgirls Killed in Bombing
Addie May Collins. Denise Mcnair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley girls killed in bombing of sixteenth street Baptist Church. Birmingham, Alabama. -
Virgil Lamar Youth Killed
Virgil Lamar Youth killed during wave of racist violence. Birmingham, Alabama. -
Poll Tax Outlawed in Federal Elections
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Louis Allen WItness to Murder
Louis Allen witness to murder of civil rights worker assassinated. Liberty, Mississippi. -
The Rev. Bruce Klunder killed
The Rev. Bruce Klunder killed protesting construction of segregated school. Cleveland, Ohio. -
Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore Killed
Killed by klansman. Meadville, Mississippi. -
Freedom Summer Brings 1,000 Young Civil Rghts Volunteers to Mississippi.
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Civil Rights Workers Abducted and Slain
James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner abducted and slain by klansmen. Philadelphia, Mississippi. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
President Johnson passed this law. This law outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or nationality, required equal access to public places and employment. Also enforced desegregation of schools and the right to vote. -
LT. Col. Lemuel Penn Killed
Killed by Klansman while driving North. Colbert, Georgia. -
Jimmie Lee Jackson Killd by State Trooper
Jimmie Lee Jackson (Civil Rights Marcher) killed by State Trooper. -
State Troopers Beat Back Marchers at Edmond Pettus Bridge
In Selma, Alabama. -
The Rev. James Reeb Beaten
The Rev. James Reeb a march volunteer was beaten to death. Selma, Alabama. -
Thousands Complete the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March
The March to Selma was organized to register black voters in the South. The opposition the marchers faced during the march was the state and local authorities. The outcome of this event was a success of the marchers. -
Viola Gregg Liuzzo Killed
Viola Gregg Liuzzo killed by Klansman while transporting marchers. Selma Highway, Alabama. -
Oneal Moore Killed
Oneal Moore (Black Deputy) killed by nightriders. Varnado, Louisiana. -
Congress Passes Voting Rights Act of 1965
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Willie Brewster Killed
Willie Brewster killed by nightriders. Anniston, Alabama. -
Johnathan Daniels Killed
Johnathan Daniels (seminary student) killed by deputy. Hayneville, Alabama. -
Samuel Younge Jr. Killed
Samuel Younge Jr. (student civil rights activist) killed in dispute. Taskegee, Alabama. -
Vernon Dahmer Killed
Vernon Dahmer (black community leader) killed in Klan bombing. Hattiesburg, Mississippi. -
Ben Chester White Killed
Ben Chester White killed by Klansmen. Natchez, Mississippi. -
Clarence Triggs Slain
Clarence Triggs slain by nightriders. Bagalusa, Louisiana. -
Wharlest Jackson Killed
Wharlest Jackson (civil rights leader) killed after promotion to 'white job'. Natchez, Mississippi. -
Benjamin Brown Killed
Benjamin Brown (civil rights worker) killed when police fired on protestors. Jackson, Mississippi. -
Thurgood Marshall Swom in his First Black Supreme Court Justice
The role Thurgood Marshall played before becoming a justice was as a legal counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). This was a monumental event because he posed as a very good Supreme Court Justice. -
Students killed When Highway Patrolmen Fire on Protesters
Samuel Hammond Jr, Delano Middleton, Henry Smith were the students killed by highway patrolmen. -
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated
In Memphis, Tennessee. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot while standing on the balcony outside his second-story room at the Lorraine Motelin in Memphis Tennessee. His death had such an impact on both whites and african americans because he left such big goals and accomplishments finished and successful behind him.
